Gay Pride Celebration 1993

Lesbian and Gay Pride

Theme: “Family of Pride”

Location:

Date: June 19, 1993

Stonewall Northwest produced the celebration for one year, 1993 before another group was formed Pride Northwest.

Portland, OR Pride celebrations date back to the 1970s (koin.com) Fast forward to 1984, and a formal Pride committee has been formed to plan the annual event.
Unfortunately, the organizing group went bankrupt in 1993. Pride Northwest was created the following year so that pride celebrations could still go on in the years to come.

Rainbow flags, drag queens, family ties: A visual history of Portland's Pride Parade - oregonlive.com The Pride Parade now stretched out over a two-mile route through downtown, and featured a theme of "A Family of Pride." "We're here. We're queer. So sue us!" chanted members of the Oregon Gay and Lesbian Law Association, according to Oregonian reports. Police estimated that more than 10,000 people participated in or watched the parade, including newly elected Portland Mayor Vera Katz, who canceled an appearance at a national mayors' conference to be at Pride. Even though a statewide ballot measure by the Oregon Citizens Alliance had been voted down the previous fall, many parade participants said they were still concerned about the group’s ongoing efforts to restrict the rights of gays and lesbians. Many marchers carried anti-OCA signs. One sign seemed to sum up the sentiment: “Don’t assume your freedoms are assured.”

One on the most-inspiring stories from the 1993 parade was the participation of Lynn Tessier (left) and Carol Boehm, who had been a couple for years, but kept quiet about their relationship because they were both teachers and feared they could lose their jobs. The year before, they had marched in the parade with paper bags over their heads to hide their identities. But this year, they marched with their faces showing, carrying signs proclaiming their pride at being both lesbians and teachers. Both photos are credited to Bob Ellis, The Oregonian

Above Left is from Alternative Connection newspaper, February 1993; Above Right is the program for the celebration. Below Middle is from State of Oregon Corporation Division searching for Stonewall Northwest.