Gabe Hart: Hand-wringing, drag shows and reminiscing in Jackson
There’s been a lot of hand wringing and pearl clutching happening in Madison County over the last week or two in regards to a drag show being held at the Jackson Pride Fest on Oct. 8. Todd Brady, a local columnist, even penned an open letter to his children reminiscing about his time during the good ol’ days in Jackson and bemoaning the fact that this deplorable event was taking place on such a hallowed ground that swells with nostalgia for Todd.
Well, Mr. Brady, you ain’t the only Jacksonian who grew up here and spent a lot of time at Conger/Highland Park as a kid.
I, too, attended Highland Park Elementary School and played football on the front lawn of the school. I had my birthday parties in the park. I took my daughter there, too, when she was young. There was a stage at the back of the park, and when I was in the third grade, I was in a play on that stage; I dressed in a flannel shirt and was Lumberjack #5 in The Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan. It could’ve been my big break into the world of theater but I had just had my braces put on and I couldn’t say my “R’s” correctly. I have wonderful memories of that place just like you.
Three years ago, at the same park where I spent so much time as a child and teenager, I was able to be part of something worthwhile and inclusive - the first Jackson Pride Fest. I was a volunteer that year. I didn’t do all that much that day - wore a vest and pointed to empty parking spaces. But when my shift ended, I was able to walk around and take part in some of the festivities.
There were public health tents. There were local businesses advertising their services. Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church was there offering hugs to LBTQ+ people who no longer were receiving those hugs from their parents. On that same stage where I performed years ago, there were bands playing music. I saw my neighbor and his partner; I saw an old friend and her partner, and there was an unspoken gratefulness for the fact that we could talk openly about her relationship because not that long ago, she was worried to publicly disclose it. In fact, the fellowship and happiness of that day reminded me of some of the good things I experienced when I attended church.
For the first 25 years of my life, I was extremely religious. I was a Christian Studies minor at Union University; I remember talking to Todd Brady in his office there. I was a youth minister and a deacon at a local church. I know all about the ins and outs of that fundamental lifestyle. In fact, there was a time that I also thought like Mr. Brady, and everyone else who is publicly decrying the fact that a drag show is taking place in Conger Park.
More:Todd E. Brady: A parents’ joy
Fifteen years ago, I began the process of breaking out of that lifestyle of dogma. It was a long journey; one that took over a decade. On the other side of it, I see how damaging and emotionally manipulative it was. I saw how the application of belief ostracized so many people and caused them a great deal of trauma. I understood that I made life-changing decisions that turned out terribly because of the context of something that wasn’t even real.
Even with all of that clarity and my personal opinions of the damage caused by religion, I would never be against a church having a service in a park in Jackson. I would never expect Englewood to not host their Easter Sunday service in The Ballpark at Jackson. I just wouldn’t go because I have that choice.
I’m not going to pen an open letter to my daughter the way Mr. Brady did for his kids. I simply plan on taking her to the Pride event in October, so she (and I) can see how much Jackson has changed for the better by embracing everyone and celebrating lifestyles that make Jackson what it is - a diverse and inclusive community.
Despite what people may think, I truly believe Jackson is a place that is changing for the better. There is positive momentum and growth, and part of the evolution of any community is that community acknowledging and accepting its differences without judging or threatening legal action when something happens they don’t like. Choice is a wonderful thing.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Gabe Hart: Hand-wringing, drag shows and reminiscing in Jackson
