Event will also feature gender marker clinic, info on new legislation
Lawrence PRIDE will return Saturday, bigger than ever before.
Lineup for the parade down Massachusetts Street begins at South Park at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, and they’ll start marching north at 3 p.m.
Courtney Farr, chair of community engagement with Lawrence PRIDE, said folks who want to will be able to join in and march at the end of the parade.
The block party, previously scheduled to start a little later in the evening, is now set to start at 4 p.m., immediately after the parade. That will be on Eighth Street, between Massachusetts and New Hampshire streets.
A stage will be set up on the west end of Eighth Street, near Mass, and the drag show will kick off at 6 p.m.
The “King of Lawrence,” Novacayne DeMornay, will host the show. Performers include Sass-A-Brass marching band, DJ Chance Romance, Blanche DuBone, Jeni Tonic, Kiki Cobra, Jello Tin Shot and Kansas Campbell.
Latchkey Deli will be on hand with food, and Fields & Ivy Brewery will be the beer vendor.
Farr said Iridescent Riffel will speak about Kansas’ SB 180, the anti-trans “bathroom bill” legislators passed this spring that goes into effect July 1. The law is intended to bar transgender people from using the bathrooms, locker rooms and other facilities that align with their gender identity, but much is unknown about how it will be enforced.
“Without clear enforcement mechanisms, a lot of people are getting really worried about vigilante activism that’s going to be empowered by the definitions that are in that law,” Farr said. “… If there was clear enforcement, then at least people would know what to expect.”
Organizers are hoping Saturday’s event will shed some light. Representatives of the ACLU will also be there to share information.
Folks from Hutchinson PRIDE will be in attendance, too, and they’re bringing their lawyer, Lara Crow.
Crow will provide guidance on how transgender folks can change their gender markers on legal documents, Farr said. Legal experts have said that once SB 180 goes into effect, it will likely be impossible to change gender markers on Kansas birth certificates and IDs, so they are encouraging people to act quickly if they need to get that done. (Read more about that at this link.)
“We’re really hoping Saturday’s another opportunity for people to learn more about what they need to do and get some help to get it done,” Farr said.
Farr said event organizers are thrilled to see how many parade entries they’ve gotten — around 40, he said.
“We’re so happy with the outpouring for that, and the number of folks who want to be involved with it,” Farr said, “which includes not just businesses but a lot of other community groups who maybe historically haven’t done parades, but they want to be a part of this first street parade.”
Learn more about Lawrence PRIDE on their website, lawrencekspride.com.
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Note: Post updated June 18, 2023
Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
