Phoenix Pride 2021 – My First Pride in Arizona
After an entire year without Pride events (the gatherings, not the spirit), I knew the first in-person celebration was going to come back with double the energy everyone had held onto through the chaos of 2020. I’d never been to a Pride event in Arizona before — I grew up going to Long Beach Pride and LA Pride back in California — so I was excited and curious to see how the LGBTQ+ community showed up in a state where queerness has often felt less visible than what I was used to.
And yes… it was also my first time actually watching a full Pride parade. I know, I know — I just never wanted to fight LA traffic. Phoenix felt far less intimidating, even if parking somehow still felt like an Olympic sport.
But stepping onto that long street lined with LGBTQ+ folks was everything I didn’t realize I’d been missing. The energy was electric. People were excited, proud, loud, soft, playful, emotional — expressing their queerness without hesitation, without fear, without apology. I hadn’t felt that kind of collective joy in so long.
Sure, you’ll always run into the banks, the grocery chains, and the corporations chasing their 15 minutes of “we love the gays!” branding, but in between those tents were pieces of the real community:
• women’s rugby teams
• roller derby groups
• motorcycle clubs
• equestrian groups
• local nonprofits
• community support services
All of them representing corners of queer visibility I hadn’t been exposed to since moving to Arizona in the middle of a pandemic. It was refreshing — grounding, even — to see how wide, diverse, and interconnected the community truly is here.
Stepping into the festival itself felt like walking into a giant exhale. Music pulsed from every direction. Every age was represented. Every identity was welcomed. Every expression was celebrated. I even snagged a free “mom hug” from the moms-giving-mom-hugs booth — and yes, I needed it.
And then there were the performances.
Let’s be real: at Pride, even the crowd becomes a show. But I do have to give the spotlight to the performers. I’m still annoyed I haven’t been able to track down the name of the Freddie Mercury/Queen tribute performer — because they were incredible. And of course, I had to stop by to see my friend Madyx (madyxmusic on IG). By the time she hit the middle of her set, I swear there wasn’t room for one more body in that tent. Absolute chaos in the best way.
And then the night closed with a legend: Mýa.
Yes — that Mýa.
“Lady Marmalade,” “Case of the Ex,” “Ghetto Superstar,” “My Love Is Like… Wo.”
The same Mýa who lived on my purple boombox in the early 2000s.
Seeing her perform live at Pride? Surreal.
Phoenix Pride 2021 wasn’t just an event — it was a reminder of what it feels like to come home to a community, even in a new state. A reminder of joy after isolation. A reminder that queer spaces are powerful, healing, and necessary.
And walking out of that festival, I felt exactly what Pride is supposed to make you feel: seen, connected, energized, and proud.
Can’t wait for the next one.
