Delmarva Pagan Pride Festival encourages unity and acceptance
Pagan Pride Festival
DELMARVA – June Pride festivities are almost an end, but there is one more celebration that has a unique twist. Delmarva’s Pagan Pride Festival will take place June 30th and shows a different kind of Pride.
Paganism has many flavors, and it’s a path where you self-identify and self-define according to Ivo Dominguez, Jr. He and his husband Jim have been together for 45 years and have and continue to face many obstacles surrounding religion and life choices. He says many people have misconceptions about the types of practices Pagan have, and their rituals can vary from honoring the earth, respecting the bees that sustain our planet, and even praying for our democracy.
“We are life-affirming people, we are not looking to do anything but to lead our lives and encourage other people to lead their lives as they see fit. Like many folks, I’m concerned about where we are in history, and where we are in this nation, so I have a small little altar. Basically, I’m asking for, America’s Athena to look out for us. To make sure that we strive to be true to the ideals- that I don’t think we’ve ever actually achieved as a nation, but we should strive for.”
Pagan, as he describes it, is an open and safe space, and this is why many lean towards the LGBTQ+ community. “Most of the Pagan paths affirm life, sexuality in all its expression, which means there is an openness and with that openness, you’re encouraged to be yourself. It’s not sanctioned, there’s nothing wrong with being whoever you may be, whatever your gender is, whatever your sexuality is, and so on.”
Discrimination has affected the LGBTQ+ community in many ways, and many of those ways have affect Pagans as well. Katrina Messenger, who identifies as a priestess, gives us a little backstory of the festival and the intersectionality. “Because Pagan Pride grew out of Gay Pride, and Gay Pride grew out of Black Pride. So, it’s for the similar reasons, is that, were historically and for centuries we’ve been shamed. Even though were dedicated to our faith traditions, we feel like we have to hide them… Pagans don’t ask for anything more than any other American would want. Thats freedom of religion, freedom of association, and the right to assemble.”
Kat O’Grady Melson, who identifies as pansexual, is also a first-degree initiate of a Healing Coven. She tells us what paganism truly is and how they recognize how important the world is in around them. She describes what she wants the community to gain from attending the festival and say they the goal of the event is to see everyone in a positive light. “Paganism is a return to the Earth, it’s our ability to reach out and connect to the Earth in a way that we haven’t in a really long time… I want them to walk in and immediately feel like they have a safe space to express themselves. I immediately want them to come in and feel like they are safe to see what inside of them, but to also explore their options.”
This year’s Pagan Pride Festival will be this Sunday in Dover at the Legislative Mall from 9 am to 7 pm. Festivities will include belly dancers, breakout sessions, vendors, and fun activities for children of all ages.
