Stonewall June 2026

Pacific Northwest

2025

June 2026

Volume 18 Issue 6 www.stonewallnews.net

PO Box 871112 Vancouver, WA 98687

PUBLISHER

Mike Schultz publisher@stonewallnews.org

John Deen 1995-2005

Lawrence Stone 1992-1995

OREGON MANAGING EDITOR

Rhonda Brown oregon-editor@stonewallnews.org

ADVERTISING

April Gilbreath advertising@stonewallnews.org 509-541-5615

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown

Remembering Jonathan Shuffield

Wenatchee Pride billbaords go up as Pride flags go down

Unveiling Liza Minelli

Idaho Christians push back on transgender bathroom law

LGBTQ Caucus makes gains in Washington legislative session

Stonewall News Northwest Archive

The Impact of Pride in Idaho and Rural communities

Columns: Ryan’s Guide to Gay Marriage & May is the Time of the Dandelion

Columns: The Pacific Northwest isn’t godless. We just haven’t been paying attention & You’re allowed to Show Up Before You Feel Ready

LUCILLE STUTESMAN

SGN FAVS NEWS

EMMA MAPLE

FAITH ELLIS

UW NEWS LAB

RHONDA BROWN

DANA CLARK

TRACY SIMMONS

MATTHEW DANIELSON

SARAH LYNCH

The Stonewall Directory & Events website, www.stonewalldirectory.net, launched in 2026 as a resource for information about LGBTQ+ and allied member organizations and businesses serving the LGBTQ+ public — from accountants to youth services. The comprehensive listings (which also include ways for users to message or call) are coupled with an integrated events calendar to further promote for-profit and nonprofit members through their happenings of interest to the community and support the critical social pillars of diversity, equity, and inclusion

The directory listing options include three membership levels for businesses and organizations: a free Bronze level, a $10/month Silver level, and a $20/month Gold level. Benefits vary by level but include listing in multiple categories and locations, automatic Google mapping, robust filtering, listing analytics, and event posting.

“We are fortunate to have a strong network of non-profits, including Odyssey Youth Movement, the Spectrum Center, and River City Youth, all of which work to engage kids and provide spaces for them to connect with others who share their experiences and identities.”

-- Mayor Lisa Brown

by Frank Gaimari

Lisa Brown’s story is one of determination, leadership, and a deep commitment to the people of Spokane. As the city’s 48th mayor, she brings decades of experience and a vision for a more inclusive, equitable future. But her journey to this role is as inspiring as the work she’s doing now.

Born in a small town in Illinois, Lisa’s early life was shaped by a love of learning and a drive to make a difference. She pursued her passion for economics, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign and later a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. In 1980, she moved to Spokane, where she began teaching economics at Eastern Washington University. What started as a career move quickly became a lifelong connection to the city she now calls home.

Lisa’s career has always been about breaking barriers. In 1992, she stepped into the political arena, winning a seat in the Washington State House of Representatives. Four years later, she moved to the State Senate, where she made history as the first Democratic woman to serve as Senate Majority Leader. Her time in the legislature was marked by bold initiatives — she fought for

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown: A Legacy of Pride and Progress

Lisa Brown’s journey from educator to legislator to mayor is a testament to her unwavering dedication to making Spokane a better place for all. As she leads the city into a new chapter, her focus on equity, opportunity, and community promises to leave a lasting legacy.

economic growth, environmental protection, and social justice, always with an eye on how policies could improve the lives of everyday people.

But Lisa’s impact didn’t stop at politics. After leaving the Senate, she served as Chancellor at Washington State University, Spokane. There, she played a critical role in the creation of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, a transformative project that expanded healthcare access and brought new opportunities to the region. It was a testament to her ability to turn ideas into tangible results.

Throughout her career, Lisa has been a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. She marched in

Spokane’s first Pride Parade in 1992 and has consistently used her platform to push for equality and inclusion. Her recent mayoral campaign came at a time when Spokane’s LGBTQ+ community faced targeted hate crimes, including vandalism of Pride symbols. Lisa’s leadership during this challenging time was a source of hope and strength for many.

“Standing up for human rights and equality isn’t just a political stance — it’s a moral one,” she said.

Now, as mayor, Lisa is tackling some of Spokane’s most pressing issues head-on. Homelessness is a top priority. “We can’t ignore the fact that too many people in our city are sleeping on the streets,” she said. Her approach involves collaboration — working with

nonprofits, community leaders, and public safety officials to create sustainable solutions, from affordable housing to better outreach programs. She also sees Spokane as a regional leader, with the potential to influence neighboring areas and set an example for inclusivity and progress.

What sets Lisa apart is her deep connection to Spokane. Over the years, she’s lived in neighborhoods across the city, getting to know its people and its challenges firsthand. On weekends, she enjoys outdoor activities with her husband, Brian McClatchey, or cheering on her son, Lucas Brookbank Brown,

MAYOR - To Page 25

Jonathan Shuffield remembering

By Frank Gaimari

Jonathan Shuffield was truly a force of nature. If you were lucky enough to cross paths with him, you know he was the kind of person who left a lasting impression — an artist, an advocate, a storyteller, and above all, a friend whose vibrant spirit lifted everyone around him. On May 3, 2026, Jonathan passed away peacefully at his home in Spokane, leaving behind a legacy of creativity, compassion, and unwavering dedication to his community.

Jonathan’s gifts were as wideranging as they were remarkable. On stage, he was magnetic — whether he was belting out songs as Mary Sunshine in Chicago or making us laugh as Jesus in the female version of The Odd Couple. He had that rare ability to light up a room, to make you forget where you were for a couple of hours and just be swept up in the story. But his love for creativity didn’t stop when the curtain closed. Offstage, Jonathan was always writing — op-eds, interviews, news stories — his words just seemed to pour out of him, each piece thoughtful and sharp, always with a touch of his signature wit.

One of his proudest achievements was the web series Almost... Not Quite: Together Apart. If you’ve seen it, you know how Jonathan brought his characters to life in a way that felt real and relatable. He was working hard to turn that web series into a sitcom, pouring so much of himself into the project. That was Jonathan — always dreaming, creating, always pushing for the next big thing.

His move to Spokane opened a new chapter for both him and the community. He co-created and cohosted OUTSpoken, a radio show

that became a lifeline for so many in the LGBTQIA+ community in the Inland Northwest. The show wasn’t just about news and interviews; it was about creating a space where people felt seen and heard. Jonathan’s warmth and humor came through every episode, and he never shied away from tough conversations. He was fearless in his advocacy, helping people feel less alone and more connected.

But if you ask those who knew him best, they’ll tell you Jonathan’s real legacy isn’t just what he did — it’s how he made people feel. He had this infectious laugh and a gift for making everyone feel welcome. He loved improv, comedy, and music, and he was always the first to encourage and lift others. He mentored so many, not just with advice, but with a genuine desire to see people thrive. If you were struggling, Jonathan was the one you could call — he’d listen, crack a joke, and remind you that you mattered.

Family and friends were everything to him. As his close friend Holly Meginniss put it,

Jonathan’s laughter, kindness, and creativity will be deeply missed. But his spirit lives in the community he helped build, in the stories he told, and in every life he touched. He was more than an artist, more than an advocate — he was a beacon of hope, a reminder that with love and imagination, you really can change the world.

“If you were part of Jonathan’s circle, you never had to wonder if he loved you. He made sure you knew.” That was his superpower — making people feel cherished.

His brother Jason remembers their bond with so much love. “We talked every day for over 12 years. We supported each other through everything. Jonathan was creative, loving, and kind. He inspired everyone around him. I lost not just my brother, but my best

friend. I hope people remember him for the love he gave.”

Jonathan’s commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community was unwavering. Whether it was through OUTSpoken, The Queercentric podcast, or just a quiet conversation over coffee, he was always helping others — especially those trying to find the courage to be themselves. He

Wenatchee, Boise and Lynnwood in the Pacific Northwest, like many communities around the country, are countering new efforts to suppress established public displays of diversity and inclusion.

by Lucille Stutesman

This is a developing story, please visit www.stonewallnews.net for current developments.

In response to the city choosing to raise family month banners sponsored by a local Turning Point USA chapter instead of Pride flags, Pride group OUT NCW has installed a year-round Pride billboard in downtown Wenatchee.

“We’re responding to the needs of our community as best we can by providing visibility, by providing support,” said OUT NCW President AJ Soto. “We’re here for the duration.”

The billboard, located in downtown Wenatchee, is adorned with pride flags and says “you are loved” several times.

In addition, another billboard reading “Love thy neighbor” just went up in East Wenatchee.

“There are a ton of people who see what we’re doing and recognize that the message of, ‘love your neighbor,’ and ‘you are loved’ transcends a lot of ideology,” Soto said. “That’s why we picked those messages. We want for them to be universal.”

The billboards were partly paid for by donations from the community in Wenatchee. That community helped pick the messages and designs going on the billboards.

“The reaction to it has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “It truly is a community effort.”

Wenatchee Pride billboards go up, as Pride flags go down in parts of the region

Soto says it is that kind of positive engagement that will protect the billboards from vandals.

“We’ve discussed that it was a possibility and it’s one of those things like anything could happen, but I don’t think that we’re overly concerned about it,” he said. “I’m really impressed by the incredible amount of love that we’ve gotten from the community.”

The two billboards are paid to be up for the next 12 months, with

the intention to pay for them to go up beyond that. Meanwhile, Soto is looking at putting up more, smaller billboards around town.

“We are looking at acquiring small ones, depending on what’s available,” he said.

Billboards in response to new banner policy

The billboards were initially conceived as a way to respond to the city of East Wenatchee

banning hanging banners on streetlights not a part of an approved list. Pride flags were excluded from that list.

“We actually purchased the East Wenatchee billboard first,” Soto said. “That was in an attempt to help the community make their voice heard about their feelings about that decision.”

That changed when Soto heard about Wenatchee’s decision to

FLAGS - To Page 7

Unveiling Liza Minnelli: A Memoir of Resilience and Stardom

Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! is a true triumph — not just a chronicle of a dazzling career, but a bold celebration of resilience and survival. Liza Minnelli delivers a memoir every bit as strong, funny, and unapologetically honest as she is.

by Frank Gaimari www.FranksFilmReview.com

For as long as I can remember, I have been captivated by the sheer force of nature, that is, Liza Minnelli. When her memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! was released, I couldn’t wait to dive into her story. I purchased an autographed copy — signed by Liza herself. To preserve this treasured keepsake, I used an Audible credit to experience the memoir in a way that felt even more personal, with Liza’s extraordinary voice and spirit narrating her journey. Born into the dazzling yet daunting world of Hollywood royalty, she could have easily remained in the shadow of her legendary mother, Judy Garland, and visionary father, Vincente Minnelli. Instead, she carved out her own spectacular path, becoming a singular icon and a testament to resilience. This long-awaited memoir is a brilliant, breathtaking journey that explains why she remains one of the most beloved entertainers of our time.

What stands out most is how Liza approaches her complicated family legacy. She writes about her parents with deep love and respect but never hides from the darker truths of her childhood. With a mother battling serious personal demons, Liza was forced to grow up quickly and forge her own identity. When she says, “sympathy is my mother’s business. I give people joy,” you clearly see the protective armor she created just to survive. Her status as an EGOT winner came not from her famous name but from her extraordinary talent and unwavering work ethic.

If you’re looking for a glossy, PRapproved celebrity autobiography, this isn’t it. Liza bravely reveals her struggles — addiction, heartbreaks, miscarriages, and serious health issues — with striking vulnerability. Yet, she

never drifts into self-pity; even in her darkest admissions, her unstoppable, show-must-go-on spirit shines. She fully owns her choices, reclaims her truth from the tabloids, and delivers an unfiltered look at the true cost of living so much of her life in the spotlight.

Co-written with her close friend and confidant Michael Feinstein, the memoir exudes an intimate charm, making me feel as though I’m sharing a latenight conversation on a velvet couch. Listening to Liza’s vibrant personality through her own voice adds an unparalleled depth to the experience — her breathless excitement and signature throaty laugh bring the stories to life in a way that reading alone could never achieve. The narrative immerses me in the dazzling chaos of Studio 54, the iconic sets of films like Cabaret, and tender moments shared with legendary friends such as Halston, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, and Princess Diana.

Beyond the glitz and gossip, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! reveals the depth of Liza’s heart. The memoir devotes genuine attention to her fearless activism and her strong bond with the LGBTQIA community. At a time when acceptance was far from the norm, Liza stood courageously for what she believed in, giving and seeking love with remarkable passion.

Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! is a true triumph — not just a chronicle of a dazzling career, but a bold celebration of resilience and survival. Liza Minnelli delivers a memoir every bit as strong, funny, and unapologetically honest as she is. Whether you’ve loved her for years or are just discovering her, this book is sure to move and inspire you.

You can buy this book on Amazon or visit her website at https://www. lizaminnelli.com/ .

FLAGS - From Page 5

fly “Family Month” banners in June instead of the Pride flags that had flown the past five years. He decided it would be best to raise two billboards, one in East Wenatchee and another in Wenatchee.

The family month banners in Wenatchee are set to replace the Pride flags that typically flew during June. Family month runs from Mother’s Day in early May to Father’s Day in late June. The family month banners in Wenatchee will fly from June 1 to June 30.

The red, white and blue banners say “freedom” and “America’s Family Month.”

The banners are sponsored by the local Turning Point USA chapter at the unaccredited school Vector College, which is operated by Grace City Church.

Turning Point USA is the brainchild of conservative activist Charlie Kirk who was shot and killed in September. The Vector College chapter was founded in the weeks after his death.

NCW Equity Alliance, the group that usually sponsors the Pride Banners, had applied a day before Turning Point, but the application was considered incomplete due to missing artwork. The city reached out to Juan Diaz, executive director of NCW Equity Alliance, and did not get a response until the next week. Diaz attributed the delay to a slow-responding vendor.

The city operates on a first come, first serve basis for banner applications.

Diaz had tried to appeal the city’s decision but was denied.

Other groups pointed out that Turning Point filled out their application incorrectly. The application stated “Turning Point USA Vector College” instead of “Turning Point USA Vector,” which is the group’s name in the IRS non-profit database.

