Celebrating 50 years of pride in Seattle

SEATTLE — Seattle is overflowing with pride.  Plus, a bit of Seattle sports royalty on hand to celebrate 50 years of Pride in the Emerald City.

Seattle Pride estimates some 300,000 people lined 4th Avenue for its annual parade.  Marchers wound their way through downtown to the Seattle Center where the party is still going on.

The day began a bit cloudy but it cleared up.

And it turns out a lot of people, including elected officials, wanted to be here for this 50th anniversary of Seattle Pride.

It was a Golden Anniversary to remember.

And what difference does 50 years make? “A lot,” says Kristi Oosterveen, Bothell.  “I hope it even continues to make more difference. We got a long way to go.”

“People, you know, gathering and celebrating love,” said Kim Stetson, Bothell, “celebrating acceptance.”

“I’m actually not from Seattle, from Alaska,” Shannon Reynolds said. “So, just a hop flight down. But it’s pretty amazing. And it’s awesome. It’s awesome to see everybody out. And you know what? Everybody’s happy today.”

Seattle’s Pride parade proved irresistible to local elected officials like State Senator Manka Dhingra, now a candidate for state Attorney General.

“You know we have to make sure when LGBTQIA rights are under attack, when reproductive rights are under attack, that we, as washingtonians are stepping up,” said Dhingra, “and saying that everyone belongs.”

For Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, this is personal.

“As a mom of a trans kid myself, it is really beautiful to see people out here who know what the stakes are,” Jayapal said. “And we have a community of people who see them and will fight for those rights.”

That includes the right to marry. This surprise wedding on full display throughout the parade.

The Grand Marshals are a symbol of that pride, too.  Two Seattle sports icons engaged to marry someday, too.

“To have this community, just like looking around and seeing you know old people, young people, kids,” said Megan Rapinoe, who recently retired from Seattle FC, a professional women’s soccer team, “like everybody celebrating the same thing is really beautiful.”

“It doesn’t matter whether you are gay, straight,” said Sue Bird, who ended her storied career with Seattle Storm in 2022. “There’s always like an authenticity piece we’re always looking for. That’s what pride’s all about.”

That’s what pride’s all about.  The 2024 edition of Seattle Pride, its Golden Anniversary, is now in the history books.

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