Pride parade in Warren celebrates diverse lifestyles

By SEAN BARRON

news@vindy.com

WARREN

Matt Cockrin drew a large crowd as he displayed his dancing prowess while lip-syncing to a popular song, but when it came to the underlying meaning behind his coordinated leaps, gesticulations and turns, he was anything but silent.

“In some situations, we have equality in the LGBTQ community, but we still have a long way to go,” the Cleveland man said after having entertained spectators who gathered to see him perform a variety of moves to the 2017 pop song “Whatever it Takes” by Imagine Dragons.

Cockrin’s appearance also was one of several musical acts that made up Trumbull County’s first LGBTQIA Parade and Pride Festival on Saturday in Courthouse Square.

LGBTQIA refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual or allied.

Hosting the all-day family-friendly gathering, themed “Pride in the Valley,” was Full Spectrum Community Outreach, a Youngstown-based nonprofit community-service organization that provides several types of support groups, a drop-in center, educational trainings, social events and other offerings for those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities.

The fest’s main purpose was to unify people of all sexual orientations and honor those who fought for others’ ability to celebrate their diverse lifestyles publicly, organizers said.

Also, June is National Pride Month.

Cockrin said he wants to be a positive voice and role model for LGBTQ members.

Echoing his views about the need for greater acceptance and the end of discrimination for those of diverse sexual orientations was Daniel Tirabassi, a gender and youth director for Full Spectrum.

“We just want to be equal; we don’t want anything special,” observed Tirabassi, who added the fight continues against transgender people being banned from the military and having healthcare coverage taken from them.

Fliers on Senate Bill 11, also known as the “Ohio Fairness Act,” were on hand. The legislation would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and access to basic goods and services based on one’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

More than 80 local and regional artists, mental-health advocates and other vendors set up tents at the event. Among them was Jacob Nash, who, along with his wife, Erin Nash, founded Akron-based Margie’s Hope.

“We assist transgender individuals in need and offer trainings to businesses and groups to help transgender people find doctors, counselors, shelters and other resources,” Jacob said about the eight-year-old organization named after his late mother, Margie Nash, who was a social-justice advocate before her death in 2000.

“Her hope for me was that I’d be happy,” said Jacob, who is transgender.

Margie’s Hope also provides a program for youngsters age 6 to 17, in part because more young people “are coming out [of the closet] and need safe spaces to be themselves,” he added.

Many attendees also took advantage of free health screenings, courtesy of the Pittsburgh-based Central Outreach Wellness Center.

The large wellness van had three bays used to test people with or without insurance for syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, a common bacterial infection spread by sexual contact that shows no symptoms, noted Eiska Redhawk, an outreach coordinator.

“We don’t want anyone to slip through the cracks,” Redhawk explained, adding a high priority is placed on confidentiality. “There’s no reason, with the technology that’s available today, a person can’t get tested.”

People also were able to be tested for Hepatitis C, a viral infection spread through infected blood that can cause liver inflammation or damage. The disease is a big health problem in the LGBTQ community, noted Harry D. Eicher, the wellness center’s lab manager.

Pamphlets on business and religious services, support groups, home-health care information and entities that are supportive of LGBTQ people also were available.

There were several items for sale, and children enjoyed activities such as face-painting, inflatable attractions and games of cornhole.