Mankato community comes out to celebrate Pride

This past Saturday, Minnesota State University, Mankato, along with many from south central Minnesota, showed up and out for Mankato pride.

“Pride to me means an opportunity to unapologetically be yourself, to have wonderful experiences, and to showcase some support for the members of our community who may be having a hard time coming out and feeling comfortable,” said Joey Novak, who walked with the MNSU LGBT Center. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity to find community and spend some time with fellow queer people”

The LGBT Center had a large turnout for Pride, and many people shared what Pride means to them, and why they attended the parade.

“I’m here as an ally for my cousin,” said MNSU student Emma Gabbert, who was carrying a handmade, painted sign that read, “Love Note Hate.”

“He went to MNSU as a freshman and really loved the support that he got here,” she added, “and so I continue to support this community because they just treated him so well.” 

Ollie Schmidt said that to them, “pride means that we get to show the world that we can be truly and authentically ourselves without fear of judgement.”

This past weekend was senior Emily Rhoda’s first Pride event. “I want to support my friends and family,” Rhoda noted as she gathered said friends to line up for the parade. 

This Pride was also MNSU sophomore Matthew Jensen’s first. “I am excited just to see the welcoming atmosphere of pride,” Jensen stated

“Pride in general just means celebrating who you are,” for sophomore Chase Belka. 

Katie Hansen, who was walking with Jensen and Belka, stated that “It is also my first time at pride. Pride to me is a celebration, and I am excited to see what it’s all about and how Mankato does it.”

MNSU’s STEM group had many students attend as well. 

“Pride is such a fun time to get together with friends in an inclusive environment,” noted STEM student Hunter Cole.

To Max Gerbhart, “pride is feeling happy in your identity; being able to come out and see other people who are like you in some way.”

“It’s just making sure people don’t feel alone,” said Jean Pengra.

“To me,” said Anya Rogers, “pride is a way we can celebrate having fought back all the oppression that we have faced. It means that we’ve faced all this adversity and can finally celebrate ourselves.”

Dominik Drabent, one of the students representing Gender and Women’s Studies in the parade, said that to them “pride means the showcase of love and peace, and people of different backgrounds coming together to celebrate a community that has been oppressed for so many decades and showing that we are visible, and that we are not hiding.”

Maya Wenzel, who was walking with Drabent, said that to her, “Pride means people coming together, being proud of who they are without being judged, being able to be visible in the community and being proud of that visibility.”

Gender and Women’s Studies student Tahmina Sobat summed it up pretty well: “pride means inclusivity, love, and acceptance.”

South Central Minnesota Pride, located in downtown Mankato, featured a parade and PrideFest on Saturday, Sept. 11. With massive turnout, community members got to experience Pride, and learn what it means to them.