Parker Celebrates Pride Hand in Hand

The Parker school year is filled with many highlights and events that the community looks forward to, from County Fair to Class Day. However, a new event has developed during the past couple of years that has the community breathlessly waiting with anticipation: the annual Pride MX presented by the Upper School Pride Committee!

This event traditionally was a presentation on the history of Pride Month and the LGBTQ+ community. However, recently these events have shifted to focus on “Standing in Our Pride” and, this year, about standing “Hand in Hand in Pride.” While the nation becomes increasingly filled with discrimination, the US Pride Committee wanted to focus on joy, on their own pride and the importance of connection.

US Pride Committee heads and juniors Coco De Leon, Dal Harrell, Leo Hild and Brady Kass decided to focus this year’s Pride Morning Ex around queer joy through expression by looking at three aspects of LGBTQ+ culture: ballroom culture, lip sync and walking the runway. The committee explained the history of the “ballroom scene,” with its roots in drag balls of the mid-19th century and the creation of “houses” to function as support, shelter and, many times, alternative families. The committee heads continued with the fun role of lip sync and the importance of walking the runway to showcase one’s own inner power. Next, the committee heads discussed the Chicago LGBTQ+ community and the story of House Music. Finally, to wrap up this portion of the Morning Ex, the Pride Heads talked about the lasting impact on the world around them. This impact ranged from being hubs for activism, especially during the HIV/AIDS crisis; its influence on music such as house, electronic and pop; introducing popular words and phrases; and even its ongoing impact on TV.

The Morning Ex ended on an especially fun note. The Pride Committee and Upper School Dean and sponsor Joe Bruno recruited people from around campus to form their own houses and participate in Parker’s first-ever lip sync competition! To the music of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” the audience witnessed Frank’s Administration House, the Science House and Quest House, to name a few, go head-to-head in a fun, uplifting and joyful celebration of connection!

Parker is extremely proud of the US Pride Committee for their hard work bringing this event to the community.

Click here for photos.