Only not-for-profit groups are allowed to sponsor a banner in Wenatchee.

The city acknowledged the mistake but categorized it as an “unintentional clerical error” in the application, according to Edgar Reinfeld, Wenatchee police chief and interim city administrator.

Continued - WENATCHEE, LYNNWOOD, WA & BOISE,

The day after NCW Equity Alliance’s application was declined by the city due to initially missing artwork, the city approved Turning Point’s application even with their error.

Idaho bans cities from flying Pride flags

In Idaho, the state has outright banned all non-government flags, including the pride flag, from flying.

The city of Boise has resorted to putting pride wraps on the city flagpoles since a state law was enacted banning the state’s capitol from flying Pride flags or face a steep fine for every day it flies.

“The city’s actions are not defined by any action taken by the statehouse,” Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said.

Bosie had flown a pride flag in front of city hall for years now, despite a law enacted in 2025 banning cities from flying unofficial flags. The law did not include a way to enforce violations.

The city responded by classifying the Pride flag as an official city flag. After the law was amended this year to include the $2,000 fine, the city took down the Pride flag and wrapped the flagpoles in rainbow colors instead.

Supporters of the law frame it in terms of neutrality. Government spaces, they argue, are funded by taxpayers and should not signal support for one group over another.

Rep. Ted Hill (R-Eagle), who had been key in signing both flag bills into law, criticized Boise’s workarounds.

“That’s lawless, insubordinate, and intolerable,” he said during a committee hearing.

Bosie councilmember Meredith Stead said the goal is not to provoke, but to reflect the community.

“I want Boise to be a place where people feel like they want to live in,” she said. “I’ve seen a positive response from the community and online.”

At the same time, the city is operating within limits.

“We have a commitment and obligation for taxpayers not to be fined,” Stead said.

For Stead, the approach is less about defiance and more about continuity.

“We’re not trying to be rebels,” she said. “We’re just trying to continue to communicate the values that we’ve long held.”

City park flag policy sparks dispute in Lynnwood

Elsewhere, residents in the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood are having issues getting the city government to raise a Pride flag for an event in June.

Wilcox Park, which is home to 27 variants of American flags, seems like an obvious choice to fly a city pride flag, said Lynnwood Pride Director Charlette LeFevre.

The group had requested the city raise a Pride flag at the park for the past three years – and had been denied every time.

The city will fly a Pride flag at city hall this year, but LeFevre says that is too out of the way. Wilcox Park gets more attention than city hall, she said.

“It really is invisible. It’s extremely disappointing,” she said of the city hall flagpole location. “The visibility of that flag is so important.”

The city did not have an official public Pride event until 2025, up until then the city had raised the Pride flag but the actual raising was only open to city employees.

LaFevre had tried to attend in 2024 but was told by city officials to leave the event.

“It seemed like they were just doing it for their own edification,” she said. “Personally, I’ve never heard of a private Pride flag raising.”

The next year, the city held a public flag raising, which LaFevre said made it difficult for people to attend since it was in the middle of a workday.

That year, Lynnwood Pride hosted a gathering at Wilcox Park where they tried to raise their flag on the center pole. It was taken down later in the day.

The city adopted a stricter flag policy in September 2025, under the direction of then-mayor Christine Frizzell. Under the new policy, non-government flags can only be flown in front of city hall, at the mayor’s judgement.

The new policy was not widely shared with the public and the rest of the city council, as current Lynnwood mayor George Hurst noted during a recent Lynnwood City Council work session.

“The process was not very good when putting this policy together,” he said.

Hurst added even though he was on city council when the policy went into effect, he had not heard of it until he took office in January.

“I think it would have been a great benefit to the community and to the council to have been aware of this policy,” he said. “But after reading it and doing research, and discussions with the city attorney, I am confident this policy is fair.”

Councilmember Isabel Mata suggested deferring any flagrelated decision to the city council.

“While our current policy may be fair, I think that it’s limited in the fact that it only allows for commemorative flags at the discretion of the mayor and only at city hall,” Mata said. “I feel that’s doing a disservice to our community when we have a wonderful flag park, as its named, that we could be doing something at.”

Mata pointed to neighboring cities Bellingham and Bothell whose approval process to fly a nongovernment commemorative flag lies in the city council instead of the mayor.

Since the original policy was enacted by the mayor as executive policy, the current mayor would have to sign off on it.

In terms of this year’s Lynnwood Pride flag raising, it is scheduled as a three-hour event on the first Saturday of June in the early afternoon next to the city hall.

LeFevre plans on hosting her own Pride event in Wilcox Park at the start of June, where she will once again attempt to raise the Pride flag on their own extension pole.

“We’ll hoist our own flag, and it’ll probably only be there for the day,” she said. “It is our expressive right to honor and recognize and hoist, albeit for just a few hours, the Pride flag for thousands to see.

“I am not going to ask people to sit outside our bathrooms and police them. I can’t do that. Our mission and our statement is, ‘We welcome all.’

--Pastor Bob Lewis, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Boise

Idaho Christians push back on transgender bathroom law: ‘Jesus said to draw them in’

This story is republished through a content partnership with FāVS News, the only digital newsroom in America devoted entirely to local religion journalism.

The predominantly Christian Idaho legislature recently passed a law banning transgender people from using sex-segregated facilities that align with their gender identity, but some Christian leaders in the state are arguing that the law is not Christian-like at all.

The law, which goes into effect in July, requires transgender people to only use bathrooms, changing rooms or similar facilities that align with their sex at birth — no matter what gender they identify as.

Although the law was passed by a Legislature that starts many meetings with a Christian prayer, not all Christians feel as if the law represents their faith.

“To hear that the state was actually trying to roll us back in history, instead of move us forward into a spirit of inclusion, was incredibly disheartening,” Josh Lee, senior pastor with Boise First United Church of Christ, said.

Bathroom bill applies to public and private spaces

The bill doesn’t only affect government spaces, like city halls and libraries, but also applies to privately-owned places that are generally open for the public, like stores and religious venues.

Pastor Bob Lewis with Immanuel Lutheran Church in Boise said the church’s council will need to discuss the law and decide how to move forward as a congregation.

“I am not going to ask people to sit outside our bathrooms and police them. I can’t do that,” Lewis said. “Our mission and our statement is, ‘We welcome all.’

“All means all,” he added.

Violating the law carries criminal penalties. Anyone convicted of a first violation will receive a misdemeanor, with the potential of up to a year in jail, and anyone convicted of a second violation within five years will receive a felony, with the potential of up to five years in prison.

There are eleven exceptions to

the law, including things like providing medical assistance or doing maintenance.

Transgender bathroom laws across the nation

Eight other states, spread in a broken patchwork line from Idaho to Florida, have passed laws banning transgender people from using facilities that align with their gender identity in all government-owned spaces.

Twelve more states have some sort of ban associated with transgender people and bathrooms, according to the Movement Advancement Project think tank.

Lee, a married gay pastor of an affirming church, said he’s concerned about how Idaho’s law will be enforced in public places where people across political ideologies mingle, like restaurants.

He said he can imagine a situation in which a transgender man with a beard is harassed for using the women’s restroom, even though it would align with his sex at birth.

Bill’s supporters say it keeps

‘women and girls safe’

Many of the state senators and representatives who spoke in favor of the bill declared it a form of protection, citing the need to keep women and girls safe from “indecent exposure.”

A 2025 study by the UCLA School of Law Williams Institute, a research center conducting independent research on LGBTQ+ themes, found that there was no statistically reportable evidence of increased harms to cisgender people when transgender people use the restrooms that align with their gender identity.

However, the opposite does occur when transgender people are banned from their restroom of choice: 11% of transgender men were verbally harassed in women’s restrooms and 9% of transgender women were verbally harassed in men’s restrooms.

When transgender people used the bathroom in alignment with their gender identity, the verbal harassment went down to 7%, the report found.

Rep. Clay Handy, R-Burley, said he expected his committee hearings on the bill to be filled with public testimony about transgender people committing voyeurism.

“I didn’t hear any of that,” Handy, who voted against the bill, said. Instead, he said, there was testimony after testimony about how people who are transitioning often have awkward and unpleasant experiences in public bathrooms.

“To me this just seems a little bit over the edge,” Handy said. “If we’re just trying to cast stones at transgender people, then I’m not going to be the person to throw the first stone.”

Other politicians argued that supporting the bill was a moral necessity.

Rep. Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood, said people should support the bill to protect women’s spaces rather than considering the viewpoints of “0.4% of the population,” an apparent reference to transgender people.

“This really is simple,” Hawkins said. “We either are a moral society, or we are not.”

LGBTQ Caucus makes gains in Washington legislative session

“We have, over the last 20 years, really built sort of a sanctuary place for LGBTQ+ people. We’re working to hold onto that status in light of the federal administration.”

-Sen.

Pedersen, member of the legislature’s LGBTQ Caucus.

“We are such an important bulwark in the country. If they can pass antiTrans initiatives at the ballot in Washington, then they’re going to be emboldened to do that everywhere across the country.”

-Sen. Pedersen, member of the

legislature’s LGBTQ Caucus.

By

As lawmakers across the country continue to advance legislation targeting the LGBTQIA+ community, Washington state ended its 2025-26 legislative session by reinforcing its reputation as one of the nation’s most protective states for Queer communities.

This year’s session delivered new safeguards in health care access, student privacy, antidiscrimination policy, and criminal justice.

Washington state Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen says the state is fighting back and advancing measures to expand rights and improve daily life for LGBTQIA+ Washingtonians.

“We have, over the last 20 years, really built sort of a sanctuary place for LGBTQ+ people,” said Sen. Pedersen, a member of the legislature’s LGBTQ Caucus. “We’re working to hold onto that status in light of the federal administration.”

Across the nation, state legislatures have played a crucial

role in fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights. Since 2021, however, lawmakers in many states have introduced or passed measures restricting gender-affirming care for minors, banning discussion of LGBTQIA+ identities in classrooms, and narrowing nondiscrimination practices. Most of those efforts gained traction in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. By contrast, Washington’s 202526 legislative session expanded privacy, health care, and legal safeguards rather than rolling them back.

Legislation passed during this session

In a win for privacy, lawmakers passed SB 6081, spearheaded by Pedersen, which protects residents from unauthorized disclosure of information, including sex designation information and historical sex designation changes in official government records.

“People are using these records to harass Trans folks,” Pedersen said. “Other states are searching out records of Transgender folks to try to enforce their bad law[s] on people who are refugees from

those bad laws.”

Health care was a major theme of this session. Under HB 1971, health plans are required to enable an option for 12-month prescriptions for hormone therapy, which helps patients avoid gaps in treatment due to frequent renewals or insurance hurdles.

HB 6183 addresses insurance coverage for HIV antivirals. The bill expands access to prevention and treatment, ensuring that insurance companies do not impose unnecessary barriers to obtaining the medications people need.

“We were able to enact that for all folks with state-regulated insurance,” said Washington state Rep. Nicole Macri. “So folks could get HIV prevention and treatment drugs without any prior authorization or [being] required to go through several steps before they can get the medication that works best for them.”

A bill focused on Washington’s youth, HB 1296, increases protections for LGBTQIA+ students and limits forced outing policies that expose a student’s

sexual orientation or gender identity without their consent. For incarcerated individuals, HB 1604 mandates that jails within Washington state implement policies for respectful treatment of Transgender and Intersex people who are undergoing searches. The bill allows for Transgender and Intersex individuals to request that a strip search be conducted by staff of a particular gender.

Looking to the future

With the legislative session closed, some initiatives moved from the floor to the ballot, putting these decisions directly in the hands of Washington voters. Not all of these bills are friendly to LGBTQIA+ people.

Sponsored by Let’s Go Washington, IL26-638 aims to restrict Transgender athletes from competing in girls interscholastic sports. The initiative would be enforced by requiring verification of students’ sex through routine physical examinations and forcing school districts to prohibit students assigned male at birth from participating in athletic activities intended for female students.

“We are such an important bulwark in the country,” Pedersen said, referring to Washington state. “If they can pass antiTrans initiatives at the ballot in Washington, then they’re going to be emboldened to do that everywhere across the country.”

Stonewall News Northwest digitizes in high resolution, uploads initial 16-year print run for public access

The first issue in April 1992 to May 2007 now available online at the Stonewall website: www.stoneallnews.net, click “Archives” tab at the top

Why our archives matter

by Percy Laird

Queer history is not background. It is infrastructure. It is how communities survive erasure, recognize themselves, and pass forward the knowledge required to live openly and fully. When queer media disappears, it is not just stories that are lost—it is strategy, memory, and proof of possibility.

The newly digitized release of Stonewall’s first 16 years is not a commemorative gesture. It is a reclamation, and it belongs to us.

Stonewall began in 1992 as Stonewall News Spokane, founded by Lawrence Stone under Stonewall Publishing, Inc. at a time when visibility itself carried consequence. In Spokane, printing the words “gay” and “lesbian” was considered risky. Printers refused bids. Advertisers hesitated. The expectation was silence or shame. Stonewall rejected that expectation outright. It was built deliberately—as a fully licensed, professionally produced newspaper that asserted queer lives were not marginal, and that documenting them was a political act.

The archive does not soften that reality. Its pages show how rights were contested locally, how nondiscrimination protections were fought for inch by inch, and how the AIDS crisis shaped both urgency and grief. They also show something just as important: how dignity was practiced.

Through editorial standards, cartoons, arts coverage, and cultural criticism, Stonewall insisted that queer people were entitled to complexity, humor, and self-definition. It did not simply report on a community—it helped teach one how to see itself clearly.

In 1995, publishing leadership passed to John Deen, and the paper became Stonewall News Northwest, reflecting a broader regional scope.

In 2005, Mike Schultz purchased all shares of Stonewall Publishing, Inc., retaining stewardship of its archives, intellectual property, and copyrights across three publishers and 16 years.

Archives like this are not neutral repositories; they are tools. They show how communities organize under pressure, how visibility is claimed before it is safe, and how futures are imagined when none are promised. Making this archive accessible is not about nostalgia. It is about continuity.

