On Sunday, June 26th, sixty members of Bowdoin’s LGBTIQA community took part in the 46th annual New York City Pride March, hosted by Alumni Council member Matt Roberts ’93 and Andrew Fried ’08. “Such a spectacular group of people joined us,” said Roberts, “Ranging across four decades of Bowdoin grads – including parents and friends. It was such a thrill to see the Bowdoin banner leading more than 50 marchers down Fifth Avenue!”
Fried recalled the “beautiful, organic Bowdoin energy” as the group of alumni, students, parents, and allies marched, danced, and sang its way toward the Village. Periodically, they were joined by Bowdoin alumni from the crowd who jumped the barricades to join their fellow Polar Bears. They even received shouts of encouragement from Colby alumni on the sidelines.
Nora Pierson ’00 was joined by her girlfriend and her parents, Jon Pierson and Lynda Crawford, who carried signs that said “we love our daughter and her girlfriend” and “proud of my lesbian daughter.” Pierson, the former co-chair of the Bowdoin Gay Straight Alliance, said, “when I received a Facebook invite to March in the NYC Pride Parade with Bowdoin, I was ecstatic. I had been to pride celebrations in various cities around the country, but I had never marched in one. I had no idea what a life changing experience this was about to be. I was filled with such gratitude to march with Bowdoin, as that is where I first came out, and to be in NYC – where I was born and raised.”
Although Bowdoin alumni marched in Pride with Colby and Bates alumni in the 1980s, this year marked the first time Bowdoin marched on its own. Participants sported special rainbow t-shirts and carried a Bowdoin Pride banner. The Pride March was the biggest in history, with more than 32,000 marchers, 400 groups, and 2.5 million spectators.
This event is a continuation of the Bowdoin LGBTIQA Alumni Network’s efforts to engage Bowdoin’s LGBTIQA community. If you would like to receive invitations to or help organize events, specify mailing preferences, or share a life update with the College please visit: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eajda5z5i5yaoagc/start . You can also find this proud Polar Bear community online at https://www.facebook.com/BowdoinLGBTIQA.
