GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota – There is excitement and vibrancy in the air at Golden Valley’s sixth annual pride celebration, a place where people feel they can be their true selves, without fear of judgment.
“It’s really nice to see so many different people, from so many different backgrounds,” said Luna Longinow of Cottage Grove.
WCCO
This year’s celebration comes amid allegations of a hateful, brutal attack not far from Golden Valley at Hopkins High School.
The victim: 17-year-old transgender student Cobalt Sovereign.
“I was constantly insulted in the hallway before I was punched in the jaw,” Sovereign said.
Injuries, Sovereign said, left her with several fractures to her jaw and broken teeth.
“It’s beyond comprehension, you know, why anyone would target another person just for trying to be who they are,” said Sovereign’s father, Mark Walztoni.
“It was just kind of scary to be at Hopkins,” said Aly Hipps of Hopkins.
Hipps is a former student at Hopkins High School and uses pronouns.
“I think it kind of shows that as much as they say they’re inclusive of all of us, there’s just a lack of respect. As people, we’re seen as less,” Hipps said.
From their booth at Golden Valley Pride, Reclaim’s Samuel Doten speaks to pride attendees about the organization’s mental health and support services for queer and trans youth.
“We know there is only more demand for mental health services across the board,” Doten said.
Such attacks have a ripple effect, Doten said, beyond the intended target. The attack just shows that there is still so much more work to be done, he said.
“It is so much more important that we show up, that we affirm, that we make it clear that this kind of violence and abuse is unacceptable,” Doten said.
“People have to learn when they are young what to respect and what to leave alone. Just understand people for who they are and if they want to be a different gender than what they were born with, then just let them be.” said Max Madden of Brooklyn Center.
