After a tumultuous legislative session this year involving multiple bills seeking to ban drag shows and gender-affirming healthcare, the state’s two largest pride celebrations are not planning on stopping anytime soon.
Sioux Falls Pride has events planned throughout all of June, with the Pride festival happening June 10. Events kick off June 9 with a 21+ Pride bingo and drag/burlesque show at Club David.
"The drag bingo will be raising money for our GSA (Gender and Sexualities Alliance) grant, which can go to any South Dakota GSA,” said Rachel Polan, marketing director for Sioux Falls Pride.
The Pride festival Saturday starts with a parade down 8th Street followed by family-friendly events at 8th and Railroad Center, with vendors, performers and other entertainment. Another 21+ drag show will take place at Icon Lounge and Club David that night.
The Black Hills Pride Festival, hosted by the Black Hills Center for Equality, takes place July 7-8 this year in Rapid City. The event kicks off Friday night with an 18+ drag show at the Holiday Inn and a separate Youth Pride at the Dahl Arts Center.
Saturday has Pride in the Park, with various vendors, performers and other family-friendly events in Memorial Park by the bandshell.
“We’ll have entertainment, we’ll have musicians playing, we’ll have interviews happening, we’ll have a proclamation read from the mayor in support of Pride and probably a couple drag performers,” said Toni Diamond, treasurer for the Black Hills Center for Equality.
An 18+ after party will take place Saturday night at the Holiday Inn.
Both groups start the planning process for Pride almost year in advance, meaning both groups were watching this year’s legislation closely to see how it would affect the celebrations.
"In the drag performances, yes, that was a huge issue,” Diamond said. “We weren’t sure how things were going to be, what the outcome of legislation was going to be.”
While the bills targeting drag performances failed, HB 1080 banning gender-affirming healthcare for minors passed in February.
"It was really frustrating to see a lot of our legislature buy into misinformation in regards to the trans bills,” Polan said. “They were based largely on untrue statements and individual accounts that are not reflective of health care for transgender people and gender-affirming care as a whole.”
In response to these legislative decisions, both pride groups have added to this year’s events in support of trans individuals in the state.
Diamond said Black Hills Pride Festival has added a few precautions because of anti-trans sentiments. The event will have more security this year to protect those attending the festival.
“As somebody who is trans, it is fearful sometimes being in this state, and we just want to make sure everybody has an opportunity to be who they are in a safe environment,” she said.
There will also be an area where trans people can share their experiences with others, and other festival goers are free to listen and ask questions if they want. Diamond said this opportunity allows people to learn about other identities in a safe environment.
“Take time to get to know people before you make a judgement about them,” she said. “It’s amazing for me, some of the most amazing people I’ve met is when I’ve set aside my own personal biases or judgements.”
Polan said their group is being more purposeful in including events for the trans community. A trans rights demonstration is planned during Pride week.
"It’s just a gathering of people who believe that transgender people have the same rights as everyone else and that the legislature should not try to infringe on that,” they said.
Sioux Falls Pride is also starting a 501(c)(4) organization, a nonprofit group to promote social welfare, called Sioux Falls Pride Equity Network.
“They’ll be doing some fundraising and getting started later this year so that they can be really ready for the 2024 session,” Polan said.
Though this year’s legislation has raised many questions about South Dakota’s relationship with its LGBTQ+ citizens, these groups continue to support the members of their community.
“We’re not going to let it stop us,” Diamond said.
