TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — People attending Tallahasee PRIDEFEST united to celebrate love and unity with over 30 vendors and hundreds of festival goers in Kleman Plaza.
Love is why people like Janel Diaz came out to PRIDEFEST.
"Today, we're here to celebrate life, celebrate pride, togetherness, love, community, family," Diaz said. "That's what this is all about."
This year's PRIDEFEST is the first pride event in Tallahassee since 2019. It's been over three years since people have been able to gather and show their pride.
Something that Diaz, a transgender drag performer, said is more important now than ever.
"For people to see that we're not only just a part of the LGBTQ community, but we're human beings," Diaz said. "It's crazy what's going on."
She was talking about Florida's bill called SB 1438, known by Republican lawmakers as the Protection of Children act. It's legislation that people like Diaz worry will put restrictions on drag performances around children at events like pride.
The bill's sponsor said it's about protecting children
"As lawmakers, we are failing the children of Florida if we don't step in and say there are venues in which performances should not let children in," Yarborough said.
Concerns over the bill are part of what brought Mindy Christensen here.
She's with Free Mom Hugs, a group that gives love to LGBTQ+ people who may not get support from their own families.
"We love our kids and the thought of someone, of other people's children not feeling that kind of love is so heartbreaking that that's why we do this," Christensen said. "We come here to give them that."
Diaz said support is something that makes this Tallahassee tradition so special.
"Today is about celebrating togetherness," Diaz said.
