Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hosted the 28th annual Pride Parade on Sunday, June 12, 2016. Although I don't identify as a member of the LGBTQ community, being a straight female, I am in total support of the human rights the people of the LGBTQ community deserve. Love is love. Any two people who are in love, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, should be able to celebrate their love and happiness while being surrounded by a supportive community, not a hateful one. Members of the LGBTQ community should not have to live in fear of being a victim of a hate crime because of who they are and who they love.

I had never attended a Pride parade, and I excitedly agreed when Say Lee, a friend from work, invited me to accompany her to Philadelphia's Pride. Sunday morning, I picked her up and we drove to Philly. I parked my car in a parking garage near our hotel, then we made our way to 13th and Locust Street to join the parade in the march to Penn's Landing. We merged into the crowds of people walking on the sidewalk alongside the parade. The atmosphere was incredibly positive and full of love. People with varying gender identities and sexual orientations marched through the streets of Philadelphia to celebrate their differences in unity. It was an incredible experience to be a part of.

At the conclusion of the parade, Pride participants could purchase tickets to the festival at Penn's Landings Great Plaza. Say Lee and I stood in a quarter-mile long line in the heat to buy our $15 tickets. Once we got through the gates, we walked around the vendor's tables before settling on the concrete steps in front of the stage to enjoy the entertainment. The entertainment line up for the festival included Rainere Martin and Jay Gates with their tribute performance, reenacting Donna Summer and Rod Stewart performances, and singers Deborah Cox, Jade Starling and Betty. The entertainment also included comedian Jessica Kirson and the Prancing Elites, who are gay or gender non-conforming dancers. They also star on a reality TV show on Oxygen called "The Prancing Elites Project." Some dance competitions and parades have prohibited The Prancing Elites from registering because of their gender identity, so they perform at LGBTQ friendly events.

The crowd was engaged and extremely responsive to all of the performances. Each performer took the time to acknowledge the tragedy that had happened the previous night in Orlando, Florida, that left 50 dead and 53 injured. They spoke about using the power of love to stop the hate. The crowd responded with reassuring claps and supportive cheers, and several people waved rainbow colored flags quickly through the air, matching the upbeat energy that flowed among the audience.

After the festival, Say Lee and I walked back to our hotel to eat a dinner that consisted of 7-Eleven sandwiches and snacks and showered. We turned on the news while we decided what to wear and which bar to visit, and our spirits were dampened when we were reminded of the tragic shooting. She was more personally affected by the heartbreaking news than I ever could be because I don't identify with the LGBTQ community. Say Lee also was worried because she knows people who were in Orlando during the time of the shooting and wasn't sure if they were at the club or not. She also expressed fear for herself and the members of her community because violent hate crimes can happen anywhere.

It upsets me that Say Lee and anyone of the LGBTQ community have to live in fear because other people are threatened by the differences that make each person special and unique. Why do some people feel threatened by other individuals who let their inner selves shine through and share it to the world? Why can't we love one another and live together peacefully? I only hope one day in the future mankind can live in harmony.

We eventually turned off the news and made plans to go to Woody's, a gay bar on 13th street. At around 10 o'clock that night, we left for Woody's. When we got there, our IDs were checked at the front door. Say Lee and I bypassed the crowd on the first floor and made our way upstairs where there were more people dancing. She got a beer and I got a vodka cranberry, and we sat on some bar stools off to the side and people watched for a little. After two drinks, we ventured out onto the dance floor and had a great night.

I'm so grateful Say Lee invited me to go to Philly's Pride with her. It was an amazing experience, and I was eager to show my support for the LGBTQ community.