This information belongs to us. Reading it is not passive. It is how we honor those who took risks to be visible, and how we give future generations something essential: evidence. Evidence that queer lives were lived fully here. Evidence that authenticity is not new. Evidence that they inherit not just struggle, but lineage.

The archive is open. Read it. Use it. Learn from it. Our future depends on remembering how we got here.

Making a difference: The impact of Pride in Idaho and rural communities

Spokane Pride Executive Director Matthew Danielson and North Idaho Pride Alliance

Executive Director Sarah Lynch answer seven questions about the impact of Pride in Idaho and our rural conservative communities.

by Matthew Danielson and Sarah Lynch

Why is Pride in Idaho and rural areas so important?

Matthew: The significance of Pride celebrations is even greater in rural areas where they meet more resistance. Pride as a resistance movement can be what makes Pride meaningful and effective. Pride is the pushing forward of universal rights of identity and living for truth over trying to mold oneself into the expectations of a culture of the past. I firmly believe that Pride is even more important in places outside of our metropolitan areas. Even though their attendance is smaller, rural Prides are one of the main frontlines of our culture war, and they cannot be neglected.

Sarah: The North Idaho Pride Alliance (NIPA) serves LGBTQIA2S+ folks throughout 15,000 square miles of mostly rural, underresourced communities in one of the most politically hostile climates in the nation. According to the Movement Advancement Project, Idaho’s overall LGBTQ policy score dropped even further into the negative this year, ranking 54th out of 57 US states and territories, and we now come in dead last for gender identity policies. The hardest hit population are our most vulnerable, our youth and trans folks. Across the past six legislative sessions, Idaho

has enacted 16 anti-LGBT laws whose negative impacts don’t stop at the border. Due to dwindling or nonexistent affirming support, we regularly refer inquiries for services to our partners to the West, from Spokane and beyond.

How long have you been involved with Pride?

Matthew: I’ve been helping with Pride events in northern Idaho since 2013. Back then it was our yearly ‘Pride Cruise,’ where Outspokane, which would later become Spokane Pride, would rent a boat on lake CDA and have dancing and queer joy for a two hour cruise. Since then I’ve helped with dozens of Pride events in the Inland Northwest, from Clarkston, WA to Libby, MT, and I hope to make that hundreds soon. I’ve seen all manner of community reaction to these events, from near total acceptance, to their being nearly as many protestors as attendees to these Prides. One thing is true for all of them, they move the needle.

Sarah: I first got involved with NIPA as a board member just prior to our 2022 Pride in the Park celebration and was quickly thrust into the position of public safety liaison due to my military background and emergency management expertise. Unfortunately, that year’s Pride celebration was hijacked by protester interference and defamatory attacks on a drag

performer that stole attention from the story of CDA’s biggest and best Pride in the Park to date. Since that time, NIPA has grown exponentially, expanding our reach from not only our annual Pride festival, but to Pride celebrations throughout the Idaho Panhandle, and even to non-Pride events throughout our broader community. We use a threefold approach of Networking, Advocating, and Educating in our year-round programming, and central to that approach is the importance of visibility. While visibility is a common goal of Pride, it’s important to us to respect that not all Prides look alike, and that Pride must be locally sourced and developed in order to effect change within a community. We always encourage to attendees follow the lead of local organizers.

How do you shift attitudes in communities where LGBTQIA2S+ people still face open opposition?

Matthew: Though there were many protestors at some of these Prides, they were not the professional protestors on predictable city corners with familiar signs of hate and bigotry. They were members of that community, and I saw several of the Pride attendees have respectful conversations with the protestors over extended periods of time. Just knowing who people are and being in conversation can move the needle, even in such potentially hostile contexts.

Sarah: Our work at NIPA is guided by the conviction that face-to-face conversation humanizes ourselves and others. A lot of people think of a Pride organization as one that activates for Pride month and

then falls dormant for the rest of the year. We’ve recognized the need to remain visible and offer opportunities for conversation throughout the remainder of the year as well. Outside of Pride in the Park, our year-round programming not only provides connection for queer folks, it also offers opportunities to continue the conversations necessary to shift the culture of demonizing the LGBTQIA2S+ community that drives the onslaught of anti-LGBT policy enactment.

How does visibility help support and protect queer folks, especially youth, in small towns?

Matthew: Pride in these smaller towns is joy. Pride is always joy, but there is something even more salient and powerful being in a place where you wouldn’t think being oneself would be acceptable. There are young queer people coming of age not just in our metropolitan areas, but in these towns, and we must have visibility everywhere so the next generation can grow up without the scars caused from thinking they are alone and have no people.

Sarah: NIPA’s overarching goal in providing opportunities for conversation is to combat isolation and improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQIA2S+ folks. The 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People in Idaho reveals an alarming picture of youth well being. Thirty eight percent of LGBTQ+ young people in Idaho have seriously considered suicide, and 12% have attempted it. At the same time, 68% report symptoms of anxiety and 63% report symptoms of depression, rates far

RURAL PRIDE - To Page 23

Thoughts from the Hobbit House

Ryan’s Guide to Gay Marriage

A public service announcement from a man who has been successfully gay married exactly one time with wisdom from couples smarter than he is.

Let’s begin with reasons to get gay married (yes, I’m recruiting here. I have multiple gay single friends ready to walk down the aisle), and end with what actually helps people stay gay married once the confetti settles.

by Ryan Oelrich

Ireceived 67 written responses to my last column, “I Made All the Gay Dating Mistakes So You Don’t Have To.” …thank you.

This doesn’t include over 400 social media comments. (By the way, NEVER read the comments.)

And yes, I counted.

Now, 23 of those responses were deeply unpleasant, aggressively homophobic, grammatically incorrect, and written with the kind of emotional regulation

HOBBIT HOUSE - To Page 26

Out on the Ranch

May is the Time of the Dandelion

In permaculture, the goal isn’t domination—it’s balance. When we overcorrect, we create fragility. When we disturb too much, opportunists rush in. The more aggressively we try to control, the more we end up managing the consequences.

by David Capocci

The plant we were taught to overlook, even despise. The one that shows up anyway. The one that goes where the ground has been disturbed and begins, quietly, to make it whole again.

We’ve been conditioned to see dandelions as an invader working against us. They are not a defect in the system. They are a response to it.

They are the first to arrive on bare rock and gravel. They don’t wait for ideal conditions or permission

to stabilize and restore. They pull hard to access minerals and nutrients from the ground and prepare the mulch for future meadow grasses and plants to follow.

We’re living through a moment of disruption—across institutions, culture, and community. There’s a sense of unraveling, of systems being pushed past their limits, leaving the rubble of destruction in its wake. The instinct in times like this is to react forcefully, to see the dandelion as an

by Tracy Simmons

Ask most people what they know about religion in the Pacific Northwest and you’ll get a shrug. Or a knowing smile. “Isn’t that the none zone?”

I’ve heard some version of this for the 14 years I’ve been running FāVS News, a nonprofit digital newsroom devoted entirely to local religion coverage. People assume the region is too secular, too outdoorsy, too spiritually

Out & In Business

You’re Allowed to Show Up Before You Feel Ready

Sometimes you outgrow a version of yourself before you fully understand who you’re becoming next. Sometimes your business changes because you changed. Sometimes your values evolve faster than your website does. Sometimes you’re building the next chapter while still grieving the last one.

by Dana Clark

There’s a particular kind of pressure that comes with being LGBTQ+ and self-employed.

Not just to survive. Not just to succeed. But to know.

To know who you are. To know what your business is. To know your niche, your message, your next move. To speak clearly, confidently, and consistently at all times.

It’s easy to be convinced that uncertainty is a problem to solve as quickly as possible. But I think uncertainty can also

Sacred & Proud

The

Pacific Northwest

isn’t godless. We just haven’t been paying attention

For LGBTQ+ readers, this isn’t an abstract story. Faith communities hold enormous social power — they shape elections, run school boards, operate food banks and foster care systems, and set the cultural temperature of the towns they anchor.

independent to bother with. National religion media largely agrees — or at least acts like it. Coverage of faith in the Pacific Northwest is thin to the point of invisible.

But here’s what I’ve actually seen on the ground: Two friends, inspired by Buddhist monks, are planning a 90-mile kindness walk in Western Washington. A prayer

rug is connecting Muslim and Indigenous communities across the Pacific Northwest. At a Seattle talk, Rick Steves and Episcopal Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee warned packed rooms about the threat of Christian nationalism. None of this is the story of a godless region. It’s the story of

RELIGION - To Page 25

be a form of honesty, something people crave.

Sometimes it’s evidence that you are real and change is good.

Many of us were taught that visibility only comes after certainty, that we’re supposed to wait until we feel fully healed, fully confident, fully branded, fully sure before we show up publicly.

Especially as LGBTQ+ people, there can be enormous pressure to present a coherent version of ourselves. A version that makes sense to others. A version that feels easy to explain.

But real life (and business) rarely unfolds that neatly.

Sometimes you outgrow a version of yourself before you fully understand who you’re becoming next. Sometimes your business changes because you changed. Sometimes your values evolve faster than your website does. Sometimes you’re building the next chapter while still grieving the last one.

And sometimes you disappear for a while because you need space to listen to yourself again.

I think a lot of people are in that place right now. Quietly reevaluating. Quietly exhausted. Quietly asking deeper questions about work, visibility, identity, sustainability, and what kind of life they actually want to build.

OUT & IN BUSINESS - To Page 24

PRIDE GUIDE 2026

102 Pride events across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana

Pride events coming up in June, July, August and September throughout the Pacific Northwest

-->Please visit Stonewall’s online Pride Guide for updated events and online links.<-www.stonewallnews.net/articles-preview/pnw-pride-guide-2026/24889/

by Erin Sellers

National corporations might be backing off of supporting Pride, but communities across the Pacific Northwest are staying strong and showing up to throw celebrations all over the region this summer! We’ve collated a list of the regional celebrations across the Pacific Northwest, so whether you’re looking for the one closest to you or hoping to road trip to a new Pride every single weekend, we’ve got you covered. Read on for more information on how you can have a summer full of Pride.

Above: QR code for online Pride Guide

Below: Events listed in chronological order beginning in May. Their preceding numbers correspond to their locattions on the map on pages 16 &17.

MAY

1. May 23, Tigard Pride Festival

[OR]

If you want to get your Pride season started early, you can join the city of Tigard, Oregon and the Tigard-Tualatin School District for their sixth annual Pride Festival on May 23. The event begins at 2 pm with a parade that will kick-off at 113th Ave and Durham Road, and continue down Durham toward Tigard High School. Immediately after the parade concludes, the festival begins inside the high school. It will feature live music, vendors, student performance, community resources, art activities and more, according to the event website.

The festival is still seeking parade entrants, vendors, sponsors and volunteers.

93. May 30, LatinX Pride [ID]

On May 30 from noon to 6 pm at the Boise Unitarian Universalist Church in Garden City, Idaho, you can celebrate LatinX Pride, amplifying LatinX, trans and queer voices in the Treasure Valley. Last year, there were more than 400 attendees. This year, the event is themed “La Casa We Build,” and will feature educational workshops and panels, a fashion show, a live musical homage to the Queen of Tejano, DJ sets and other performances. The full schedule of events. The event is ticketed, but free, which allows organizers to prevent federal immigration agents from issuing arrests without a judicial warrant.

JUNE

2. June 5 - 7, Burien Pride [WA] Pride celebrations in Burien, Washington kick off with a dance party on the streets of the city — Burien Town Square Park, to be exact — on Friday, June

5 from 5 to 10 pm. There will also be a beer garden available to those 21+. The next day, the 10th annual Burien Pride AllDay Street Festival will begin at 10 am in the Town Square. It’s a family-friendly event with live music, DJs, drag performances, vendors and an area for kids with fun activities all day long. The kids’ area will be open until 6 pm, vendors will be there until 7 pm, and a beer garden for those over 21 will be open until 10 pm. The next morning, on Sunday, you can fill your stomach with pancakes and your heart with drag at Drag Queen Bingo & Pancakes from 10 am to 3 pm, also at the Town Square. All proceeds from the pancake sales support a Burien Pride High School Scholarship, which is awarded by the Highline Schools Foundation to local students. More details on the ticketed Sunday event online.

3. June 5 - 7, Yachats Pride [OR] If you like your Pride celebrations with a bit of Western flair, Yachats Pride might be the festival for you. Hosted at the Yachats Commons, on Friday, June 5,

you can kick up your high-heeled boots at the opening ceremony and CowFolk chili and baked potato dinner, with live performance by Ina Saffire Doll and Drag Bingo + a show hosted by the Haus of Blunt.

The next day, join Yachats Pride for a Trans Tea Party Panel, an educational event with conversation led by local trans leaders. A free light lunch will be provided. “Attendees are invited to listen, learn, ask questions, and build understanding in a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment,” the event description reads. The tea party panel will be followed by a petting zoo at 2 pm in the grassy area behind the Commons. At 5 pm, doors open for a 16+ variety show called Way Out West Follies. The event will feature a full dinner service, and performers that run the full gamut from local drag to live line dancing, knife throwing to whip tricks and lasso artistry. Afterwards, from 8 to 1o pm, there’s a hoedown Hootenanny dance party with line dancing lessons.

On Sunday, June 7, the Commons will be open from 9 am to 3 pm for a community market with local vendors, a picnic hosted by Yachats Presbyterian Church, Queer Karaoke hosted by KJ Sagee, an animal adoption event hosted by the Waldport Animal Shelter and a Puppy PArade from 1 to 2 pm with prizes for every puppy.

4. June 6, Hillsboro Pride [OR]

There are few details available yet, but Hillsboro Pride has announced their annual celebration is scheduled for June 6. More information online when available.

5 June 6, Woodinville Pride [WA]

On Saturday, June 6, Woodinville Pride will host their fifth annual free celebration in Woodinville, WA from noon to 5 pm. Last year, their Pride had food trucks, live entertainment and a free shuttle service from the Wilmot Gateway Park, where the event was hosted, to the Park & Ride. More information on the schedule of events for the day will be posted online when available.

