Pride Fest in Irwin Park: ‘Homewood has my back'

Homewood's Amy Crump wore a blue T-shirt with a humorous message on the front.
It said, 'I don't mind straight people as long as they act gay in public.'
For the record, Crump is not gay and has been married for 38 years. However, she does have three gay children and that's one of the reasons she has attended all three of the Homewood-Flossmoor Pride Fests, including this year's version, which took place Friday at Irwin Park in Homewood.
'I'm all about supporting the people who are not the same as us,' she said.
Crump said such pride events are a step in the right direction, even through there is still a lot of resistance when it comes to accepting gays and their lifestyles.
'We haven't come far enough but we are a lot farther than we were,' she said. 'But love is love is love.'
Her daughter, 25-year-old Mica Crump, attended Friday's celebration and said she is proudly gay. She appreciates being able to come out to an event such as Pride Fest and feel comfortable.
'I love that this suburb is doing this,' she said. 'A lot of suburbs don't have this. It's something you see in the city. But Homewood has my back. I like it here.'
Mica was active in Homewood-Flossmoor High School's Gay-Straight Alliance and said she found acceptance there.
She liked Pride Fest is able to draw different types of people, including families.
'It makes me so happy to see the little kid wearing the pride merch,' Mica said.
The fest featured food, drinks, vendors offering various services and music from The Divas and the Bel Canto Choir.
Organizers said the first two Pride Fests drew between 1,200 and 1,400 patrons.
There were a few speeches regarding the importance of the fest, inclusion and continuing the fight for acceptance.
U.S. Robin Kelly, the 2nd District representative who announced in May that she is running for the U.S. Senate, spoke about not giving up the fight.
'Despite what looks like an ugly climate and despite what is an ugly climate, those of us out here and beyond are saying they are not taking this,' she said. 'Do me a favor. Do not get weary. That's what they want you to do.
'We have to fight the good fight and we have allies in congress. Many allies,' Kelly said.
She said that everyone needs to stay together and respect each other.
'At the end of the day, we are all human beings,' she said. 'We all have something to contribute to this society.
'I want you to know I am fighting the good fight for you in Washington and I will continue to fight that fight,' she said.
Park District Recreation Supervisor Zac Kerby urged patrons at the fest to have fun but to reflect on the struggles that gay and trans people have to go through.
'It's more than a celebration,' he said. 'It's a reminder of how far we've come and how much further we still have to go.
'Today, we honor the courage, the resilience and the joy of the LGBTQIA-plus community. Here in this space, everyone is seen and everyone is heard. Everyone is valued.'
Homewood-Flossmoor Park Board member Angie Coderre wore a shirt that said 'Gay Mom' and although her two young children were not interested in addressing the crowd, she had good things to say about the success of Pride Fest.
'Today is always a special day for me personally,' she said. 'I came back here to raise my family with my wife and two kids. This always touches my heart in a way that is impossible without this community.'
Homewood Mayor Rich Hofeld gave a brief welcome and Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson led crowd in a chant.
'Thank you for coming out to support individuals in their journey to find love, acceptance and resiliency,' Nelson said. 'That journey is so much better when you are not doing it alone. It's important to have the support of friends, family and neighbors.'
The fest is a collaboration of the Park District and the two villages. Oralethea Davenport, who manages special events for the Park District, said the first two years were successful.
'It's one of our largest attended events,' she said. 'And this is an event for anyone and everyone. Families. Individuals. Supporters, Everyone.
'Anyone who wants to come out is more than welcome.'

