Hey all! Ainslie here. Saturday June 10th will be an exciting day in Tuscola! The 3rd Annual “Pound the Pavement for Pride” 5k Color Run/Walk will be in the morning and the 2nd Annual “Queens in the Corn” Drag Show will be in the evening at the the Tuscola Community Building.
These events are both fundraisers for the Tuscola GSA Scholarships and student activities. In these divisive times there has been a lot of mis-information and mis-representation in the media about what it means to be a member of the LGBTQ+ Community. As a trans/queer person living in a rural community, I know that the best way to change minds is to challenge and prove them wrong about what they *think* drag and being LGBTQ+ is and that it is absolutely not what they have been told by reactionary media. Also, the aim is to show young people that it is possible to live authentically out and proud in a rural community and that we are no longer forced to run away to the cities for community and safety.
That being said, last year’s events brought some negativity and threats from a few vocal opponents and we are taking strict security measures to ensure everyone has a fantastic and safe time without interruption. We heavily weighed the risks of holding these events and felt that it was more important to continue to build bridges within the community instead of letting the bullies win and show that Tuscola is big enough for all of us!
CLICK HERE to sign up for “Pound the Pavement for Pride” 5k
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for “Queens in the Corn”
Tuscola GSA Booster Club Facebook Page