I guess you could say I was ignorant.

See, I lived in a bubble. I grew up with parents that explained sexual orientation as more than a two-way street. I grew up in Olympia, where a man kissing another man is - for the most part - celebrated and treated just the same as a man kissing a woman. I went to a socially liberal college, hung with socially liberal people and enjoyed a privileged, come-as-you-are surrounding. For me, Pride events and parades meant a fun weekend and interesting people watching.

It took me a long time to understand the meaning of Pride. Why Pride, and its celebration, is necessary.

I read about the Stonewall riots of the late 1960s. I heard politicians argue that certain partners should never marry. I pondered hospital visitation rights and joint tax returns. I pondered self-worth, a fragile sense of being easily chipped away by harassment.

Slowly, I realized the importance of Pride. Pride and, what Tacoma City Councilman Ryan Mello calls, "the civil rights movement of our generation."

Mello says it's easy to understand how the true meaning of Pride sometimes gets lost in all the pizzazz of annual events like Tacoma's Out in the Park. Hell, Pride celebrations do mean good people watching; they do mean fun weekends. But Mello says individuals need to remember why these celebrations are held.

"Pride events are opportunities for people to be out, to educate, to be surrounded by a welcoming atmosphere," says Mello. "They are meant to build a safe, tolerant community where everybody is treated equally under the law."

And if a single day of Pride events can help a community grow more tolerant, just imagine what 10 days of events can do.

Kicking off with the raising of the Pride flag outside of Tacoma's City Hall on July 7, Tacoma will play host to 10 consecutive days of LGBT-oriented events.

"This is the first year Tacoma is having a 10-day Pride festival," says Mello. "In fact, as far as I know, there's no other city in the greater area that holds a 10-day festival."

Appropriately, Mello says the events held over the 10 days vary greatly in scope.  There's the seminal Tacoma Pride event, Out in the Park, on July 9. But there's also a film festival, book discussions and a faith service at Urban Grace church. There's the first-of-its-kind flag raising on July 7. There's PROUD, an event on July 16 sponsored by Oasis, Pierce County's gay and lesbian youth center.  There's a variety of events designed to appeal to a variety of people.

"The diverse group of programs this year means anyone can find an event that specifically interests them," Mello says.

Though this is the first year the city will host 10 consecutive days of events, Tacoma is no stranger to Pride celebrations. Michelle Douglas, the Executive Director of Tacoma's Rainbow Center, an organization created to eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, says Tacoma has welcomed Pride celebrations for more than 20 years. A fact that's not surprising when considering Tacoma's long history of support for LGBT issues.

"Tacoma has consistently led the way in the State for support of the LGBT community," says Douglas. "Tacoma is truly a city that values the diversity of the people that live here."

Of course, valuing diversity extends further than one day of celebrations. It even extends further than 10 days of celebrations. That's why this year's events are coupled with the Rainbow Center's Pride Every Day Tacoma campaign. Douglas says that Pride Every Day Tacoma is meant to encourage individuals to incorporate Pride into everyday life. Pride outside of parades, festivals and other sponsored events.

"Wouldn't it be great if we use these 10 days as an opportunity to be really out and as we are," Douglas asks. "And then continue that trend right through the whole year?"

Both Mello and Douglas hope this year's Pride festivities spur year-long commitment to Pride. Mello is particularly excited for the LGBT panel discussions on faith and equality held at Urban Grace Church. Douglas is looking forward to the LGBT film series taking place at the Grand Cinema.

And I'm excited to see around 4,000 people gather for Out in the Park - a massive reminder of how important Pride is to the health of our community. A reminder too of how far LGBT support has come since the Stonewall riots, and how far we have left to go.

Plus, the people watching is tough to beat. 

TACOMA PRIDE EVENTS

Pride Flag Raising
words from Ryan Mello and Marilyn Strickland
Thursday, July 7, 4 p.m.
Ledger Square, 7^th and St. Helens

Boy Band Night Out
with the Monkees, the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block
Friday, July 8, 7:30 p.m., tickets required
The Pantages Theater and the Tacoma Dome

Out in the Park
Vendors, Food, Music, Performers and More!
Saturday, July 9, 12 p.m.
Downtown at 9^th and Broadway,
www.outintacoma.com

The Mix Tacoma Pride Block Party
Live music, food, vendors
Saturday, July 9, 4 p.m.
635 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma

Oasis Youth Center BBQ
Join Oasis Youth Center after Out in the Park for free BBQ
Saturday, July 9, 5 p.m.
Call 253.671.2838 for more info

Ecumenical Equality Message and LGBT Panel Discussion
Sunday, July 10, 10:30 a.m.
Urban Grace Church, 902 Market St, Tacoma
253.272.2184

LGBT Film Series
with film Patrik: Age 1.5
Monday, July 11, 6:30 p.m.
The Grand Cinema, 606 S. Fawcett Ave., Tacoma
253.593.4474

LGBT Film Series
with film The Topp Twins
Tuesday, July 12, 6:30 p.m.
The Grand Cinema, 606 S. Fawcett Ave., Tacoma
253.593.4474

LGBT Film Series
with film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Wednesday, July 13, Family art at 5:30, film at 6:30 p.m.
The Grand Cinema, 606 S. Fawcett Ave., Tacoma
253.593.4474

A Queer Notion: Banning the LGBT Canon
Book discussion
Thursday, July 14, 7 p.m.
King's Books, 218 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma
253.272.8801

RC 101: A Rainbow Center Open House
Friday, July 15, 5-8 p.m.
Tacoma Rainbow Center, 741 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma
253.383.2318

Proud!
Oasis Youth Center Festival
Saturday, July 16, 7 p.m.,
Theater on the Square Park, 9^th and Broadway, Tacoma
www.oasisyouthcenter.org