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Chicago Tribune

5 hours ago

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Pride Fest in Irwin Park: ‘Homewood has my back'

Homewood's Amy Crump wore a blue T-shirt with a humorous message on the front. It said, 'I don't mind straight people as long as they act gay in public.' For the record, Crump is not gay and has been married for 38 years. However, she does have three gay children and that's one of the reasons she has attended all three of the Homewood-Flossmoor Pride Fests, including this year's version, which took place Friday at Irwin Park in Homewood. 'I'm all about supporting the people who are not the same as us,' she said. Crump said such pride events are a step in the right direction, even through there is still a lot of resistance when it comes to accepting gays and their lifestyles. 'We haven't come far enough but we are a lot farther than we were,' she said. 'But love is love is love.' Her daughter, 25-year-old Mica Crump, attended Friday's celebration and said she is proudly gay. She appreciates being able to come out to an event such as Pride Fest and feel comfortable. 'I love that this suburb is doing this,' she said. 'A lot of suburbs don't have this. It's something you see in the city. But Homewood has my back. I like it here.' Mica was active in Homewood-Flossmoor High School's Gay-Straight Alliance and said she found acceptance there. She liked Pride Fest is able to draw different types of people, including families. 'It makes me so happy to see the little kid wearing the pride merch,' Mica said. The fest featured food, drinks, vendors offering various services and music from The Divas and the Bel Canto Choir. Organizers said the first two Pride Fests drew between 1,200 and 1,400 patrons. There were a few speeches regarding the importance of the fest, inclusion and continuing the fight for acceptance. U.S. Robin Kelly, the 2nd District representative who announced in May that she is running for the U.S. Senate, spoke about not giving up the fight. 'Despite what looks like an ugly climate and despite what is an ugly climate, those of us out here and beyond are saying they are not taking this,' she said. 'Do me a favor. Do not get weary. That's what they want you to do. 'We have to fight the good fight and we have allies in congress. Many allies,' Kelly said. She said that everyone needs to stay together and respect each other. 'At the end of the day, we are all human beings,' she said. 'We all have something to contribute to this society. 'I want you to know I am fighting the good fight for you in Washington and I will continue to fight that fight,' she said. Park District Recreation Supervisor Zac Kerby urged patrons at the fest to have fun but to reflect on the struggles that gay and trans people have to go through. 'It's more than a celebration,' he said. 'It's a reminder of how far we've come and how much further we still have to go. 'Today, we honor the courage, the resilience and the joy of the LGBTQIA-plus community. Here in this space, everyone is seen and everyone is heard. Everyone is valued.' Homewood-Flossmoor Park Board member Angie Coderre wore a shirt that said 'Gay Mom' and although her two young children were not interested in addressing the crowd, she had good things to say about the success of Pride Fest. 'Today is always a special day for me personally,' she said. 'I came back here to raise my family with my wife and two kids. This always touches my heart in a way that is impossible without this community.' Homewood Mayor Rich Hofeld gave a brief welcome and Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson led crowd in a chant. 'Thank you for coming out to support individuals in their journey to find love, acceptance and resiliency,' Nelson said. 'That journey is so much better when you are not doing it alone. It's important to have the support of friends, family and neighbors.' The fest is a collaboration of the Park District and the two villages. Oralethea Davenport, who manages special events for the Park District, said the first two years were successful. 'It's one of our largest attended events,' she said. 'And this is an event for anyone and everyone. Families. Individuals. Supporters, Everyone. 'Anyone who wants to come out is more than welcome.'

Travel + Leisure

3 days ago

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Bangkok's Pride Is One of the Largest in Asia—and It's Attracting LGBTQIA+ Travelers From Around the World

