KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Because of the COVID-19 lockdown preventing celebration during Pride Month in June, local residents gathered in Valencia Sunday to celebrate National Coming Out Day.
June is usually known as Pride Month, where people of all sexual orientations and preferences can celebrate their freedoms. Because of the closures and restrictions on in-person gatherings, most pride gatherings in Santa Clarita were put on hold, according to Finnley Walker, a founder of the SCV LGBTQ Center.
“June is usually pride month and since June was very much in the midst of hardcore quarantine… it was kind of skipped,” Walker said. “And then October rolled around and National Coming Out Day is today. And we were like, ‘okay, let’s do something because, you know, we didn’t really have the chance earlier.’”
Dozens of Santa Clarita residents arrived at Bridgeport Park to hear one another speak on their experiences and aspirations for the future. Set in the midst of LGBT History Month, Coming Out day was a chance for a smaller celebration of gay pride in the Santa Clarita community.
“Today was kind of like a little substitute and our goal wasn’t to be extreme,” Walker added. “It wasn’t supposed to be super extravagant. It was just supposed to be a little solidarity mark to be like, ‘Hey, we’re still here, we still deserve rights,’ especially under the current administration, which really doesn’t want us to have rights.”
The group that gathered at Bridgeport Park Sunday shared food and laughter, showed their support in one another and the forthcoming SCV LGBTQ Center, which was raising money by selling handmade face masks and shirts adorned with the center’s logo.
“We wanted to have things that benefit the center,” Walker said. “And then we wanted to do like a march up and down just to have representation in solidarity and saying, you know, ‘We’re here, we’re queer.’”
After speakers shared their experiences, the group walked from Bridgeport Park to the intersection of Newhall Ranch Road and Bouquet Canyon road, waving pride flags and cheering as drivers honked, passing by. They returned to the park to have a socially distanced picnic.
Demonstrators sporting several different pride flags
David Melnarik / KHTS News
For some, the Coming Out Day event was a chance for local LGBTQ people to meet one another, according to Lauryn Valley, co-founder of community organization SCV For Change.
“We have two members in attendance, they showed up to one of our weekly protests a couple of weeks ago, and I told them about the march,” Valley said, “And I asked, ‘you guys are coming right?’ And they’re like, ‘yeah, we’re so excited to meet other gay people out here. It’s so hard.’”
Valley added that while the turnout for the event was better than expected, she encouraged those who could not make it to donate to the SCV LGBTQ Center or support the queer community around Santa Clarita by voting for people who support LGBTQ rights.
“As in not Mike Pence, he believes in conversion therapy,” Valley added. “Pay attention to the propositions and what’s on them. Vote your conscience, vote for all the community and not just the ones that directly impact you.”
In order to combat homophobia and intolerance, Valley suggests having difficult conversations with family members.
“If you ever need help, email us, we will be happy to share some resources,” Valley added. “I feel like one of the most important things is to call out homophobia, even if it’s just like at the dinner table. Because it starts at home… it’s perpetuated at home.”
Donations can still be made to the SCV LGBTQ Center through their GoFundMe, here. Resources are also available for LGBTQ+ people and their families through the local PFLAG chapter, here and Queer SCV, available here.
Sponsored Articles
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Why do those people feel the need to share with the public what they do sexually in the privacy of their bedrooms?!?
When they’re not in the privacy of their bedrooms, do they behave differently than regular people in public?!?
It’s not about what we do in the bedroom. Trust me, we don’t want you to know about our private relations just like I’m sure you don’t want us to know about yours. However, it is about us being treated differently because of what we “do in the bedroom” (which is also a very vulgar way of looking at it… I hope you understand that it’s not just about sex but about love). There is a long history of violence that continues to this day against queer people— and the LGBTQ community chooses to celebrate our differences in a world that keeps telling us those differences are bad.
Eden: That’s confusing, the rainbow flag tells everybody what you do in the privacy of your bedroom. Regular people don’t fly a flag about what they do in privacy, so how would anybody know that you’re gay, do you behave differently in public without a flag? How else would people know?
How exactly does this effect your life in any way? Who cares how they want to express anything as long as it’s not hurting anybody else?
This is what I don’t get about people, if it’s in no way going to impact your life, why care?
Now, if it just hurts your feeling, then get a life and get over it.
Define “regular people” for me? I cannot wait to read it….
That flag is ridiculous. It’s societal suicide to support this behavior.
Its societal suicide to not support everyone in your society as long as they’re not hurting or endangering anyone else. (Almost) everyone wants to love and be loved on their own volition. Who are you to say what people in your society we should be supporting?
I support anyones dreams as long as it doesn’t hurt themselves or others and society as a whole would do better if we all did that.
So happy to see events like this making news in my home town. We all deserve to be able to love who we love without fear of judgement or oppression. Thank you for sharing this, KHTS!
Brendon: How can people be be judged or oppressed for what they do in privacy?! Do they behave differently/unusually than regular people in public?!
Picasso: Are you telling me you have never been able to identify a straight couple in public? I can see why your significant other refuses to hold hands with you in public (if there is someone close minded enough to put up with you).
Picasso, are you triggered, snowflake?
Define “regular people” please…….
Great writeup 🙂
I agree that a climate that allows free expression is very American and should be encouraged. You don’t have to understand/relate to every demonstration and every lifestyle to show a level of respect.
If a behavior/lifestyles is done in private, then nobody knows! When a questionable behavior is shoved in people’s faces, then it becomes bothersome, just like Sexy Vegan! When one cusses, screams, talks very loudly, spits, pees, poops, etc. in public, then it creates problems! It’s called respect/decency for others, do your questionable things in private!
I feel for you if you find love questionable.
You seem quite focused on what other people do in their bedrooms. No one else seems to care or seems to think that this event was about what happens in the bedroom. I’m more concerned about making sure everyone has equal rights to love who they want to live and be who they are meant to be. So very little of that has to do with the bedroom.
Nope: Where were you when Sexy Vegan’s rights were trampled on? When things are done in privacy, then nobody is aware or offended. He was meant to be with his loving partner, where were you and your friends to protect him?
I love this so much! I wish I had known about the event and could have been in attendance! I can’t donate to the Center, but knowing there is a SCV LGBTQ+ group is really great! I’m excited to help and become a member in the future! Spread the love! Kill them with kindness ♡
Hello and good afternoon to everyone except homophobes.
I think this is beautiful and should absolutely be celebrated. This is NOT a statement about what people do behind closed doors. This is an outward showing of support and acceptance. Some people are physically and emotionally abused simply because of the person they love. We all need to be much more open to others that are different from ourselves. LOVE IS LOVE. Thank you for covering and writing this story.