6. June 6, PhinneyWood Pride Rainbow Hop [WA]

The Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) is hosting their 13th annual Pride Rainbow Hop on June 6 from 9:30 am - 1:00 pm

in Seattle, Washington. The event is a free parade of sorts from 67th to 87th along Greenwood Avenue. You can get a free map with a list of activities and participating local businesses who have themed fun planned. Participating kids can get stamps on their maps, and those with at least 6 stamps can exchange their maps for a free Woodland Park Zoo ticket. Some of the events on the list include a free, anti-bullying play at Taproot Theatre, a Senior Pride Parade at the Greenwood Senior Center and a Drag Queen Story Time at the Greenwood Library. More details on the hop can be found online.

7. June 6, Stanwood-Camano Pride [WA]

On Saturday, June 6, you can celebrate the 5th annual Stanwood-Camano Pride from noon to 4 pm at Freedom Park on Camano Island. The familyfriendly celebration will feature vendors, live performances and local organizations tabling with information. More information on the event can be found online.

8. June 6, Southern Idaho Pride [ID]

There’s not many details on the website as to what you can expect from their celebration, but Southern Idaho Pride is holding a Pride Rally at Twin Falls City Park in Twin Falls, Idaho from on June 5, and the Twin Falls Pride Festival in Twin Falls City Park on June 6.

9. June 6, White Center Pride [WA]

Go “All Out” at White Center Washington’s 7th Annual Pride Street Festival, hosted by White Center Pride. The “All Out” theme for the 2026 White Center Pride Street Festival is inspired by the way the community has gone all out for each other as well as the aspiration that all queer people in the community can feel safe and proud being out. There will be food, vendors, entertainment, beer gardens, a resource fair and a kids area at the street festival. Additional details on time and location will be announced soon online.

10. June 6, Kittitas County Pride [WA] Join Kittitas County Pride for a free parade — which begins at the Ellensburg Rodeo Grounds at 11 am and continues towards downtown Ellensburg — on June 6 from 11 am to 1 pm. That evening, there will be a drag show from 6 pm to 11 pm. Tickets are on sale now online.

11. June 6, CDA Pride [ID]

This year, the North Idaho Pride Alliance is celebrating their 10year anniversary as a nonprofit organization and hosting a monthlong CDA4Pride campaign to celebrate Pride the entire month of June with a “variety of in-person events, activities, and educational opportunities for all ages to raise awareness and build community.”

Their main Pride in the Park festival will be held at the Coeur d’Alene City Park from 11 am to 6pm on Saturday, June 6. It will feature a full line-up of performers, headlined by special guest, musician Amelia Day. Last year, there were over 3,500 attendees.

CDA4Pride has an interesting history: In 2022, 31 members of the Patriot Front, a white nationalist group, were arrested — pulled out of a U-Haul with riot gear and smoke bombs — on their way to the Pride event downtown. That same year, a far-right blogger falsely accused Eric Posey, a local drag performer, of exposing his genitals during an all-ages performance at the CDA4Pride Festival. (Posey later won over $1 million in a defamation case against the blogger.)

Since drawing national attention in 2022, the community has rallied around CDA4Pride, and in 2025, there were over 2,500 attendees celebrating at the annual CDA4Pride event. With the continued barrage of anti-queer and trans policies coming out of the Idaho Legislature, it is more important than ever to show up and show out for Pride festivities in Idaho!

12. June 6, Chelan Pride [WA] Chelan Pride is hosting their fifth annual celebration at the Riverwalk Park from noon to 4 pm. The theme this year is “No Permission Needed,” and the event seeks to honor the queer history of rebellion and the Black and Brown trans people and sex workers at the forefront of that rebellion. Pride didn’t begin with a picnic or a parade, their website reads, it began as a riot. The event is family-friendly and has free admission, and will feature live music, local vendors and community resources.

13. June 6, Seabrook Pride Celebration [WA] Last year, Seabrook, Washington hosted their very first Pride celebration. Stephen Poulakos,

a queer resident and the vice president of planning and design at Seabrook Land Company, about Seabook’s queer history; rich for him as it was there that he came out, and later, proposed in a park of his own design to his now-husband Michael.

The 2026 celebration is taking place on Market Street from 10 am to 3 pm. There will be live DJ, food trucks, local vendors and interactive activities all day long. Because Seabrook is a beach town where 90% of the population at any given time is part time or vacationing folks, there are plenty of rentals available for anyone wanting to make a weekend out of travelling to a quaint beach town to celebrate, and the city is encouraging people to book a rental and stay for the weekend.

14. June 6, Seattle, Pride in the Park [WA]

Seattle’s Pride Month event calendar is booked full, but it starts with Pride in the Park at Volunteer Park on June 6, from noon to 7 pm. This is the 16th annual Pride in the Park, and will feature live music, arts and performances all day long. If you want to vend or perform at the event, you can sign up online.

15. June 6, Walla Walla Pride [WA]

Walla Walla Pride will be back in downtown Walla Walla, Washington for the 6th year in a row on June 6 from noon to 5 pm at Heritage Square Park. This year, the theme is Stronger Together, Más Fuertes Juntos. As always, the celebration is free and family-friendly. You can sign up to volunteer or vend, or learn more info online,

16. June 6, Port Townsend Pride [WA]

Pride in Port Townsend, WA is back and even bigger than last year. The event, scheduled for June 6 from noon to five, will feature more than 65 vendors, a boat parade, live drag, live music, a kid zone and a sensory zone.

Organizers The Production Alliance are featuring a history of Port Townsend Pride on their website, which describes how the event emerged after a 2018 Women’s March, with the inaugural Pride happening that same year. 2025 was a particularly successful year for the celebration, with more than 3,000 attendees, and more than PRIDE GUIDE - To Page 18

around the PACIFIC NORTHWEST 2026

Map of 102 Pride Events - use with Stonewall’s Comprehensive Guide located online at: https://www.stonewallnews.net/articles-preview/pnwpride-guide-2026/24889/

PNW PRIDE GUIDE 2026 -

20. June 7, Thurston County Pride [WA]

$20,000 raised through business sponsorships to support Pride. The 14-boat parade was a big highlight, bringing the Pride spirit to the waterfront.

17. June 6, Snohomish Pride Parade [WA]

Starting at 10 am on June 6, Out in Snohomish is hosting the Snohomish Pride Parade and Pride Market. Both events are billed as all-ages and free to attend. The Parade runs downtown and ends at 11:30 am, while the Pride Market — featuring “LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC artists, makers, nonprofits, and community organizations,” — runs from 10 am to 3pm. More details will be available here as the event grows closer. You can still sign up to vend, march in the parade, volunteer and sponsor.

While the main Pride event is scheduled for June 6, Out in Snohomish is also hosting a variety of other Pride events throughout the month of June. On June 13, they’re hosting an allages potluck with storytime from the Snohomish Library at Hill Park from 4 to 7 pm. Following the potluck will be a 21+ drag show at the Helios Ballroom from 7 to 10 pm. The next morning, you can power through a hangover in community at an all-ages drag brunch hosted from 11 am to 1 pm on Sunday, June 14 at Jardin el Sol. And, all month long, Out in Snohomish is also hosting a Pride Passport program to encourage supporting queer-supportive businesses. More info online.

18. June 7, Curry County, Pride in the Park [OR]

Southern Oregon Coast Pride is hosting a Pride festival in Azalea Park in Brookings, Oregon on June 7. The event will feature free lunch, face-painting, a live DJ, a silent auction, vendors and various arts and crafts. They’re still seeking vendors and volunteers, sign-ups and more information available online.

19. June 7, Clark County Pride [WA]

At 11 am, the 6th annual Rainbow Walk begins at the La Center Bridge in La Center, WA. Immediately following is the Pride Festival at Holley Park, which runs until 4 pm. Both events are hosted by Clark County Pride. More information on the events and sign-ups for vending available online.

From noon to 6 pm, you can check out the 4th Annual Thurston County Pride Festival, hosted by Lady L’s Promotions. The free event takes place at the Thurston County Fairgrounds and will feature DJ Hawk, live entertainers, vendors, and more. All the details online.

21. June 7, Lake Stevens Pride [WA]

From 11 am to 6 pm, you can join Lake Stevens Pride for their annual Pride celebration at the Stevens Creek Elementary School. There will be all-ages activities, performances and community speakers throughout the day. More information on the event online

22. June 7, Snovalley Pride [WA] You’ve heard of Pride parades and Pride in the park, but have you heard of a Pride Picnic? Snovalley Pride is hosting their 4th annual Pride Picnic at the Tolt Commons in Carnation, WA on June 7 from 11 am to 3 pm. You can enjoy free live music, free food, free artmaking stations and community at this family friendly event, billed “the sweetest picnic in the Valley.”

94. June 10, Pride Night with the Wenatchee Apple Sox [WA]

On Wednesday, June 10, Wenatchee Insurance Agency is sponsoring a Pride Night at the Wenatchee AppleSox game, which begins at 6:35 pm. This is the first official Pride Night ever at an AppleSox game. The occasion will be marked with a first pitch thrown by Wenatchee Pride President Kelsey Riggs, and resources provided by Out NCW, Cafe and Wenatchee Pride. One lucky ticket holder will be given a free, unique Applesox jersey with a rainbow logo. Tickets are available online,

95. June 11-13, Sun Valley Pride [ID]

From June 11 through 13, Sun Valley, Idaho will be celebrating Pride. The full schedule has yet to be announced, but their Pride in the Garden event is scheduled from 10 am to 4 pm on June 13 at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden. More info online.

98. June 12, Pride Family Day, La Grande [OR]

The Eastern Oregon LGBTQ+ Coalition and Community Kindness of Eastern Oregon are joining together to host Pride Family Fun Day on June 12 from

5 to 9 pm at Max Square in La Grande, Oregon. There will be vendors, music, karaoke, games, resources, an open mic and more. Tabling at the event is free, and you can sign up to do so by messaging the Eastern Oregon LGBTQ+ Coalition on Facebook.

23. June 12 - 14, Pendleton Pride [OR] Presented by Stonewall Behavioral Health and The Queer Belonging Project, Pendleton Pride is scheduled for June 12 through the 14th. Friday kicks off with a sign-making and coloring party in the morning, with queereoke in the evening. On Saturday, the Pride Parade and Festival will take over downtown Pendleton with live music, vendors and art and a drag show scheduled for the evening. Pride attendees can finish out the weekend of celebration with an affirmation and blessing led by a local minister on Sunday morning followed by a Drag Brunch full of fabulous performers. More details online.

24. June 12 - 15, Flathead Pride Festival [MT] Hosted by the Glacier Queer Alliance, the Flathead Pride Festival in Montana has a slate of Pride events scheduled for June 12 through the 15th. Festivities kick off on Thursday with an all ages yard party at Bonsai Brewing in Whitefish, Montana from 5 to 8 pm. On Friday the 13th, a family fun day is scheduled at the Gateway Community Center in Kalispell from 5 to 8 pm, with kids’ karaoke Belegarth battles, crafts, raffles and more. At 9 pm, there will be Drag Roulette at the Community Center. This is a ticketed 18+ event, with a 21+ bar, intended to raise funds for Glacier Queer Alliance.

On Saturday, June 14, festivities will continue at the Community Center with Pride Inside from 11 am to 3 pm, with free Realm of Frostwall Battles, Birds of Wild Wings raptor recovery and aerial arts displays. Saturday will close with a ticketed 18+ drag show featuring performers from around Montana. The Festival closes on Sunday with a ticketed drag brunch at the Blue Store Resort in Columbia Falls at 10 am and a ticketed rafting trip with a 2:45 pm check-in at 11970 HWY 2. E, W Glacier. All the event details and ticket info online.

25. June 13, Pride in Fife [WA] Pride celebrations in Fife are scheduled for June 13, from 6 to 9

pm at the Fife Community Center. For the first time ever, Pride in Fife will feature the crowning of their first Pride of the Valley Supreme, after local competitors from across the Puyallup River Valley compete live in a drag showdown. There will also be bingo, on-site concessions for purchase and general good vibes. You can find more information and a sign-up to compete in the Pride of the Valley Drag Showdown online.

26. June 13, Salem Capital Pride [OR]

In Salem, Oregon, Capital Pride is hosting a Pride Parade and Block Party with activities, food vendors, games and live performances. This event takes place in downtown Salem on June 13 from noon to 5 pm. It will begin with a parade starting at the Capitol building and ending with the Block Party that takes over two blocks of Liberty Street. Later in the summer, they’re planning to host their 48th annual Pride in the Park. More info on the Pride Parade and Block Party online.

27. June 13, Wilsonville Pride Celebration [OR]

On Saturday, June 13 from 2 to 5 pm, Wilsonville, Oregon will host a free, family-friendly Pride celebration at Town Center Park. There will be performances by drag queen Dr. Poison Waters (who is also emceeing the event) and friends, plus music by DJ SM4SH and a speech from the executive director of Basic Rights Oregon, Kyndall Mason. There will also be a costume contest, with honors for the Most Fabulous Pride Themed Adult Attire, Kid Attire, Decorate Bike and more. Arts and crafts, seating and foodfor-purchase will be available at the event. If you’re an avid biker, you can consider joining the free group bike ride from Villebois to the Pride Celebration, details online.

28. June 13, Spokane Pride [WA] Technically, Spokane Pride kicks off on June 12 with a kick-off party under Big Tent in Riverfront Park from 5 to 9 pm, but the main event is scheduled for Saturday. Spokane Pride is the largest Pride celebration in the inland northwest, and saw around 50,000 attendees last year. The theme, performer line-ups and full schedule have yet to be announced, but we know most of the basic details.

PRIDE GUIDE - To Next Page

The Parade begins at noon in downtown Spokane, ending at Riverfront Park, where official kick-off festivities for the festival start at 1 pm. Spokane Pride takes over most of the park, with multiple stages running live performances from drag queens, musicians and other artists. Vendors are set-up throughout the park, selling merchandise, hosting free activities and passing out merch. More information here when available online.