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So Bangkok isn't home to the largest celebration in the world, but it might be the biggest in Asia, outpacing Taiwan's record of 180,000 attendees in 2024. 'This surge in attendance highlights Bangkok's rising status as a leading LGBTQIA+ destination in Asia,' Chompu Marusachot, the director of Tourism Authority of Thailand's New York office. 'Government support has played a key role, with the Thai administration integrating Pride Month into its national tourism strategy. These efforts are part of Thailand's broader goal of positioning itself as a global hub for LGBTQIA+ travel and a future host of World Pride in 2030.' This commitment is helping draw attendees from across the continent. But it is not just people from other Asian countries who are coming to Thailand for the big celebration and welcoming environment. Syd and Jamie, an American couple in their 20s, moved to Bangkok in May. After a wave of anti-LGTBTQIA policies were introduced and passed, both women were feeling less welcome in the country. 'America is dangerous,' Syd said, standing on one of the giant Pride flags rolled out in the plaza where the parade ended. 'At least, that's one of the reasons for me.' They were eager to join the lesbian scene in the city, which is how they found out about the Pride Festival—it had been posted on the Les Hi Bar Instagram account, one of the most popular lesbian bars in Bangkok. The internet is generally helping to push Pride events to broader audiences in the country. Overall, the U.S. market is most engaged with a LGBTQIA+ travel planning site, accounting for 26 percent of the site traffic, while visitors from China, Germany, and the United Kingdom each account for about 10 percent of the traffic. For locals, the growth in international popularity of Bangkok Pride has been a net-positive. Zymone, a trans woman born and raised in Bangkok, is a singer, performer, and contestant of season five of The Voice Thailand . She has seen an increasing amount of cultural acceptance and celebration over time, both within Thailand and from tourists. Zymone hosts a drag show at Lost & Found, a speakeasy with a diverse clientele ranging from a mix of tourists wandering in from the hotel and locals looking to enjoy the steampunk design and craft cocktails. In the past, celebrations might have been exclusively attended by people in the LGBTQIA+ community, the festivities now draw in more straight allies as well. That can be seen during the shows at Lost & Found: according to Zymone, a recent crowd included a mother and son, a straight couple from the UK, and a straight couple from France. 'Some of them are not gay, but they show up to support and have fun,' Zymone said. 'We are art. Every year it's bigger and bigger, it's not just a place to come out and say 'we are a couple,' we come out as art … when people come for Pride Month, it actually makes it more special. The world is better when we are actually showing people who we are.' Thailand's LGBTQIA+ centered offerings aren't just contained to one city: Pride events are held in every region of the country throughout June. From a film festival in Krabi to parades in Phuket and Pattaya, you're bound to a few celebrations no matter where you go in the country. Even before the law was officially changed on Jan. 23, 2025 to finally allow LGBTQIA+ couples to legally marry, Thailand has been a popular destination for LGBTQIA+ travelers. This year, Phuket is one of the top locations according to an Expedia survey. The international reputation for Thailand being ultra-welcoming and accepting hasn't happened by accident. There's been a concerted push from the government and tourism board to message these developments to the global public. LGBTQIA+ travel is projected to bring the country an anticipated four million additional tourists each year, $2 billion in generated revenue, 152,000 full-time jobs, and a 0.3 percent increase in Thailand's GDP, according to the tourism authority. 'Anecdotal insights from hotel and private sector partners suggest a significant increase in LGBTQIA+ travelers attending events throughout the year, underscoring that Pride celebrations nationwide are a strong driver of tourism,' Marusachot said. 'The legalization of same-sex marriage in Thailand, effective January 2025, is expected to strengthen further the country's appeal as an LGBTQIA+ travel destination.' 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On Monday evening at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, anyone entering Room 101 would step directly into March 13, 1989. Thirty-six years ago, the AIDS activist group Act Up New York had the space that night for its weekly meeting — an event that David Wise's immersive theater experiment 'Fight Back' seeks to recreate. Audience members are by definition participants, too. Each has been assigned the persona of someone who was involved with the organization early on. Act Up was in emergency mode then, trying desperately to get the culture to treat the catastrophic epidemic with greater urgency. Just days before the meeting, AIDS had killed Robert Mapplethorpe at 42. Within a year, it would claim Alvin Ailey at 58, Keith Haring at 31 and many thousands more. For the people in the room, death had become a far too frequent part of life. That is the cauldron in which the real meeting took place, and into which 'Fight Back' means to drop its audience, as an exercise in empathy. As Wise, 47, explained by phone, he doesn't expect people in 2025 to be able to access the breadth of emotions the activists felt in 1989. 'But I do think that there's something about inhabiting with your body,' he said, 'and doing the actions that someone was doing, and saying the words that someone might have been saying, that is really effective, and affecting.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.