Samantha Donoghue

Closing the walk he tries to explain over the crowd’s roar that it’s hard to be so “open”, after so long being so “closed”. And I get it. Not every queer person opens metaphorical rainbow flood gates when they come out. For some, the process is more like a drizzle. And it can take some getting used to.

The LGBT youth of tonight’s parade may not have the same struggles as the original protesters of 1978, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have battles to fight. And I like to think that this is what the crowd are cheering for as we walk together. I like to believe that the spectators understand that the possibility of an equal future lies in the hands of these young people. Lucky for all of us, I am beyond confident that these hands are not only strong enough to carry the burden, but are damn ready to grab onto it.