29. June 13, Marysville Pridefest [WA]

Marysville Pride is hosting their second annual Pridefest on Saturday, June 13 from 11 am to 3 pm at Asbery Field. They are still seeking performers and DJs for the event. You can apply here if interested. More details on the Pridefest here when available online.

30. June 13, IndigiQ 2-Spirit Powwow, Spokane [WA]

The same day as Spokane Pride, the fourth annual IndigiQ 2-Spirit Powwow will also be hosted at the Red Wagon in Riverfront Park. They’re still seeking Indigenous musicians and drum groups to support the event, which you can sign up for here: IndigiQs@ outlook.com

31. June 13 -14, Columbia Gorge Pride Festival [WA]

The Columbia Gorge Pride Festival, hosted by Skamania Pride, kicks off on Friday, June 13 at 3 pm. There will be community gathering time, a pizza dinner and performances from Silk and Steel and Ladybug Infestation. From 9 to 10 pm there will be an 18+ performance by Hood River Burlesque. On Sunday, festivities run from 8 am to 6 pm, with breakfast, speeches, a parade at noon, lunch and a market. All the details here when available online.

32. June 14, Canby Pride [OR]

On Sunday, June 14 from noon to 4 pm, Canby Pride is hosting Pride at Wait Park. More details to follow, here when available online.

33. June 14, Canyon County Pride [ID]

Two years ago, Canyon County held its first Pride Festival in a local Nampa park. Canyon County Pride made national news after their first Pride, when large fences were erected to protect participants after angry residents

made vague threats and left thousands of derogatory Facebook comments on a news release about the upcoming event. The mayor herself stated it went against her beliefs and Brian Lenney, the region’s state senator, warned that it could “turn our community into another Boise.”

Still, despite fears and pushback, Canyon County’s first Pride was so successful they almost hit fire occupancy limits with all the people celebrating. It ended with a public marriage proposal onstage, and by the end of the day, around 2,000 people had joined the festivities. Last year, they successfully had their second Pride.

The third Canyon County Pride celebration is scheduled for Sunday, June 14. No schedule is available yet, but more details will be here when available online, and those interested in performing should reach out to CanyonCountyPride@Gmail.com.

34. June 14, Tri-Cities Pride [WA] Tri-Cities Pride in Pasco, WA bills itself as the largest Pride event in southeastern Washington. The free, family-friendly celebration typically draws over 3,000 people, organizer Kenzie Budge, the Communications Chair on the TriCities Pride board, told Stonewall News Northwest last year. Like usual, the event will be held at Memorial Park, and feature live performers, vendors, resource booths, and more.

Trans youth in Pasco recently faced a digital firestorm after a local city council member amplified false claims that a trans student had made a cis student uncomfortable by using a bathroom aligned with their gender rather than sex assigned at birth. Pasco School District officials said the claims were not true, but the misinformation spread rapidly on social media. Tri-Cities Pride issued a statement calling on local officials to verify information before sharing it and to “center the wellbeing of students over speculation.”

“There was no transgender student involved in this incident. The real harm came from treating an unverified claim as fact, resulting in a student being targeted and threatened,” the statement read. “Every young person deserves to live free from the harm of being targeted for who they are or who they are rumored to be.”

You can support Tri-Cities Pride and learn more about their annual celebration here online.

101. June 18, Baker Pride [OR] Rural, Resilient and Proud, join Bake Pride for a resource fair, chalk art, photobooth, free swag and more from 5 pm to 8pm in Geiser Pollman Park. More info online.

35. June 20, Newberg County Pride [OR]

On Sunday, June 20, Wine Country Pride is hosting their annual street fair — titled “Pride on Third” — on Third Street in McMinnville, OR. The schedule has yet to be announced, but typically, the celebration features events happening all day long on Third Street. More details online when available, and sign-ups to participate.

36. June 20, Gate City Pride [ID] Gate City Pride is hosting their Pride celebration on June 20 from 10 am to 5 pm at Centennial Park in Pocatello, ID. Not many details are available on their website yet, but you can sign up to sponsor, volunteer or vend at the event online.

37. June 20, Rexburg Pride [ID] We’re still awaiting a schedule of events, but Rexburg Pride is officially scheduled for June 20. Last year, the event was held at Porter Park and featured vendors, booths and activities like bracelet making, an art center, lifesize chutes and ladders, games, weaving, a drum circle, live performances and more. More information here when available online

38. DATE TBD, McCall Pride Week [ID]

Last year, McCall, Idaho held a Pride Week. This year, it’ll be an even bigger celebration: they’re looking to hold a Pride Month with events throughout all of June. They kicked off the planning in April and while things are still getting organized, they did post a sneak peek on their Instagram of the month’s events. Here’s a few highlights:

A Pride Potluck at Ponderosa Park on June 7

Queereoke hosted by Cyraphina Thunderpussy and Cody Pendant at the Yacht Club on June 11

A Drag Show with ThunderPussy Productions at Foresters on June 13

A Pride and Bike Party at

Brundage Mountain Resort on July 3.

More details to come online!

39. June 20, Philomath Pride [OR] Save the date for Philomath Pride at Philomath City Park on June 20 from noon to 4 pm! Philomath Pride is currently in the process of planning, and looking for volunteers to help with logistics, marketing and even curating the entertainment line-up.

40. June 20, Everett Pride [WA] On Saturday, June 30 from noon to 6 pm, you can join Everett Pride for a Block Party in Everett, Washington. More details here when available online.

41. June 20, Yakima Pride [WA] Voted the Best Festival in Yakima last year, you can experience the magic yourself on June 20, starting with the parade at 10 am — best known for the absolutely massive 130-foot PRIDE flag carried through the route. At noon, the Yakima Pride Festival kicks off at State Fair Park. It’s all ages with free entry, and features vendors, exhibitors, live music and performers. There’s also a ticketed 21+ after party at Pioneer Hall, starting at 8:30 pm and going until 2 am. More information on Yakima Pride can be found online

42. June 20, Wenatchee Pride Fest [WA] From 11 am to 6 pm, you can celebrate the Wenatchee Pride Fest at Lincoln Park. The event is all-ages and free, with local vendors, artists, live entertainment, community resources and more. Wenatchee Pride seeks to create a “welcoming environment where everyone can show up as they are.”

Recently, the city made headlines for replacing the June rainbow Pride banners that are typically installed on light poles across the city with “America’s Family Month” banners sponsored by the local Turning Point USA chapter. Now, the community is seeking businesses and other locations who want to display Pride banners for the month of June to ensure the city is vibrant and celebrates diversity.

43. June 20, San Juan Island Pride, Friday Harbor [WA] Save the date for a Pride Party at Brickworks in Friday Harbor on

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48. June 19 - 21, Missoula Pride [MT]

Saturday, June 20, hosted by San Juan Island Pride Foundation. More details here when available online

44. June 20, South Whidbey Pride [WA]

Themed “Rising Together,” you can join South Whidbey Pride on June 20 from noon to 3 pm in downtown Langley and the South Whidbey Community Center (SWCC) for their fourth annual Pride Parade and Festival. The parade treks through downtown Langley, starting at the corner of Cascade and Camano avenues, and ends where it begins, with a festival immediately following at the SWCC. You can learn more, or register to walk in the parade, vend, or volunteer online.

45. June 20, Bainbridge Pride Festival [WA]

Themed “Rooted in Pride,” you can join the Bainbridge Pride Festival at noon on Saturday, June 20 at the Waterfront Park in Bainbridge. You can learn more or sign up to sponsor, vend or volunteer at the event online.

46. June 20, Astoria Pride [OR] Save the date for Astoria Pride and Picnic in the Park on Saturday, June 20, hosted by Astoria Has Pride. The theme is “Still Queer, Still Here.” They are seeking sponsors, artists and entertainment, vendors and volunteers. You can find more info online, or by emailing info@ astoriahaspride.org.

47. June 20, Days Creek Pride [OR]

Socially anxious? Hate crowds? Obsessed with those cute little miniatures you find at antique markets? Days Creek Pride, which bills itself as “possibly the smallest planned Pride event in Oregon,” might be the event for you. Days Creek itself is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Oregon that has a unique rural-but-suburban feel and a generally conservative population. To join (probably) the smallest Pride in Oregon, go to the bridge over the South Umpqua River in Days Creek at noon for community and Pride flag waving (RSVP or direct questions to 541-236-4787). It may be small, it’ll be full of heart and spirit, organizers promise.

Missoula, Montana takes their Pride seriously. Not only is there a full three days of fun from June 19 to the 21, but there’s also hikes, brunch, sports games and more in the lead-up to the beginning of the official weekend.

The festivities begin in Missoula with a Pride Fun Run on June 19 from 10 to noon, beginning at the Missoula Art Museum. This is non-timed, 3-ish mile course just to stretch your legs before the rest of the weekend. Next is the 2nd Annual Missoula Two Spirit Pride Powwow also on Friday from 1 to 5 pm at Caras Park “honoring the past, present, and future of Two-Spirit peoples and their deep, generational ties to this land.” The night ends with multiple options for live music at two different venues.

On Saturday, June 20, you can start your morning by Navigating the Genderverse with TransVisible Montana from 10 am to 11 am at the Zootown Arts Community Center, where you’ll learn about “the challenges that misinformation and cisnormative systems create for transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit Montanans.” Beginning at noon, join the 5th Annual Missoula Pride Block party from Main St Orange to Higgins, featuring powerhouse performers like Bob the Drag Queen, Cain Culto and more. The parade also starts at noon, running from 3rd and Higgins to Main and Higgins, S 3rd St W & S Higgins Ave. There are a variety of other events happening on Saturday, too. And on Sunday, you can take it easier with a Drag Story Hour and a free dance performance.

49. June 19 - 21, Camas Pride Block Party [WA]

For the third year in the row, Camas Pride is hosting their annual Pride event. This is a full weekend party that begins on Friday evening, rolls into events on Saturday and finishes with the 4th annual Block Party on Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm. The Block Party is family friendly, and the theme is Living Your Best Life. More programming details here when available online.

50. June 21, Mt. Hood Pride [OR]

On June 21 from 10 am to 4 pm, Wander Free and Queer is hosting a Queer Carnival at CoffeeHouse 26. This event is billed as familyfriendly and substance free, with

“a deep focus on community connection.” There will be carnival games, live music, local vendors with handmade items and a raffle benefitting The Trevor Project.

51. June 20 -21, Pride at the Zoo, Tacoma [WA]

If you’ve ever wanted to celebrate Pride with furry and scaly friends, the Port Defiance Zoo and Aquarium Pride Celebration in Tacoma, WA might be one to put on the calendar. There are Pride parades at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, beginning at the Picnic Pavilion and ending at the Plaza, both inside the zoo. The animals at the zoos will get special rainbowthemed enrichments all weekend long. This event is free with tickets to the zoo, available online.

52. June 21, Anacortes Pride [WA]

On June 21, you can check out the fifth Pride Parade and Celebration in Anacortes, Washington with the theme “Stronger Together.” The parade starts downtown and is followed by a celebration at The Depot. Sign up to volunteer, march in the parade or vend online.

53. June 26, Pride on the Runway [ID]

As we reported last year, Pride in Coeur d’Alene has an interesting history: In 2022, 31 members of the Patriot Front, a white nationalist group, were arrested — pulled out of a U-Haul with riot gear and smoke bombs — on their way to the Pride event downtown. That same year, a far-right blogger falsely accused Eric Posey, a local drag performer, of exposing his genitals during an all-ages performance at the CDA4Pride Festival. (Posey later won over $1 million in a defamation case against the blogger.)

Since drawing national attention in 2022, the community has rallied around CDA4Pride, and last year, there were over 2,500 attendees celebrating at the annual CDA4Pride event. With the recent barrage of anti-queer and trans policies coming out of the Idaho Legislature, it is more important than ever to show up and show out for Pride festivities in Idaho!

Beyond attending the main event, you can support CDA4Pride by attending their annual Pride on the Runway fundraiser. Pride on the Runway is a 21+ night full of fashion, drag, music and other festivities, with raffle items from

local businesses for sale to benefit the organization. The doors open at 6 pm, with the show starting at 6:30 pm. Tickets start at $40, with optional upgrades and add-ons and can be purchased online.

54. June 26, Trans Pride [WA] Trans Pride in Seattle is “a free annual festival celebrating Trans life and community across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.” This year, Trans Pride is scheduled for June 26, from 5 to 10 pm at the Volunteer Park Amphitheatre. There will be music, live performances, resources and community. Trans Pride requires attendees to wear masks, and provides other accessibility accommodations like accessible seating, ASL interpretation, wheelchair accessibility and a low-sensory tent. The event also differentiates itself by refusing to accept corporate sponsorships, and avoiding a march or other activities that would necessitate a police presence as required by city law. More information on the event can be found online.

99. June 26, Omak Pride [WA] FYRE, a youth center in Omak, Washington, is hosting their 6th Annual Pride in the Park on Friday, June 26 from 5 to 8 pm at Civic League Park. There will be community booths, face painting, a mechanical bull and even a free barbecue. More details on the event can be found online when available.

55. June 26 - 28, Capital City Pride Festival [WA] Head to Olympia, the capital of Washington (no, it’s not Seattle), June 26 through the 28 for a threeday Pride celebration with live entertainment, a festival of food trucks, vendors and resources and a bounty of local art vendors and live exhibitions. The weekend will start with a block party on June 26, followed by a Music and Art Fest with a Health and Wellness Resource Fair on Saturday, June 27. On Sunday, June 28, there will be a Parade, plus Dyke Day in the Park. The whole event is free. More details online when available.

56. June 27, Longview Pride [WA] Longview Pride is getting ambitious and seeking to hold its largest Pride ever starting at 10 am on June 27. “It’s time to show out with a bash worthy of our community! We’ve never had a PRIDE GUIDE - To Next Page

Pride of this scale,” their website reads. Learn more and sign up to get involved online.

57. June 27, Eugene Pride [OR]

Eugene Pride, which typically draws more than 12,000 people, is scheduled for Saturday, June 27th from 11 am to 7 pm at the Lane Events Center. Attendees can expect live entertainment, local vendors, family activities and community celebration. More details online when available.

