Wheeling celebrates Pride Month with public art and festivals; anti-LGBTQ+ protests silenced by city ordinance
The 2nd annual Pride on the Plaza celebrated the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots with 'Pride As Protest: Using Art for Social Change.'
Full disclosure, this reporter is a member of The Friendlier City Project’s board of directors.
Wheeling, W.Va. – Wheeling rang in Pride Month this week, nearly 55 years after the Stonewall Riots launched the LGBTQ+ liberation movement. The Friendlier City Project hosted a record-setting Pride on the Plaza Saturday–with an estimated 1500 attendees–and Orrick hosted their 8th Pride in Wheeling Day.
Festivities kicked off during the city council meeting on Tuesday, June 4, when Mayor Glenn Elliott proclaimed Friday, June 7, Pride in Wheeling Day. In his remarks, Elliott said Orrick–a global law firm with an office in Wheeling–has been a great partner to the city.
Dozens of volunteers met at Heritage Port to clean up litter, plant a green space, cover-up graffiti on past Pride in Wheeling Day artworks, and paint two murals along the Heritage Trail near the city’s Heritage Port playground.
Local artists Mindi Yarbrough and Amanda Carney submitted designs to expand the wall of murals on the north and south sides of the current art pieces. Yarbrough designed a nameplate for the city featuring a large star, akin to the five adorning Wheeling’s flag. Carney designed a woman with flowing purple hair melding seamlessly with Yarbrough’s monarch butterfly mural from year’s past.
The month’s Pride crown jewel, The Friendlier City Project’s Pride on the Plaza, was held on Saturday, June 8, just feet from Orrick’s new murals. Starting at 3:00 p.m. and lasting through 9:00 p.m., the event saw at least 1500 queer people, allies, and families show up to celebrate.
Attendees were met with 24 vendors–including artists, soap makers, a 360-video creator, caricature drawings, and a gender-affirming closet–ten community tables–like the American Civil Liberties Union of W.Va., Bethany Memorial Church, and the Ohio County Public Library–and five food vendors. Four bands–Van Gilder, Jim McLaughlin & Friends, Stone Campus, and Cokeworks–entertained crowds at the intimate amphitheater at Heritage Port.
The Friendlier City Project hosted two weddings on Saturday, with one family traveling from Columbus, Oh. to attend. The organization also offered a name change clinic through a partnership with Legal Aid of West Virginia. At least nine individuals took advantage of the free opportunity.
Local magazine You’re Not Seeing Things partnered with The Friendlier City Project to debut their latest gallery–Pride As Protest: Using Art for Social Change. The show saw artists across the state submit pieces that reflect the world and community they hope to see as it relates to “the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ equality.”
Several politicians were at pride, too, including Mayor Elliott, Mayor-Elect Denny Magruder, Councilor Rosemary Ketchum, Ward 3 (an organizer of the event), Councilor Jerry Sklavounakis, Ward 4, and Democratic candidates for the West Virginia House of Delegates David Cantrell, District Three, and Cody Cumpston, District Six.
Those celebrating Pride Month weren’t the only people in attendance. At least four protestors from New Martinsville, W.Va., traveled almost an hour north to speak against the event. Using a microphone connected to a speaker, the demonstrators spoke of their religious beliefs in opposition to the event.
This reporter spoke to two of the protesters as he asked where they were from. One man asked if this reporter had been to church and if he knew of Jesus Chris, first century Jewish preacher, religious leader, and messiah for the Christian faith. Another protestor inquired if this reporter believed being gay would send him to hell.
After about an hour of speaking, the four protesters were shut down by Wheeling Police Department law enforcement officers when an anonymous woman referenced city code banning the use of loud-speakers.
According to city code 509.05(12), the use of “mechanical loudspeakers or amplifiers” is prohibited “except where a specific permit is received from the City Manager.” Upon receiving notice of the ordinance by the anonymous woman, a law enforcement officer showed the code to the protestors and asked them to disperse to which they complied.
Other than the protestors, Pride on the Plaza went on without a hitch. Several vendors told this reporter that the event was one of the best-performing festivals they had been to in the city. The Friendlier City Project chair and president, Mikaya Green, told The Intelligencer it was a “bigger and better” Pride festival as compared to last year.
“I feel like last year was such an amazing turnout that we were excited for this year,” Green told Emma Delk of The Intelligencer. “Since we’ve moved down to Heritage Port, I’m seeing an even better turnout, which means we’re just building on the momentum from last year.”
As this reporter worked The Friendlier City Project’s booth at Pride on the Plaza, he heard several people tell him this was their first pride. Several parents brought their kids to the event–many of whom identified with the LGBTQ+ community–and showed appreciation for the family-friendly fun throughout the day.
While West Virginia politicians attack the LGBTQ+ community–including youth who identify with the group–during the 2024 campaign season, it’s important to recognize that queer youth exist.
This reporter knew he was gay as early as sixth grade, or since he was eleven-years-old. That realization came without any person in his life being queer, but through his own research and realization. This reporter came out as gay in 2010, so it’s not a stretch to imagine other young people can identify with the LGBTQ+ community.
Great to know Denny Magruder was there to show support to the LGBTQ+ community. Glenn Elliott was so forward-thinking and Magruder's comments at one of the mayoral debates concerned me (in particular when all other candidates spoke of diversity, Magruder stated he wasn't a fan of the CROWN act, and further stated he didn't want to Wheeling be a "Sanctuary City" without that issue even being brought up), as did his immediate efforts to snuggle up to republican governor Justice as soon as he got into office. It's my hope that Magruder will be a mayor for ALL residents of Wheeling and in particular, continue supporting the LGBTQ+ community and being welcoming to all.