LGBTQ youth, families find ‘judgment-free’ conversation at Gate City Pride

POCATELLO — Local LGBTQ youth and their families were able to find resources as well as “judgment-free” conversation at this year’s pride festival in the Gate City.

Among many mainstays seen at previous pride events, like food options and performances, attendees could also find helpful community resources and booths where they could go to simply ask questions or seek advice.

“(It’s) very affirming to have a space and say we’re not giving up. We can still be out and be visible,” said Jodi Dunn, one of the Gate City Pride organizers.

This was the first year that Gate City Pride, a nonprofit organization, organized Pocatello’s pride festival. The organizers wanted to place an emphasis on giving resources that could help members of the LGBTQ community all in one place while providing an avenue where people could have conversations that were free from judgment.

Somewhere people could go to ask questions about LGBTQ identity was a booth called “Judgment-Free Conversations.” The organizers wanted to have this at the event so that anyone who was seeking to learn more would have a safe place to do that.

Jona Jacobsen, who has a doctorate in social work from Walla Walla University, spent her time at the festival sitting at this booth talking to anyone who had questions. She had people approach her wanting to talk through their own identities as well as friends and family members who were seeking to better understand their loved ones in the LGBTQ communtiy.

Jacobsen hoped that by having the conversations she did Saturday, more people would find some new understandings.

“When we don’t have conversations, and we make assumptions, we get a lot of problems. I do think that having conversations is where we all have to start,” Jacobsen said.

Somewhere that LGBTQ youth could go to find advice was the “Youth Support” booth. Dunn wanted to have this booth because he saw a similar one at the pride event in Idaho Falls, where young people could go to seek advice.

“It could be about something silly, or maybe they needed a little bit more support or just to talk things out with an adult and have somebody listen to them,” Dunn said.

Kellie Pierce, a social worker in Pocatello, said that the “Youth Chat” booth helps young people know that there are adults in the community who support them.

“Having affirming spaces and seeing affirming adults who understand that it does get better is important,” Pierce said.