The Logan Pride Foundation welcomes people from all backgrounds to the Pride House throughout the year. And every September, they celebrate.
While their annual Pride festival has been at many locations in the area, this year, it’s a little closer to home.
Hosted on Federal Avenue and Church Street, the festival has hundreds of people — and dozens of four-legged friends — in the downtown district.
Lauren Morrill is a local author and musician. She attended Pride with her wife and their dog, Ridley.
“It's been so fun watching Logan blossom into just like a very accepting place for LGBTQ people," Morrill said. "This is my cute dog who loves dressing up. … She loves the people, and everyone gives her a lot of attention.”
Jordan Zappitello and his wife are also with their dog, Chewie.
“We’re here to show support, but also just letting people know that there are good people in the community that love and support them, and it's just good to be here and feel that," Zappitello said. "Chewie comes with us every year.”
While pets are widely believed to be good for human well-being, a research study states they may mean a little more to the LGBTQ+ community.
According to research published in the Journal of Homosexuality, pets help aid individuals in social situations. Their bond with humans can also help mitigate the effects of prejudice and stress. The paper reports that 65% of members of the LGBTQ+ community own a pet.
Alongside all the dog owners at Logan Pride was Allison Raferte with Paisley, a 10-month-old Australian cattle dog. Allison volunteers at the Cache Humane Society and Paisley is up for adoption.
“You can go and visit her and adopt her or a bunch of other dogs and cats that they have there right now," Raferte said. "So go and show Paisley some love.”
Paisley and the other dogs — and their humans — celebrated Pride with chosen family and friends and listened to performers on stage.
To learn more about how you can support Pride in Logan, visit loganpride.org.