58. June 27, Edmonds Pride Festival [WA]

Hosted by Edmonds Pride, the Edmonds Pride Festival is scheduled for 2 to 6 pm on Saturday, June 27 at the Edmonds Civic Center Playfield. This free event is emceed by Maya Mem Saab, and features live music by Hetakuso, Sara Brunner and more, storytelling by Aunt Mama and Sister Juno, drag performances by Navouny Divine, Indie Scent and more. There will also be an arts and crafts area, local vendors, food trucks and local resources. More information, including a vendor list and stage schedule, here when available online.

59. June 26 - 27, Idaho Falls Pride [ID]

Idaho Falls Pride will kick off with an 18+ drag show at the Westbrook Convention Center, time and ticket sale information to be announced soon. On Saturday, June 27, the Pride Parade will kick off from the Unitarian Universalist parking lot at 10am, snake around the greenbelt and end back at the festival across the street from the parking lot at the Idaho Falls Greenbelt Bandshell Area. Both the parade and the festival are free and family-friendly. More information online.

96. June 26 - 27 , Southwest Montana Pride Weekend [MT]

Butte Pride and Anaconda Pride in southwest Montana have teamed up for one big Pride weekend! On Friday, June 26, the fourth annual Butte Pride Festival is back, scheduled for 5 to 8 pm at the Original Mineyard in uptown Butte. The festivities continue on Saturday, June 27 with Anaconda Pride at the Kennedy Commons in Anaconda, Montana. Full schedule of events online when available.

60. June 27, Pride in Perry [WA] Hosted by Odyssey Youth Movement — an organization specifically serving LGBTQ+

youth in Spokane, WA — Pride in Perry is scheduled for June 27. The family-friendly, free event functions much like a block party, taking over parking lots and public space on the Perry District in South Hill, with local businesses participating. There is typically tabling, live entertainment and activities. Last year, Selkirk the Cat made an appearance, accepting pets and giving political endorsements.

The Perry District is affectionately thought of by some residents as Spokane’s “gayborhood,” playing host to Odyssey Youth Movement, a community center for queer youth; Wishing Tree Books, a queer-friendly children’s bookstore; and a rainbow crosswalk, which has been the repeated site of anti-queer vandalism.

In 2023, Pride in Perry was crashed by members of the Proud Boys, a white nationalist group, holding banners saying “Pedophiles not welcome,” and “Protect white children,” as part of a deliberate targeting of rural and smaller Pride celebrations. Despite the hatred, event organizers told The Spokesman-Review that it brought the community closer together. And for any Pride organizers out there reading this, there are regional-specific resources available for minimizing risk while planning Pride celebrations, like Western States Center’s Protecting Pride guide.

Learn more about celebrating Pride in Perry and supporting queer youth online,

61. June 27, Twin City Pride [WA]

Save the date for Twin City Pride at Pearl and Main Street in Centralia, WA on June 27 from 10 am to 1 pm, hosted by Lewis County Pride. More details online when available.

62. June 27, Sequim Pride [WA] Sequim PRide is partnering with the Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market for “a day of diversity, celebration and community goodwill,” on June 27, 2026. Those interested in volunteering can email sequimpride@gmail. com. More details available on their Instagram page when available.

63. June 27, Gig Harbor Pride [WA] Join Pride Gig Harbor for their 4th annual Pride in the Park on

Saturday, June 27 from 11 am to 4 pm at Skansie Brothers Park in Gig Harbor, WA. The event this year is called “Cirque do So-Gay” (like Cirque du Soleil). They are still seeking vendors and sponsors. More information on the event will be posted on their Facebook online when available.

64. June 27 - 28, Seattle Pridefest [WA]

Two locations, two days, hundreds of thousands of people. Seattle Pridefest is scheduled for June 27 and 28, at both the Seattle Center and Capitol Hill. They’re still seeking performers, vendors and sponsors for the 2026 event. More information and sign-ups online.

102. June 27, Ontario Pride [OR] “Together in Unity We Rise!” - organized by One Community All Spirits (OCAS), in partnership with Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL) and local advocacy groups, join Ontario Pride from 12 pm - 4 pm at the Ontario Historic Train Depot. Organizers are looking for venders - artists, non-profits and businesses welcome with drag show details coming soon. To sign up, email: shauntay@eocil.org. There is also a free virtual event with a great line up this year. More info on the online event and the Pride flyer can be found online.

65. June 28, Albany Pride [OR]

Save the date for Albany Pride at Monteith River Park on June 28. More details when available plus sign-ups to volunteer and perform can be found online.

66. June 28, Methow Pride [WA] Want to go to Methow Pride? Save the date for Sunday, June 29. Event details online when available.

67. June 28, Beaverton Pride [OR] They might be biased, but the organizers of Beaverton Pride call it “Beaverton’s favorite summer event.” This year, the Pride in the Park is scheduled for June 28 from 11 am to 5 pm, with a parade kicking things off from 11 am to noon. Entertainment and a more detailed schedule will be announced online soon.

68. June 28, Stonewall Pride Walk [OR]

69. June 28, Prideville Festival [OR]

From noon to 2 pm on June 28, the organization People Like Us will hold their fourth annual Stonewall Pride Walk, which starts at the Wallowa County Courthouse. All friendly faces are welcome, more information online.

On June 28 from noon to 5 pm at Pioneer Park in Prineville, OR, Prideville is hosting their 6th Annual Prideville Festival. This year’s event is themed Small Town, Big Pride, and will feature vendors, resource booths and live entertainment. More information and details on how you can support online.

97. June 28, Boise Resource Fair [ID]

On Sunday, June 28, about a dozen organizations — including the The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, Boise Trans Collective and the ACLU of Idaho — are coming together to host a Pride Month Community Resource Fair at the William F. Hayes Memorial Auditorium in the downtown Boise library from noon to 6 pm. Alongside resources from the participating organizations, the event will also feature an LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Storytime at 2:15 pm and a Celebration of Pride featuring the Starbelly Dancers & Starbelly Student Troupe at 4:30 pm. More information on the event can be found online.

100. June 28, Nehalem Bay Pride [OR]

Save the date for Nehalem Bay Pride, hosted at the Heart of Cartm studio in Wheeler, Oregon on June 28 from noon to 4 pm. There will be more details on a schedule of events for the weekend of the 26 through the 28 posted on the Manzanita Pride Facebook page when available.

JULY

70. July 9 - 12, Sandpoint Pride [ID]

Sandpoint Pride, hosted by the Sandpoint Alliance for Equality (SAFE) is one of the more rural Pride celebrations on the list. This year, the event is scheduled for July 9 through the 12. Despite the rural location, SAFE’s website estimated attendance for the event at over 2,600. Photos from previous Sandpoint Pride celebrations show a family-friendly event with live performances of music, dance and drag, activities like face painting and tabling from a variety of community nonprofits. If you want to celebrate with Sandpoint

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but more online when they are.

earlier than July, you can join them on May 31 for a brunch fundraiser in support of SAFE called “Toast to Pride.”

71. July 11, Saturday in the Park, Vancouver [WA]

The Southwest Washington Pride Alliance is hosting Saturday in the Park on July 11 from 10 am to 5 pm. Saturday in the Park is a little different than your traditional Pride celebrations, with a focus on providing educational workshops for LGBTQ+ families, and fundraising for local charities. Of course, there will also be fun and entertainment to be had as well! You can learn more info, or sign up to vend, volunteer or sponsor the event online.

72. July 11 - 12, Bellingham Pride [WA]

Every year, thousands of people attend Pride festivities in Bellingham, Washington. There’s a whole weekend of celebration planned this year, with the Pride Fairhaven Family Fun Day kicking things off with an all-ages picnic at the Fairhaven Village Green from noon to 3 pm, food and drinks available for purchase. Then, head to the annual all-ages dance party at -HUT- for live DJs and drag performers from 4 to 7pm, using the alley entrance next to Former Boundary Bay Beer Garden.

On Sunday, the Pride Parade runs from 11 am to 1 pm, with the route starting at Bellingham High School parking lot and ending at the Pride Festival in Depot Market Square & the 1100 Block of Railroad Ave. The festival runs until 4 pm, with artisans, community groups, nonprofits and businesses tabling at the event. And for those over 21, you can end the night at the Rumors After Party with dancing at Rumors Cabaret & Side Piece, open noon to 2 am.

73. July 12, Tacoma Pride [WA]

The Tacoma Pride Festival will be hosted by the Rainbow Center on July 12 at Wright Park, beginning at noon. More information on the event online when available.

74. July 13, Belfair Pride & Diversity [WA]

On Monday, July 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, the Mason County Democrats will host Belfair Pride & Diversity at the Belfair House Apartments in Belfair, WA. No additional details are available,

75. July 18, Lincoln County Pride [MT]

Save the date for Lincoln County Pride in Libby, Montana on July 18, hosted by the Northwest Montana Queer Alliance. If you want to volunteer, perform or vend, you can sign up by contacting them on Facebook here. More information on the event will be posted online when available.

76. July 18, Kitsap Pride [WA]

On July 18, Kitsap Pride will hold their annual Pride Festival. No additional details are available yet, but you can find them online when they’re posted.

77. July 18, Goldendale Pride [WA]

Save the date for Goldendale Pride, an annual celebration of love, inclusion and community hosted at the Klickitat County Courthouse. More information online when available.

78. July 18 - 19, Portland Pride [OR]

Hosted by Pride Northwest, Portland Pride’s Waterfront Festival is one of the West Coast’s biggest Prides, and this year it’s scheduled for July 18 and 19th at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The celebration begins at noon on the 18th, and runs until 8 pm that night. Afterwards, join Radiance, the 14th annual Gaylabration dance party at the Crystal Ballroom. On Sunday, Pride is back. The parade begins at 11 am, festivities will continue at the park from 11:30 am to 6 pm. While it’s free to attend, there is a suggested $10 donation with all proceeds going to both keeping the annual event running and supporting Pride Northwest’s year-round programming.

79. July 25, Pacific County Pride, Long Beach [WA]

While a lot of the details — like evening festivities — are still up in the air, Pacific County Pride has announced a celebration in Long Beach, WA on July 25 from 9 am to 8 pm. The day will begin with kite-flying on the beach, followed by the festival downtown from noon to 7 pm at Downtown Longbeach and the Veterans Field and Stage. Evening festivities will commence at 8 pm. More information online when available.

80. July 26, Pacific County Pride, Raymond [WA]

The next day, Pacific County Pride will be back at it, this time in Raymond, WA. There, celebrations will start at 10 am with a Mimosa Bar & Brunch at Alder + Co / WildPines Coffee Co. The festival will run from noon to 4 pm at Riverfront Park, with vendors, a DJ and a beer garden. There will be a celebration walk at 4 pm from a yet-to-beannounced location to Raymond Theatre, where a drag show begins at 5 pm. More information online when available.

81. July 26, Puyallup Tribal Pride [WA]

Save the date for the Puyallup Tribal Pride on July 25, from 2 pm to 6 pm at 3001 Puyalupabsh St in Tacoma, WA. More information on the event will be posted online when available.

82. July 26, Milwaukie Pride [OR]

From 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, you can join a communityled gathering at Scott Park in Milwaukie, Oregon to celebrate Pride month. This is an all-ages event with live entertainment, food, games and more. Additional details available online.

AUGUST

83. August 1, Coos County, Pride in the Park [OR]

Southern Oregon Coast Pride is hosting a Pride festival in Mingus

Park in Coos Bay, Oregon on August 1. The event will feature free lunch, face-painting, a live DJ, a silent auction, vendors and various arts and crafts. They’re still seeking vendors and volunteers, sign-ups and more information available online.

84. August 1, Battle Ground Pride [WA]

Mark your calendars for the 6th annual Battle Ground Pride, hosted by Evoke Cascadia at the Battle Ground Event Center on Saturday, August 1 from 11 am to 4 pm. This is a free, familyfriendly event. KN95 masks will be required inside, and masks will be provided at the door while supplies last. There will be vendors, resources, a lip-sync battle, a clothing closet, a sensory room and a silent auction. More information and applications to become a vendor available online.

85. August 22, Garland Pride, Spokane [WA]

The third annual Garland Pride, hosted in the Garland District of Spokane, WA by neighborhood queer and allied businesses with support from Spokane Pride, is scheduled for August 22 from 4 to 9 pm. This year’s theme is Alice in Wonderland, with a free showing of the movie at the neighborhood’s Garland Theater. There will also be a vendor faire, which businesses and nonprofits

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86. August 22, Poulsbo Pride [WA]

Save the date for Poulsbo Pride’s annual celebration, this year at RAAB Park. More information and volunteer + performance opportunities posted online when available:

87. August 28 - 30, Palouse Pride, Moscow [ID]

Inland Oasis will be hosting their Palouse Pride festivities the last weekend of August. We know there will be Drag Bingo on Friday, Pride in the Park and a drag show on Saturday and a brunch on Sunday. More information online when available.

88. August 29, Oregon City Pride [OR]

Save the date for Oregon City Pride on August 29th, with vendor, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities coming soon online.

89. August 31, Community Pride, Wallowa [WA]

There’s not much information available yet, but save the date for the Community Pride Celebration in Wallowa, WA, hosted 2SLGBTQIA+ nonprofit People Like Us

SEPTEMBER

90. September 5, Pride Across the Bridge, Kirkland [WA] Pride Across the Bridge will be held on September 5th in Kirkland, WA from noon to 5 pm. This marks a move from the original location, hosted in Redmond, Washington. Organizers attributed the move to incredible growth over the last four years, with over 1,000 attendees in 2025. While the official Kirkland location has yet to be announced, event details state that it will be in a park with ADA accessible parking spaces nearby, allowing for heightened accessibility and overall capacity. Some things aren’t changing though — the event is staying free and policefree. More information on the event can be found online.

91. September 18 - 20, Boise Pride Festival [ID]

Boise Pride is back and bigger than ever for their 37th Boise Pride Festival. This year, attendees can expect a threeday celebration, with a ticketed opening night on Friday and free festivities on Saturday and Sunday. More online when available.

92. September 18 - 20, Newport Pride [OR]

Newport Oregon Pride will be hosting their fifth annual Pride Festival on September 18, 19 and 20. They are still seeking sponsors and volunteers. More information and sign-ups online.

