'We're here, we're queer' -- Smaller communities in Indiana have Pride too

[Emile]

Pride celebrations in urban communities attract thousands — but LGBTQ+ Hoosiers in rural parts of the state are also celebrating. That’s despite limited funding and, in some cases, threats. This year’s events come as the climate nationally has changed.

“We received a lot of hate, especially messages, emails, over the top stuff – you know – ‘we should die, they need to hang us up by our heels in the downtown square and let people beat us,’ that kind of stuff,” said Tammi Shafer Bailey, Decatur County Pride treasurer and festival chair. “I’m an old protester from back in the ’60s and ’70s. I wasn’t afraid of any of that. But, people who aren’t used to that kind of stuff would be.”

Decatur County, located halfway between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, has approximately 26,000 residents.

“We saw a need for queer joy,” she said. “We found out quickly when we took over the group that people were afraid to come out and we wanted to show them they didn’t have to be.”

Read more at: https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/06/09/were-here-were-queer-smaller-communities-in-indiana-have-pride-too/

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Glad to hear these small communities still hold their celebrations but it is extremely sad to hear and see these

foul remarks about stringing gays/lesbians/other genders up by their heels. These foul remarks should have remained in the past sealed up over fifty years ago. Disgusting and I won't be silenced still despite these foul remarks. The ones making these foul remarks are basement dwellers of the worst kind, who stick their rat faces out when they can make their foul comments w/o fear.

Fortunately, society has come a long, long way from those days of true fear for those coming out back then...those of you in the 'know' know exactly what I mean.