South Whidbey residents came out together in celebration of their most colorful show of LGBTQ+ pride yet in the streets of downtown Langley this past Saturday.
In the Village by the Sea’s first pride parade since 2018, participants waved rainbow flags, fans, umbrellas and tassels under an overcast sky. They danced, played music and even walked on stilts.
Langley resident Jill Edwards took the lead in organizing the joyous event when she learned that no other organization in the city was putting the parade on this year.
For Edwards, her involvement in the event planning as an ally is personal. Her two kids are part of the LGBTQ+ community; her oldest child came out as transgender nonbinary a couple of years ago and her daughter, who is lesbian, came out recently.
“We just want our kids to love and be loved and be happy,” Edwards said. “I know how important it is for all people to feel that their community cares about them, especially LGBTQ folks with everything happening in the country.”
Over 200 people marched down the streets of Langley. At the conclusion of the parade, Mayor Scott Chaplin and special guests Wolfgang Nyland, Sen. Marko Liias and Mary Elizabeth Himes spoke to the gathered crowd.
Nyland shared his own story of coming out and realizing his true self.
“Some of the biggest challenges as a trans man have been in getting my work supervisors to honor and respect my gender, name and pronouns and being accepted by family and friends,” he said.
With the current anti-trans bills being put forth throughout the country, Nyland feels his anxiety rising, with the added fear of criminalization for simply being himself.
Liias, a Democrat and a member of the Washington State Legislature LGBTQ Caucus, talked about the progress being made in the state to protect the trans community.
“We have made sure that no insurance plan can deny access to gender-affirming care that’s medically necessary,” he said.
Liias also addressed a new bill that provides safe shelter for trans youth seeking this type of care, which has become the focus of right-wing attacks.
“They talk about us kidnapping children, and it is just indicative of the era, of the time we’re in, where we all have to be living our true identities and telling the truth and pushing back on this narrative,” he said.
Himes read a poem in support of her family and friends, which was titled “Liberty” after the daughter of her two daughters-in-law.
“Give me liberty and give me death because this life of oppression I will not suffer. We will fight you on the ground that holds the blood of the owners of this land from time immemorial,” she recited. “The liberty that you demand as you cried ‘Don’t tread on me’ while wearing steel-toed boots while you come to tread on me.”
Participants at the event enjoyed music, a food truck and several informational booths.
Edwards said the Langley Pride Parade committee is already planning for next year.
“As long as I have anything to say about it, there will be a pride event every year on South Whidbey,” she said.
An earlier version of this story misspelled Wolfgang Nyland’s last name. It has since been updated with the correct spelling.
Autumn Duenow, center, dances in the Langley Pride Parade. (Photo by David Welton)
Fe Mischo handed out rainbow flags during the Langley Pride Parade. (Photo by David Welton)
Some parade participants played music. (Photo by David Welton)
Madison Elizabeth was brave enough to walk on stilts during the parade. (Photo by David Welton)
From left, Grace Edwards, David Edwards, Jill Edwards, Judy Leise and Max Edwards. (Photo by David Welton)
State Sen. Marko Liias was just one of the special guests who spoke during the Langley Pride event on Saturday. (Photo by David Welton)
Jeff Natter introduced the speakers at Saturday’s Pride event in Langley, which included Wolfgang Nyland, left, and Mayor Scott Chaplin. (Photo by David Welton)
Two young people celebrate at the Langley Pride event. (Photo by David Welton)