CANCELLED

Ocean Shores Pride [WA]

Due to a decline in sponsorship and “some things outside of their control,” Ocean Shores cancelled their annual Pride event. A statement posted on their website described their cancellation as part of a larger trend of smalltown Pride celebrations seeing lower attendance rates and struggling

with the overall political climate. They’re still holding out hope for more Pride celebrations in Ocean Shores in the future.

Grays Harbor Pride [WA] For 12 years, Out & Proud has hosted the annual Grays Harbor Pride festival, but in the past year, their board of directors has changed significantly, “largely due to burnout.” Both the president and the Pride Committee chair recently stepped down, leaving the board with just four active board members, according to a statement posted on Facebook. No one has stepped up to replace them. Because of lack of board volunteers, the Grays Harbor Pride festival is canceled this year.

Still, they’re not giving up. They’re still planning on hosting the annual Pride drag show at the Historical Seaport on September 19, and the annual Pride Prom the night before at Events on Emerson. They’re hoping to be back with the annual festival in 2027.

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higher than their non LGBTQ+ peers. Even more concerning, 62% of LGBTQ+ youth wanted mental health care but were unable to access it, underscoring a profound gap between need and available support. I’ve always held that NIPA’s Pride in the Park is a critically life-saving event, especially for our youth!

How does Pride help people in small towns build understanding and reduce prejudice through real, face to face connection?

Matthew: Prides show people in these areas that they usually know a queer person even when they might not have known it. It is so much harder to hate a friend or neighbor than a soundbite of Fox TV. People need to understand that we are everywhere, and we are not going anywhere, and Pride is the biggest way that happens in many of these places.

Sarah: Matthew’s point is a textbook illustration of contact theory in action. When Pride events bring LGBTQIA2S+ people into public, joyful, everyday visibility, they create the kind of real life interactions that reduce prejudice far more effectively than arguments or

media narratives ever could. Contact theory shows us that when people personally know someone from a marginalized group—or even simply see them as neighbors, coworkers, or fellow community members—their attitudes shift. Fear gives way to familiarity, and stereotypes lose their power. It is deeply important to NIPA that we showcase the fact that LGBTQIA2S+ people are inextricably interwoven into the fabric of our society, as we always have been!

How can rural Pride events create meaningful connections that turn unfamiliar neighbors into allies?

Matthew: I believe that rural Pride events can help turn neighbors unacquainted with our queer community into allies by creating space for there to be authentic interaction between people. These events also bring people into these communities, showing that there is a wider base of support for the queer community in these towns.

Sarah: NIPA is grounded in a belief that a quiet, complacent majority is hiding amidst the noise of a loud minority. We are committed to engaging this majority, educating them to

become better allies. Our allies need safe spaces to ask questions and learn, and we all need places where straight and queer community intersection can be made visible, our commonalities illuminated, and our differences appreciated.

What final message or invitation would you share with readers who want to show up, support rural Pride events, and stand with queer communities this season?

Matthew: I believe it is my duty and the duty of anyone in these larger cities who has the ability to help and to SHOW UP. Show up and help with these events, volunteer, donate, share, ect… whatever you are able to do. I am not, however, encouraging people who might be targeted by certain reprehensible legislation moving through the Idaho capitol to do anything or cross any borders that they are not comfortable with. We cannot abandon our queer community in these right wing areas, the privilege to pick up and move because of a state’s policy is not open to so many people. I hope to see y’all at Pride, whether it’s here in Spokane or somewhere beyond. HAPPY PRIDE!

Sarah: We are deeply grateful to Spokane Pride who always shows up in support of NIPA’s Pride in the Park! We extend a warm invitation to all of our neighbors to come out and celebrate our 10th anniversary this year on Saturday June 6th from 11 am to 6 pm at Coeur d’Alene’s City Park, with special guest, Amelia Day. NIPA prioritizes the safety and well being of every Pride attendee through a robust, multilayered safety plan that includes coordinated partner communication, a trained safety team, clear emergency protocols, and accessible event design. This ensures Pride in the Park remains a space where people can gather confidently and celebrate in an environment grounded in collective care. We’re overjoyed this year to celebrate the award of not one, but TWO, inaugural Pride Scholarships for local queer youth. And there’s still time to register as a vendor booth or sign up to sponsor!

Learn more about NIPA at https://www.nipridealliance.com/ cda4pride

Learn more about Spokane Pride at https://www.spokanepride.org/

IDAHO & COLUMNISTS - Continued

IDAHO - From Page 8

‘They want to legislate these people out of the state.’

Opponents of the bill have raised logistical questions about how the law will be enforced. The Idaho Fraternal Order of Police told lawmakers that the bill has “significant practical enforcement challenges” for police officers.

Law enforcement would have to determine someone’s sex assigned at birth, a venture that is often difficult and sometimes impossible without questioning or investigative actions that are invasive and inappropriate, Idaho Fraternal Order of Police President Bryan Lovell wrote.

Lee said he thinks the law is part of a Christian nationalist push to make Idaho inhabitable for people who oppose a conservative agenda. Both Lewis and Lee said they know transgender people who are planning to leave the state, or have already left it, due to policies implemented by the state Legislature.

OUT & IN BUSINESS - From Page 13

Not because they’re failing.

Because they’re paying attention.

Being in Process Is Not a Failure

The dominant culture doesn’t leave much room for people to be in process.

Online, especially, there’s pressure to package every transition into a polished lesson. To emerge from every difficult season with a shiny rebrand, a breakthrough, and a clean narrative arc. To market certainty while privately living through ambiguity.

That pressure can make people disappear entirely, not because they have nothing to say, but because they don’t yet have conclusions.

I want to gently offer something different:

You are allowed to show up before you feel fully ready. You are allowed to be visible while still figuring things out. You do not owe anyone a finished version of yourself before you participate in your

“We lost them as members of our community, which is disheartening, but at the heart of it is exactly what the legislature wants,” Lee said. “They want to legislate these people out of the state.”

During floor debate on the bill, Sen. Josh Kohl, R-Twin Falls, said the law would help protect Idaho’s “cultural decency.”

“We don’t want to become like California or New York,” Kohl said. “We want to keep Idaho safe from so many of the cultural influences that are pressing down.”

‘Jesus said to draw them in’

Idaho, a historic stronghold for Christian groups that lean conservative including Latter-day Saints and evangelical Protestants, is often influenced by the conservative politicians who serve in state government.

In Pastor Lee’s mind, believing that Christianity supports exclusionary practices is “heartbreaking.”

own life and business.

There’s a specific kind of courage in allowing yourself to be seen while still becoming. Not performatively vulnerable. Not turning every tender moment into content. But refusing the idea that uncertainty makes you less legitimate, less trustworthy, or less worthy of being here.

A Few Gentle Places to Start

If you’re in a season of uncertainty, here are a few places to begin:

- Notice where you’re waiting for certainty before allowing yourself visibility.

Update one small thing in your business so it reflects who you are now, not who you were two years ago.

Let yourself experiment privately before announcing everything publicly. Ask yourself: What would showing up look like if it didn’t require performance or perfection?

Reach out to people who allow you to be honest, unfinished, and human.

You do not need to solve your

“They will claim that this legislation is coming forward because of faith and desire to be a Christian state, and yet they somehow totally dismiss the words of Jesus where he calls them to love the least of these,” Lee said. “To me, the least of these are anyone who are less than 5% of society. Trans, homeless, immigrants. Those are the very people that so much of the legislation is aimed at trying to cast them out.”

“Jesus said to draw them in,” Lee said. “It is very disheartening.”

Lee said Jesus’s support and inclusion of eunuchs, or castrated men, provides an example of how transgender and intersex people should be treated by Christians.

“Its very interesting to think about the ways in which Jesus made space for and cared for people who, because of their gender, were a little ambiguous,” Lee said, referencing eunuchs. “For us, there’s a rich tradition of Jesus welcoming people who typically lived and found themselves in the margins of society.”

entire future before taking your next honest step.

Becoming Is Part of the Work

Because the truth is: most meaningful lives are built in the middle. In the questions. In the pivots. In the slow reshaping.

I think LGBTQ+ people understand this better than most.

Many of us have already had to reinvent ourselves. We know what it means to question inherited expectations. To rebuild identity from the inside out. To become more honest over time instead of more polished.

That process doesn’t end once you start a business.

If anything, self-employment often deepens it.

Lee said now is the time for progressive Christians to step up to the microphone.

In the political realm, the loudest Christian voices have often been conservative, Lee said, while progressive Christians have often kept their faith private.

“In doing so, we sort of ceded the faith,” he said.

Lee said the solution lies partly in progressive Christians being more vocal about their faith in public life. He pointed to former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Rep. James Talarico, D-Texas, as examples of politicians who openly blend progressive Christianity with public service.

“They’re helping us, in many ways, reclaim our identity and faith,” Lee said. “It’s not just conservative Christians representing faith in the public square.”

You do not need to become someone else before you deserve visibility, community, or success.

You are allowed to be in process.

You are allowed to change your mind.

You are allowed to grow slowly.

You are allowed to show up as you are while the rest unfolds.

Maybe that’s not weakness. Maybe that’s what an honest life actually looks like.

•

So if you’re in a season where things feel unclear, where your work is shifting, your energy is different, your priorities are changing, or your next step feels uncertain. I hope you know this: You do not need complete certainty to move forward. You do not need a perfect plan to begin again.

MAYOR - From Page 3

at local music venues. For Lisa, Spokane isn’t just where she works — it’s where she’s built her life.

Mayor Brown’s leadership is grounded in empathy and action. She values listening to the community, encouraging collaboration, and pursuing solutions that create meaningful change for everyone. Inspired by her approach, I reached out to her for an interview, and she kindly agreed. Here are my questions and her responses.

Frank Gaimari: Rural and eastern Washington often face unique challenges regarding LGBTQ+ visibility and support. What specific policies or initiatives are you championing to ensure queer individuals in these areas feel safe, supported, and represented?

Lisa Brown: It is crucial not only to demonstrate support through policy but also to visibly stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community. We have made LGBTQ+ visibility a priority across various areas, including our hiring practices, HR policies, and legislation addressing housing, homelessness, and human services. For instance, we recently partnered in the opening of a scattered-site shelter specifically designed for members of the LGBTQ+ community, recognizing that they face unique challenges

RELIGION - From Page 13

a region whose religious life has gone largely uncovered.

This year, FāVS News is expanding statewide across Washington. What began in 2012 as a hyperlocal newsroom covering Spokane is now a regional wire syndicating to 15 media partners - and counting. We’re adding reporters and columnists and deepening coverage in communities that have never had a religion beat. We’re making the case — loudly — that what people believe, how they practice, and how faith shapes public life matters everywhere. Especially here.

For LGBTQ+ readers, that’s not an abstract story. Faith communities hold enormous social

compared to others experiencing homelessness. Additionally, I actively support this community by issuing proclamations and participating in events such as Pride and the Transgender Day of Visibility.

FG: Queer youth in rural areas often face higher rates of bullying, isolation, and mental health struggles. How can local governments and schools work together to create safer, more inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ students?

LB: The City of Spokane works closely with Spokane Public Schools, particularly through the Together Spokane and Engage IRL initiatives. These programs are dedicated to making Spokane a community with facilities, programs, and activities that encourage young people and their families to get involved. When children have access to activities and programs that connect them with peers who share similar interests, they can build a sense of community and belonging. Additionally, we are fortunate to have a strong network of nonprofits, including Odyssey Youth Movement, the Spectrum Center, and River City Youth, all of which work to engage kids and provide spaces for them to connect with others who share their experiences and identities.

FG: Hate crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals remain a concern. What measures are

power — they shape elections, run school boards, operate food banks and foster care systems, and set the cultural temperature of the towns they anchor. The congregations blessing samesex unions and the ones funding campaigns against our families are both operating in your backyard. When local religion coverage disappears — and it has largely disappeared from American newsrooms over the past two decades — that power goes unexamined. Covering it does more for our communities than ignoring it ever could.

As a queer woman who has spent more than 20 years on this beat, I’ve sat in sanctuaries that felt like home and ones that made clear I wasn’t welcome. I cover both with the same curiosity and the same rigor. That’s the job — and it’s

Continued - SPOKANE &

you implementing to ensure law enforcement is trained to handle these cases and that queer residents feel protected?

LB: The City of Spokane has invested in both the Office of Civil Rights, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as the Office of Police Ombuds, to ensure resources are available to any community member in the unfortunate event that they are a victim of a hate crime. The OCREI also conducts outreach to various communities to ensure they are aware of the resources available to them. I also ensured that, in hiring our police leadership, we selected someone who is welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community and open to dialogue and understanding.

FG: What’s one thing about Spokane that makes you most proud to represent the city as its mayor?

LB: Many years ago, before it was enacted at the state level, the Spokane City Council passed legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. The law was challenged, but voters upheld it. It was a proud moment for Spokane.

FG: If you could fast-forward 10 years, what’s one thing you hope Spokane will be known for under your leadership?

LB: Championing neighborhoods that are inclusive, walkable, and safe while supporting innovative

never been more necessary.

The “none zone” label isn’t entirely wrong. The Pacific Northwest does have higher rates of religious disaffiliation than other regions. But disaffiliation isn’t the same as indifference to meaning-making, community, or the questions religion has always tried to answer. And the millions of people in this region who do affiliate deserve journalism that takes their lives seriously — and asks hard questions about the institutions that shape them.

FāVS is bringing that coverage to all of Washington. Stonewall News Northwest, a media partner, shares our belief that religion coverage matters. If you have a story about faith, doubt, community, or the ways religion is shaping life around you, we

individuals and the creative economy.

FG: Being a mayor is a demanding job. How do you unwind and recharge when you’re not working?

LB: Riding my bike, baking complicated recipes, and spending time with my grandson and his sisters.

FG: If you could share one message with every resident of Spokane, what would it be?

LB: We have an incredible river right in the heart of our city — everyone should gather their friends and family and connect with it as often as possible.

