MANSFIELD, Ohio — Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals, along with family, friends, and supporters gathered Saturday for a festival and parade in South Park off Brinkerhoff Avenue in Mansfield.
Vendor Coordinator Ricky Leimeister said Saturday’s event was Mansfield’s first Gay Pride event, and important for the respective community. He said they expected over 1,000 in attendance.
“It’s amazing, absolutely great. A little overwhelming … it’s an amazing feeling,” said Leimeister of the event.
Leimeister said the group of organizers had been raising funds and awareness for the event since March. The group, Mansfield Pride Ohio, meets as friends weekly, according to Leimeister. They raised around $8,000 for the event, said Head of Volunteers Jesse Kincaid-Shoaf.
“Some of us were friends, but it was a group of strangers that came together and we’ve grown as a family, I believe,” said Kincaid-Shoaf.
Kincaid-Shoaf recently married his husband, Kevin — shortly after the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 26 allowing same-sex marriage in all 50 states.
Saturday’s festival was sponsored by Adult Mart, located on Hanley Road, near the Interstate Highway 71 junction. Owner Rondee Kamins’ excitement was evident on Saturday morning as she prepared for the event under Adult Mart’s tent.
“I’ve been so excited since the beginning (of the event’s organizing efforts). It’s nice to get in on the ground floor, so to speak. This is a good thing, especially for Mansfield,” Kamins said.
Other businesses, non-profits and one church set up tents to show support for the LGBT community.
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church’s Mandy Waltz coordinated the church’s involvement with the event. She said she, along with a handful of church members, passed out brochures on Unitarianism as well as children’s books.
The church’s President of the Board Glenn Myers said Saturday was the first social issue the church has supported publicly.
“This is the first social action that we’ve done. We advertise that we are — our motto is inclusivity and diversity. We’re serious about that,” said Myers.
Waltz agreed. “It’s time to practice what we preach,” she said.
Mid Ohio Atheist Inc.’s message was similar.
“I’m very happy for gays. We know that a lot of the stigma against being gay comes from religion — and obviously we don’t support religion,” said President Ron Stephens.
More Christians, in addition to the Unitarians, from Mansfield attended the festival. Despite similar theological beliefs, their involvement Saturday was different from All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church’s.
Nick Copley and Jayne Stahlke sat quietly on a blanket on South Park’s lawn. “No, not protesting. [We are] just here to pray for the community. No matter where you come from, everyone still needs Jesus as their savior,” said Copley.
“We are marching under the banner that’s bigger than any other banner and that’s the banner of Christ,” added Stahlke. “So I wouldn’t call it a protest, but maybe in the broadest sense, a demonstration of love — true love.”
She cited Song of Solomon 2:4 from the Bible: “Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.”
Caring For Kids, Inc., Human Rights Campaign and representatives of the Kaleidoscope Youth Center were also in attendance on Saturday.
Kaleidoscope Youth Center volunteers sold shirts with Zea Bowling’s picture waving an LGBT rainbow flag at a man holding a sign that read: “Jesus Saves From Hell.”
On June 27, one day after the supreme court ruling allowing same-sex marriage in all 50 states, 7-year-old Bowling held a flag while a man preached to her and the crowd. She was with her parents during ComFest in Columbus.
Zea’s silent demonstration captured on video by her father, Ryan Bowling, went viral and made national headlines.
Proceeds raised from the sale of the shirts on Saturday went to Kaleidoscope Youth Center, a nonprofit organization that is “solely dedicated to supporting LGBT youth and their allies.”
The Bowling family attended Mansfield’s Pride festival on Saturday and Zea walked in the parade.
“We don’t like bullies, principally. Like, we don’t like people that are marginalized. Especially for such an utterly non-sensical reason,” said Ryan Bowling.
Ryan Bowling said his family supports the LGBT community and will continue. In fact, he said, Zea will march in the Cleveland Pride parade on August 8.
Saturday’s festival continued throughout the day with stage entertainment, a mass commitment ceremony, and meet-and-greet photo opportunities with entertainers. An after party is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Sami’s Bar in Mansfield.
A Pride Brunch is scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m., also at Sami’s Bar.
“It’s amazing, absolutely great. A little overwhelming … it’s an amazing feeling,” said Mansfield Pride Vendor Coordinator Ricky Leimeister.
