As the summer rolls to a close, so does pride season, but not before Transgender Michigan hosts its annual, Transgender Pride in the Park. On Saturday, Aug. 11 at Ferndale's Donald Red Geary Park from noon to 6 p.m., attendees can enjoy a day of food, vendors and community. Event organizer Rachel Crandall-Crocker said she expects record high levels of attendance this year.
"It's our gift to the transgender community, and we got people from all over our country. It isn't only a Michigan event anymore," Crandall-Crocker said. "And I want people to know it's the largest transgender event in Michigan and surrounding states."
She also emphasized that the event is a free one.
"One main way it's different and we do this purposely is that everything is free, and that's really an important difference. A lot of trans people experience so much discrimination that they can't afford anything at all and there are some prides that cost $10 to get in and then you have to buy food and we just didn't think that was right," she said. "It really excludes a lot of people, and I really want to emphasize the discrimination. We didn't want to exclude anybody, we are completely inclusive. And that's something that we're very, very proud about. Also, it's out in the open, however, it is in a park where people can feel safe and protected."
And in case attendees were wondering why the event is held in August instead of the popular June celebration, Crandall-Crocker said that it's certainly not accidental. It's to commemorate the 1966 Compton's Cafeteria Riot in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco.
"A lot of people don't realize that happened three years before Stonewall," Crandall-Crocker said. "That's really important to us also. We're for people who have been out a while, however, we also have people who've never been out of their house dressed (as their actual gender) ever … unfortunately, at a lot of prides, we are the small 'T.' LGBt. However, here, we're the big proud 'T."
More information about the event and Transgender Michigan can be found online at transgendermichigan.org.
Transgender Pride in the Park in Ferndale on Aug. 11
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