‘It’s All Love’: Pride in Dallas
The second annual Pride in Dallas Parade marched down Cedar Springs Road on Sunday, Sept. 17. (Story and photos by Caroline Savoie) CAROLINE SAVOIE | Contributing Writercarosavoiswriting@gmail.com See more photos, here, here, here and here.
From a drag-inclusive church service in the morning to iconic performances at The Rose Room that evening, the second annual Pride in Dallas week ended on Sunday, Sep.
17 with fantastic fanfare on the day’s many stages. Animated, colorfully-clad drag queens danced in the wake of the Texas Legislature’s attack on the LGBTQ community exhibited by Senate Bill 12, conceived to prohibit drag performances in front of children.
Cathedral of Hope’s 10 a.m. service kicked the day off with its own strong, concise and timely message that was met with a standing ovation: “Drag is not a crime.” Rows of drag queens in feathers and jewels sat beneath a stained glass window that read “Esperanza,” the Spanish word for “hope.” With fans in hand and their painted faces lifted to the ornate altar, the queens traded the hateful words uttered by protestors outside for hopeful ones. “Here, we are in a sacred, safe space,” Senior Pastor Neil Thomas said. “Here, we know that if it’s not love, it’s not God.
