Loose Leaf Notes

~ The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on July 5, 2013.

A parade of about 40 people marched down Main Street on Saturday for the first Floyd Pride event.  The event was sponsored by Floyd PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and coincided with other Pride marches across the globe.

The group, which consisted of marchers from Floyd, Roanoke, Blacksburg, and beyond, carried colorful flags, signs and rainbow umbrellas.  They made their way from the Post Office to the Village Green, where drummers were already drumming and supporters were gathering.

PFLAG member and marcher Pat Woodruff said public reaction to the parade was primarily positive, with some passing motorists honking and cheering the group on.  Woodruff said that some Floyd PFLAG members became active out of concern for the high suicide rate of teens that are gay.

“With 200,000 members and supporters, and local affiliates in more than 350 communities across the U.S. and abroad, PFLAG is the largest grassroots-based family organization of its kind.  “As a small, rural chapter, we in the Floyd community welcome your participation in whatever positive ways you are able to involve yourself,” the Floyd PFLAG website reads.

Three days after the Supreme Court struck down the Defensive Marriage Act, the mood of the Pride attendees was celebratory. About 80 marchers and supporters mingled at the Village Green before continuing the parade to Dogtown Roadhouse, where speakers addressed the crowd about equal rights and building a safe and supportive community, and the songs of Spoonfight were enjoyed.

PFLAG member Mara Robbins read the words of Mayor Will Griffin, who was asked to speak at the event but was unable to attend.  Describing himself as a middle-aged, white conservative Christian, Griffin acknowledged that he was an unlikely PFLAG supporter, but expressed his support by saying, “Floyd has always been a very accepting place to me and that remains one of its brightest qualities.”

“There is something about this place that makes me feel that I belong. I can only hope that each of you have that feeling inside of you as well. For a life without that feeling would definitely be lacking,” Robbins read from Griffin’s speech.

Dr. Susan Mead, Assistant Professor of Sociology at FerrumCollege, PFLAG president Abraham (Wolf) Cherrix and others also spoke at the event.  

Watch a video of the march HERE and the drumming celebration HERE.