Michelle Smith
Express correspondent
The Pride Month Stand Out on June 26 in Halifax was organized by Halifax residents to give support to the LGBTQIA people living in the town during LGBTQIA Pride Month. The event took place on the green in front of Walmart. The organizer of the event, Amy Noone said, “I was thinking about it earlier in June, other towns were doing it and I want to show that Halifax is open minded.” About two dozen people came out to show their support and support was also shown by the many waves and honks of cars going by.
Amy invited members of the School Committee, Selectman and the Police and Fire Departments. She said many responded to her invitation saying they could not make it; however, the Police Chief Joao Chaves and Fire Chief Jason Viveiros stood out to show their support..
The Facebook group Halifax Allies, created by Lana Eldridge at the beginning of June, has grown in numbers since the Stand Out. Amy and the other organizers believe it was the first event of its kind in the history of Halifax. “We wanted to show the LGBTQIA community ‘we recognize you’ in a fight for human rights that has been going on for decades,” Amy said.
Jay Cline, a Halifax resident, who just graduated from Silver Lake High School has been involved in his own journey coming out in the town. About a year ago, he announced he was a trans man to friends and family as well as publicly on Facebook. In seventh grade, he came out as lesbian. He said that when he came out as lesbian, there were not many issues but the community had a more difficult time with him when he came out as trans. He said there have been negative comments on the Facebook groups Halifax Community Page and Halifax Locals as well as on personal apps. For example, he said that during an online discussion regarding COVID issues, “people would misgender me.” He said that some of the comments would veer from COVID discussions to “turning into a targeting me for being trans. For example I am going against biology so I don’t understand science.” Some anti trans memes were also posted. He said that although the comments are upsetting they “are not something to take too seriously; I have become desensitized growing up in this community and I am ready to move on.” Jay is going to attend UMASS Boston in the fall.
Jay said the event was “a huge step in the right direction for the town to become more accepting.” Amy Noone said that they plan to organize a Pride Stand Out for the last Saturday of June every year.