Walking through the streets of downtown Columbia on Sept. 28 and 29 opened my eyes to a refreshing reality about mid-Missouri that I was previously unaware of. I guess getting “glitter blessed in the name of God” has that effect on someone.

As an out-of-state student from a Democratic-leaning state, I came to the University of Missouri with a few fears about what political culture in a Republican-leaning state would entail. Bigotry exists in every corner of our country, but those of us who grew up protected by the security blanket a Democratic-leaning state offers know how powerful legislative change is. The Missouri General Assembly  is constantly evolving as a product of community-based activism, like Pride celebrations, which often inspire legislative change. This year, Mid-Missouri PrideFest continued to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities of Columbia and surrounding areas.

“In the dead-set center of Missouri, having such a big display of love and acceptance and celebration for queer individuals, it’s powerful,” said Columbia-based drag performer and MU sophomore Alexxa Pro. 

Pro was one of the drag queens that returned to the PrideFest stage this year. She was crowned 2024 PrideFest Youth Royalty at the Mid-Missouri PrideFest Royalty Pageant. 

“Powerful” is more than correct. As I made my way up and down Park Avenue and St. James Street on Saturday afternoon, the booths of 12 religious organizations, 11 of which were Christian-based, were vending. The joy, acceptance and generosity present under the tents of these churches was overwhelming. I got temporarily tattooed by an older LGBTQ+ couple representing Rockbridge Christian Church. I picked out a handmade tissue paper flower from the Community of Christ Church as part of their “Petals for Peace” initiative. I was told that God created me in His image while I got the Sign of the Cross drawn on my arm in pink glitter. The impact of this was not lost on me. 

Besides their matching rainbow shirts, these volunteers have one thing in common: they found belonging with open and affirming communities in Columbia and they’ve taken it upon themselves to extend that love at Pride. Activism like this works against the rampant intolerance that is present in the Missouri General Assembly  right now, which is notably targeting transgender youth.

At Mid-Missouri PrideFest, space is intentionally devoted to LGBTQ+ college students, alongside the Columbia community, seeking an accessible outlet. 

“Being a queer kid growing up in the Midwest, and then displaying your queer art for people, you never in a million years think that’s something that’s even in the realm of possibilities,” Pro said.

When Pro came to MU in August 2023, she said that she immediately found a safe haven and a place to express her art in the Columbia drag community through Nclusion Plus, a Missouri-based LGBTQ+ social club. 

“[Columbia] is a safe space. There’s no doubt about it. And showing that outright in September, for all the students coming here, I think is so important,” Pro said. 

Although a diverse age demographic attended PrideFest, I was surrounded by many who appeared to be my age. There was something distinctly transformative about celebrating with so many other young LGBTQ+ people. 

Underneath the tent for The Counseling Hub, a therapy practice that offers online mental health services for adolescents and adults, I noticed a full-length mirror propped up. It was covered in writing, all done in different colored dry-erase markers. 

“What are you most proud of?” was the question passersby were asked to take a moment and answer, then pose for a selfie in the mirror. “My family, my chosen family,” was written in green marker. “The person I’m becoming” was scribbled in blue towards the bottom. “Never giving up” was near the center with “Making my own opinions” just beneath it. “My girlfriend” was written in pink and accompanied by a smiley face drawing.

As I admired the many sentiments there, I couldn’t help but identify a common theme: youth. Each sentence represented a different pivotal moment in adolescence shared by many LGBTQ+ people, like self-discovery, struggles with mental health and LGBTQ+ romance. 

PrideFest successfully created a space for younger members of LGBTQ+ communities to feel united and empowered by their peers. I felt inspired by the individuality I saw and humbled by the sameness in our experiences. It was a new feeling. 

“When you go to this [Mid-Mo PrideFest], it’s almost like you’re going to Disneyland. There’s a magic to it,” Pro said. 

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, though. 

Legislation like the Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, which criminalizes gender-affirming healthcare for minors and was signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson in June 2023, seemed to be in the minds of others all weekend. 

This year’s PrideFest was hosted by drag queen Veronika Versace, the 2022 Miss Gay Missouri America runner-up. 

 “[Being out as an LGBTQ+ individual] gets more and more difficult every year, but what makes it easier is being out and proud like this,” Versace said as she wrapped up Saturday night’s drag showcase.

Conversation faded across the lawn at Rose Music Hall, where the performances at PrideFest took place. 

“[Pride celebrations] like this happen because we speak up, speak out and speak often,” Versace said. Snaps and claps of agreement rippled across the crowd. 

And as I sat there on the grass, watching a group of friends sing along to “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross, I realized something. It didn’t feel like PrideFest was happening despite bigoted legislation and politicized homophobia, but rather because of it.

Alexxa Pro said it perfectly: “[Mid-Mo PrideFest] shows that this is a community that not only accepts queer people, but uplifts them, and that they’re not going anywhere.”

Time spent this weekend at the Mid-Missouri PrideFest instilled hope in me for the future of Missouri and assuaged my fears as an out-of-state queer student. It reminded me that pride is, and always has been a protest. 

In Columbia, not only do we celebrate Pride in June, but also in September because we know that it is an unabashed, evolving, strident fight for the acceptance of LGBTQ+ communities everywhere. When LGBTQ+ college students come to school here, we know that our community accepts us, loud and proud— and it’s important that we keep calling our community to action and continue to march with pride toward progress all year long.  

Edited by Ava McCluer | amccluer@themaneater.com 

Copyedited by Jayden Bates-Bland and Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com 

Edited by Emilia Hansen | ehansen@themaneater.com

Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com