March 15, 2021 by Carol Britton Meyer
Hingham Pride Project volunteers and supporters are planning a month-long celebration of Hingham's LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month in June.
Residents of all ages are encouraged to participate -- to show "a sea of rainbow" support for their LGBTQ+ family members, friends, and neighbors.
The non-profit Hingham Pride Project works to increase LGBTQ+ visibility in Hingham, to raise funds for organizations that provide community programs and activities for LGBTQ+ youth, and to promote inclusivity among residents of all ages through community activities and education.
At the center of the whirl of Pride activities this year is the new, more-inclusive "Progress Pride Flag." Designed by Portland-based designer Daniel Quasar, it features black and brown stripes to represent people of color and baby blue, pink, and white to include the trans flag in its design.
Members of the Hingham community can place orders for Progress flags as well as Hingham Pride flags, window clings, and vests at hinghamprideproject.org.
A number of transgender young people live in Hingham. "One of the things that is super-important to me in the face of the former president's ban on people who are transgender in the military [which has since been reversed] and a spate of violence against the transgender community over the last several years that continues to go unchecked, is including the trans community -- especially those of color -- in the Progress Pride Flag's design to show our support," HPP board member Daniel Miller-Dempsey told the Hingham Anchor. "The hurt is lasting and has disrupted a lot of lives. Representing the trans community in the Progress flag is in line with who HPP wants to be as an organization."
Progress Flags and Pride cupcakes
To launch this year's celebration -- which builds upon last year's successful Pride Month efforts despite the challenges posed by the pandemic -- the first 500 Progress Pride Flag orders accompanied by a donation of $50 or more will include a dozen delicious mini-Pride cupcakes created by Hingham's own Victoria Donnelly, placed in a Pride bag along with a flag and other specialty items. Otherwise, the flags are offered free-of-charge, although donations are appreciated.
"The splashy launch party we had planned for last year was cancelled due to COVID-19, so this year we partnered with Victoria to come up with another kind of [COVID-19-friendly] fundraiser," Miller-Dempsey said.
The compelling words, "We know that LGBTQ+ people and their allies exist in all corners of town. Our mission is to help them show their pride and show the world that Hingham is a place of acceptance, inclusion and love," are part of the HPP's mission statement.
Fellow HPP board member Michelle Larned, who is a social worker, also weighed in. "One of the things we know and that is widely publicized is that the suicide rate among transgender individuals is astronomically high -- much higher than in the general population, which is unacceptable to me," she said. "I think we can do more to make that not be true. In large part it comes from families, communities, and governments that aren't supportive. No one should lose their life because of their identity."
Miller-Dempsey agrees wholeheartedly. "Feeling that you have to hide who you are fully because you're in an unsupportive environment is the hardest thing anybody can go through," he said. The same applies to any member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Focus on supporting the transgender community
While Hingham and the overall LGBTQ+ community have made progress overall in recent years with regard to inclusivity, gaining acceptance for transgender individuals "is one of the last frontiers [to conquer]," Miller-Dempsey said. " We're behind in where we want to be."
HPP volunteers have been planning various other activities over the past year. These include donations of nearly 300 age-appropriate books focusing on the LGBTQ+ community, race, gender, sexuality, and disabilities to the Hingham schools, Hingham Public Library, and the Derby Street Shops Free Library.
"The books are about things that make a person unique, special, and important," Larned said. "It's important for LGBTQ+ individuals of all ages to see themselves represented in books."
Two $2,000 scholarships will be awarded in the near future -- one to a Hingham High School graduating senior from the METCO program who actively supports the LGBTQ+, black, and other marginalized communities and the other to a HHS senior who is a member of the Gender, Sexuality, and Allies group -- formerly the Gay-Straight Alliance -- at the school.
All applicants were asked to include a short letter describing their educational/vocational goals and to write a short essay, create a work of art/poem/song, make a video -- or create something not mentioned that reflects themselves, their ideas, and their talents -- that describes the importance of supporting LGBTQ+, black, and other marginalized communities.
Progress flags for teachers
In addition, HPP is offering free Progress flags to every Hingham teacher in all of the town's six public schools -- one for their classroom and another for their home. This program is already up and running, with many orders already placed.
"We encourage all teachers to participate," Larned said, whether working in the Hingham Public Schools or elsewhere. "We will continue to take orders for some time and then deliver them to the schools."
Larned would like to see Progress flags everywhere, so that every LGBTQ+ student who sees them feels safe and cared about. "Having the flags all around promotes conversation, which is what pushes us forward," she said. "A number of students say that's how they feel when they see the flags. Most LGBTQ+ students have the support of their families, but it's good -- especially if they are questioning their identity -- to show that the overall community is supportive, too."
Seeing so many Pride flags around town last year and noticing large numbers of the Progress Pride flag this June throughout Pride Month is a major part of that effort. "Parents driving by so many of the flags and pointing them out when they are with their LGBTQ+ kids creates an opportunity for dialogue and provides a super-safe space for kids to share their thoughts with their parents," Miller-Dempsey said.
The School Committee has already ordered six Progress Pride flags to fly outside each school under the American flag during Pride month.
Levitate surf camp planned
Larned is particularly excited about the Levitate surf camp that will be offered for local children in the LGBTQ+ community this summer. "This will be another opportunity for kids to feel safe doing something they love to do," she said.
Through word of mouth, the HPP has expanded its horizons, providing books to the Tufts Library in Weymouth and upon request, a Springfield teacher, among other sharing opportunities.
In addition, the city of Winter Park, Florida has its own Pride Project, modeled after Hingham's.
Check back for further details about upcoming HPP Pride Month plans and activities.
To order your Progress Pride flag, make a donation, get involved with Hingham Pride Project and more, please visit https://www.hinghamprideproject.com.