Windham, N.H.—The fourth annual Pride festival, hosted by a local nonprofit, took place on Sunday at Windham High School. Despite early rain, attendees, including 15-year-old Nugget Callahan, expressed satisfaction with the turnout in the conservative town of 16,000.
Nugget Callahan, a sophomore at Windham High, highlighted the festival's growth and the sense of optimism among the local queer community. "It feels like we are pushing towards a brighter future of acceptance around the entire state," they noted.
The event featured various booths from vendors and community organizations, and performances like that of Clara Divine, the drag persona of Michael McMahon. McMahon is currently involved in a defamation lawsuit against a state lawmaker over allegations made about his conduct at drag events.
However, anti-trans protesters, including Stephen Scaer from Nashua, who ran for New Hampshire Senate in 2022 and is running again, made their presence felt, carrying signs and posting videos online.
Simultaneously, New Hampshire awaits Governor Chris Sununu's decision on pending legislation affecting the transgender community. One bill would prohibit gender-affirming genital surgeries on minors. Other bills aim to bar transgender girls from participating in girls' sports, allow sex-based separation of bathrooms, and require schools to provide two weeks' notice to parents before introducing materials on gender or sexual orientation.
Governor Sununu has remained noncommittal on these pending bills, emphasizing that they reflect the views of many families in the state while ensuring they meet judicial standards.
Nugget Callahan, who often faces challenges in school regarding restroom usage due to their nonbinary identity, stressed that such legislation does not enhance protections. Their parent, Katreena Callahan, a board member of Windham Citizens for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, voiced concerns about the potential impacts of the new laws, emphasizing the necessity for gender-neutral bathrooms.