Lisa Brown’s journey from educator to legislator to mayor is a testament to her unwavering dedication to making Spokane a better place for all. As she leads the city into a new chapter, her focus on equity, opportunity, and community promises to leave a lasting legacy. With Lisa at the helm, Spokane is not just moving forward — it’s paving the way for a brighter, more inclusive future.

For more information on Mayor Brown, visit her official website at https://my.spokanecity.org/mayor/

want to hear from you. Reach out at tracysimmons@favs.news. The Pacific Northwest has a religious life. It just needed someone to cover it.

COLUMNISTS - Continued

HOBBIT HOUSE - From Page 12

usually associated with someone screaming at a self-checkout machine.

But 44 messages were kind, encouraging, and surprisingly heartfelt.

Two people even asked me out on dates to show me what a successful date actually looks like.

One very respectfully added:

“Only with your husband’s permission.”

Which honestly felt progressive, polite, and mildly medieval all at once.

For the record, my husband said no. (Sorry Chris!)

But among all the responses, four people essentially asked the same question:

“What does it actually take to become successfully gay married?”

And since I, Ryan Oelrich, have now been gay married exactly one time for nearly ten years, I feel uniquely underqualified — but emotionally compelled — to answer.

Also, as Pride Month approaches, reflecting on gay marriage feels fitting considering we’ve only had this right nationwide since June 26, 2015. And lately, the fragility of that right feels impossible to ignore.

I also reached out to several long-term gay and queer couples for wisdom, because relying exclusively on my own judgment has historically produced… mixed results.

So let’s begin with reasons to get gay married (yes, I’m recruiting here. I have multiple gay single friends ready to walk down the aisle.), and end with what actually helps people stay gay married once the confetti settles.

Brace yourselves.

Reason #1 to Get Gay Married: You Escape Gay Dating

First and foremost, I highly

recommend gay marriage because it means you no longer have to participate in gay dating.

And if you read my last article, you already know that gay dating is essentially a psychologically fascinating obstacle course fueled by emotional damage, iced coffee, and abs.

My husband often remarks that marrying me was a tremendous public service because it permanently removed me from the dating pool before additional harm could occur.

Marriage allows you to retire from the battlefield.

No more apps.

No more trying to determine whether “Hey” means: •romantic interest, •casual friendliness, •or someone attempting to recruit you into cryptocurrency.

No more spending 45 minutes choosing an outfit just to sit across from a man named Tyler who says things like:

“I’m really focused on my journey right now.”

Marriage is peace.

Marriage is safety.

Marriage is deleting apps and never hearing the word “situationship” again.

Reason #2:

Gay Marriage Is Environmentally Friendly

One thing society does not discuss nearly enough is how astonishingly efficient gay marriage can be.

You can share hygiene products.

Shelf space suddenly opens up.

Half-empty bottles disappear.

Your shower no longer resembles a tiny cosmetic civil war.

You can also share appliances: •electric razors, •water picks, •vibrating toothbrush bases. (And before heterosexual couples send me angry emails: yes, some of this applies to you too.)

To be clear, however, I am not advocating for shared toothbrush heads.

We are celebrating love here, not launching a biohazard event.

Separate heads. Remain civilized.

But overall, think about the environmental impact: •less plastic waste, •less clutter, •fewer arguments about why there are somehow eleven identical face washes under the sink.

So yes.

Gay marriage is saving the planet.

You’re welcome, Earth.

Reason #3: Gay Marriage Saves Money

Another deeply underrated feature of gay marriage:

Shared clothing.

You essentially double your wardrobe overnight.

That sequined Armani shirt? Fabulous on both of you.

That flannel? Also fabulous.

My husband is forever raiding my side of the closet.

Financial experts should really be discussing this more.

Honestly, somewhere there’s probably an economist desperately trying to calculate the GDP impact of gay men sharing jackets.

Reason #4: The Learning Curve Is… Shorter

Now let’s address what every straight reader became intensely curious about approximately four paragraphs ago.

And what various heterosexual men have asked me about over the years after they’ve consumed approximately three beers.

And which my heterosexual female friends now immediately ask me about having watched ‘Heated Rivalry.’

The answer is:

Yes.

Absolutely yes.

There are certain practical advantages to being romantically involved with someone who possesses the same operating system you do.

Who better understands your equipment than someone using the exact same model?

It shortens the learning curve.

Reduces confusion.

And eliminates at least some of the awkwardness inherent in human intimacy — which, no matter your orientation, remains fundamentally strange if you think about it too long.

And honestly, after enough years together, romance becomes less:

“Take me now, my love…”

And more:

“Did you lock the front door?” “Did the dog go outside?” “Why does your knee keep making that sound?” Which, honestly, is intimacy too.

Reason #5: You Can Get Away With a Big

Gay Wedding

Weddings in general have become increasingly elaborate regardless of orientation.

But I would argue — confidently and without hesitation — that gay weddings continue to take the wedding cake.

I have attended gay weddings featuring: •entire forests constructed indoors, •choreographed dance numbers, •lighting effects capable of guiding aircraft.

At one point during a ceremony, I genuinely wondered:

“Is this still a wedding, or have we transitioned into a Cirque du Soleil residency?”

So yes, if you’ve ever wanted: •a production budget,

HOBBIT HOUSE - From Page 26

•dramatic lighting, •and a legally binding reason to become the center of attention — gay marriage delivers.

Now, in the interest of transparency, let me discuss my own proposal.

Because if you’re going to do this, you might as well commit fully to the bit.

On a dramatic rainy evening, I arranged for my then-boyfriend to be brought to a pedestrian bridge over the Spokane River under the false pretense of normalcy.

It was not normal.

I recruited friends to decorate the bridge with floating illuminated balloons while standing heroically in the rain.

At the far end, they wrapped a lone pine tree in fairy lights like Christmas had arrived unexpectedly during a thunderstorm.

As he crossed the bridge — confused but mostly cooperative — our friends handed him potted plants one by one like participants in a deeply emotional gardening cult.

Meanwhile, another friend followed behind carrying a literal jukebox playing “Love Me Like You Do.”

Which I only later realized was famously associated with Fifty Shades of Grey.

Not exactly the emotional tone I was aiming for, but by then we were committed.

At one point my sister hugged him and said:

“It’s been so nice knowing you.”

So naturally, Rob became briefly convinced he was being offered up as some sort of gay sacrifice.

But finally there I stood.

Under the glowing tree.

In the rain.

Ready to propose.

I told him I wanted our lives intertwined.

I asked him to marry me.

And his immediate response was: “Are you sure about this?”

Which is objectively not the response you hope for in that moment.

After a brief but spiritually significant pause — during which our friends likely began preparing grief statements — I confirmed that yes, I was sure.

And thankfully…

Eventually…

He said yes.

So here’s the lesson:

Gay weddings are allowed to be: •dramatic, •emotional, •slightly unhinged, •and occasionally sponsored by weather and foliage.

But ultimately, all that matters is this:

Someone stands in front of you and chooses you back.

And honestly?

That’s worth all the balloons.

But Here’s the Actual Secret

Underneath all the jokes, here’s what I think really matters.

Marriage — gay or straight — is less about grand gestures and more about choosing each other repeatedly.

I reached out to other long-term couples for wisdom.

Adam Forcier, who has been with his husband for 22 years and married for 16, shared this:

“Communication is key. As time goes on, you will grow into different people. If you both communicate with open minds and zero judgment, you can grow side by side.”

Which honestly feels much wiser than anything I’ve said so far.

A lesbian couple married for 33

years shared:

“You gotta put in the work and continue to choose each other. You also gotta forgive and find at least one thing you enjoy doing together.”

Another couple together for decades gave perhaps the most concise wisdom of all:

“Gin.”

Which, frankly, deserves consideration.

Dean Lynch and Michael Flannery, having been together over 40 years, shared:

“Listening to learn and not to respond will go a long way. Kiss each other at least twice a day--- good morning and good night.”

Which sounds like sage advice. This same couple later shared another bit of wisdom worth contemplating:

“Sometimes both people are caregivers. It may be important to practice being a recipient.”

And Mike and Nathan, together for over a decade, shared this:

“We’re able to laugh with each other — even during arguments. Eventually we realize we’re both being a little ridiculous, and we really do want what’s best for the other person.”

And maybe that’s it.

My husband and I have both made mistakes.

We’re stubborn in entirely different ways.

We annoy each other. We miscommunicate.

We occasionally argue about things so small and absurd that halfway through, one of us suddenly realizes:

“Oh no. We’re fighting about the dishes again.”

Or, this heated debate in our household, “Should or shouldn’t I use AI to edit an article?”

But, dishes and AI be damned, we continue choosing one another.

Over and over.

And perhaps successful partnership is simply this:

Finding someone who knows exactly how weird you are… …and stays anyway.

Someone who chooses you even though you built a Hobbit house in the front yard.

Someone you choose even though they permanently lose their keys.

Someone who chooses you even though you cry during nearly every Disney movie.

Someone you choose even though they leave used chewing gum in deeply concerning locations throughout the house.

Maybe love is less about finding perfection and more about finding someone whose strange fits beside your own.

And honestly?

That feels pretty magical.

And very much worth fighting for.

Author’s Note: Thank you to all the couples who took the time to share their wisdom and insights for this article.

Oelrich is a highly regarded mental health trainer and facilitator, having trained thousands of professionals since 2008. He’s developed mental health curriculum used by Washington State. He is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Fellow and has an MBA and an MA in Leadership. Oelrich was awarded the Peirone Prize for service in 2016 and has received congressional recognition for his work on poverty and homelessness issues. Oelrich has founded 3 nonprofits focused on youth issues, and he’s an advocate for increased collaboration and coordination.

IN REMEMBRANCE -

SHUFFIELD - From Page 4 believed art could change hearts and minds, and he lived that belief every day.

Jonathan’s laughter, kindness, and creativity will be deeply missed. But his spirit lives in the community he helped build, in the stories he told, and in every life

he touched. He was more than an artist, more than an advocate — he was a beacon of hope, a reminder that with love and imagination, you really can change the world.

The world is a little brighter for having had Jonathan in it, and his memory will always be a blessing to those who knew him.

June 2026 Queer Pride Puzzle

Diversions Word Search - Margaret Cho

“The history of LGBTQ+ people can be hard to find, usually never taught or even mentioned in schools. Even with the increase of queer characters on TV shows and movies in the last decade, our representation isn’t equal to our actual population. Many kids growing up don’t even know of the wide variety and rich history of the LGBTQ+ community. I certainly didn’t while growing up!

H

Answer Key on page 30

Margaret/Moran Cho (Born in) San Francisco Comedian/Actor/Author Advocate/Podcaster Musician (& Entrepreneur) Grammy/Emmy/Nominee All-American/Girl (ABC) Drunk (with)/Power (1996) Face Off (1997 Film) I’m The/One That/I Want Concert/Film (&)/Book Notorious (C.H.O. Tour) Revolution/Assassin Bam Bam (&)/Celeste Beautiful/Mother/Psycho Drop Dead/Diva (Lifetime) (Cho) Dependent (2010) (American) Myth (2016) Fire/Island (2022 Film) Lucky/Gift (2/25 Album) Best In Cho (8/25) Queens (of the Dead) (10/25 Film on Shudder) All That/We Love (11/25 Film) Choligarchy (Tour 2025-26) (Portland July 30 - Aug 2 2026) Visit DiversionsPuzzles.net for more free puzzles & book info!

“We are award-winning actors and actresses, athletes in every sport imaginable, politicians, business leaders, news and media journalists and personalities, musicians and authors of every genre, scientists, astronauts, and more. I decided I wanted to make a puzzle book about them and therefore about all of us.

“So when you’re solving these puzzles, feel free to hop on the internet, look up and discover these amazing LGBTQ+ people that you may not have heard of before! Have fun and a sense of humor when going through these pages. And especially have a sense of pride: in yourself along with all the people mentioned in this book..”

- Kerry Shatzer, creator of Queer Pride Puzzle

OUT ON THE RANCH - From Page 12

opportunist or threat that must be controlled.

In permaculture, the goal isn’t domination—it’s balance. When we overcorrect, we create fragility. When we disturb too much, opportunists rush in. The more aggressively we try to control, the more we end up managing the consequences.

Resilience comes from working with the system, not against it. From understanding how to nudge cycles into balance, instead of trying to replace them.

At our guest ranch, being a change agent isn’t a slogan—it’s embedded in our DNA. It shows up in how we approach land, people, and community. We don’t operate from the mindset of force or extraction. We operate from balance and resilience.

Whether it’s protecting freshly planted seedlings with simple, thoughtful barriers instead of disrupting entire ecosystems, or creating space for both people and animals to coexist without constant intervention, the approach is the same: add resilience, look for balance points instead of quick fixes, let the system strengthen itself.

Being a change agent means choosing to show up where things are strained or fractured and contributing to repair. Not through grandstanding, but through steady, consistent action. It means our definition of success becomes positioning others to become successful.

That’s the work.

And it’s the same work the dandelion has been doing all along.

In a time when conviction is loud and division is easy, there’s a

quieter path—one that focuses on accountability, yes, but also on rebuilding. History shows that when systems overreach, they eventually face both. The collapse isn’t the end of the story; it’s the turning of the soil.

What comes next depends on what takes root.

The dandelions will be there. They always are. The question is whether we recognize the role they play—and whether we’re willing to take on a similar one.

Be stubborn in presence, but purposeful in action. Bring nourishment where there’s depletion. Support life around us in tangible ways. Do the legacy work to prepare the ground for something better, even if we’re not the ones who will fully enjoy it.

That’s what it means to be a change agent.

Not controlling the outcome, but influencing the conditions.

Not demanding perfection, but fostering resilience.

Not waiting for stability, but helping create it.

May belongs to the dandelions for a reason.

They remind us that even in disruption, there is a path forward. That healing doesn’t start with dominance, but with restoration. That the most impactful work often looks small, local, and persistent.

The dandelions are always the first to land upon rubble and turn the disrupted and desolate back into healthy and functional. That cyclical nature, no matter how much conviction the human wields, always carries on. So too shall we be like the dandelion, reclaim the land, and build a new national foundation so future generations may thrive.