'Every day is Pride': Corpus Christi celebrated Pride Month for LGBTQIA+ community

Lip-syncing to a medley of Ariana Grande songs, Matthew Rodriguez, better known as Miss Matte, pranced around the The Bay Jewel event center in a black corset, black fishnets and a white bunny tail.

While performing, he noticed there were more families with children present compared to last year's inaugural Proud Market.

"It brings me so much joy that anyone, any age, can come to our safe space and have a great time," Rodriguez said during the event on June 18. "We have always strived to bring family-friendly performances to social settings, and I believe we've succeeded every time."

The Proud Market was one of many LGBTQIA+ events held in Corpus Christi this June in honor of Pride Month.

Members of the community were also able to mingle at a networking mixer at BUS in downtown Corpus Christi, ride go-karts at Funtrackers in Flour Bluff, attend an open-mic poetry night at the Coastal Bend Pride Center and watch the crowning of Miss Gay Corpus Christi USofA at Frat House.

Lisa Perry, 2021's Miss Gay Corpus Christi USofA, said Pride Month is a moment where she's able to "live my truth without fear."

"Every day is Pride when you're trans," Perry said. "It's such a cliché, but it's true. The visibility is what's so important. It shows people that homophobic and transphobic ways of thinking need to be left in the past."

A board member for Pride Corpus Christi and a member of two transgender community groups, Coastal Bend Trans Alliance and TransVision, Perry said parents of transgender children have one job: to love their child.

"Parenting doesn't come with a handbook," Perry said. "If you love your child unconditionally and let them be who they are, you can't go wrong. Listen to them and be there for them."

At Funtrackers on Thursday, June 9, Cristina Macias said she brought her genderfluid teenager, Lotus, to show she supports them for who they are. Macias said it was a little challenging at first, but her love for her child never swayed.

"You just have to take it day by day," Macias said. "We have been through so much identity changes since the beginning, but just love them and stay by their side on their journey."

Lotus' advice for other people having identity issues: Don't rush it. They echoed their mother's words and said, "Take it day by day."

Macias said the Coastal Bend Pride Center helped her when Lotus came out as genderfluid. She said she talked to the center because she was unsure what to do.

Barton Bailey, director of the Pride Center, said the organization offers a safe space for individuals to come and be themselves, while also providing programs and support for family and friends.

"We're really trying to be a place where allies and members of the LGBTQIA+ community can come together and feel like this whole place is their community," Bailey said.

Jacob Perez is a local drag queen who said he appreciates the work the Corpus Christi Pride Center does for the community. He performed for teenagers as his drag persona, Isis Paris York, at the center's youth prom June 4.

"Growing up in the ’90s, there wasn't much LGBTQIA+ representation and it was a struggle to be who you are," Perez said. "I remember being bullied. I'm sure that still happens, but kids today know who they are. They're much stronger and willing to stand up for themselves."

Perez said he hopes the events held in June show visibility to the local LGBTQIA+ community.

Pride Corpus Christi President Jonathan Dale Swindle echoed Perez's words.

"It's about the community and city engaging the LGBTQIA+ community," Swindle said. "In our sixth year, it has continued to grow and allow the queer community to celebrate love and show our vitality. We want to celebrate our community and Corpus."

For next year's Pride Month, Swindle said he'd like to see more educational events to give Corpus Christi an opportunity to learn about "our diverse community."

"I really wanted to provide accessibility for the younger generation to have this platform to use their voice," Swindle said about events held this year. "I'd like to see more young people step up into roles of leadership, guide us and keep us on the right track progressively."

Nick Pantoja, 17, said he wants kids his age and younger to know that it's important for them to accept themselves and be who they are.

"I remember when I was in third grade, I was told to go to hell all the time," Pantoja said. "It was really emotional, but now that I'm older, I've blossomed. I know I am worth being here. I own my pride; everyone should."

MORE COVERAGE

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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva. Consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to the Caller-Times.  

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Here's how Corpus Christi celebrated Pride Month for LGBTIA+ community