Portsmouth Pride go-ers celebrated Governor Kelly Ayotte's veto of Senate Bill 552 over the weekend. The so-called bathroom bill would have allowed public and private institutions to separate restrooms and other spaces by biological sex.
603 Equality's Executive Director Aimee Terravechia spoke at the festival's mainstage Saturday, calling the vetoed legislation anti-trans.
“New Hampshire's governor affirmed what we already know to be true – that our state is no place for discriminatory legislation,” Terravechia told the crowd.
Terravechia added that a similar bathroom bill, House Bill 1442, is also heading to the governor's desk.
“We are joyous and we are proud and we are celebratory,” Terravechia said. “And we also grieve as we must keep fighting.”
The event started with a parade through downtown before heading to the Strawbery Banke Museum for speeches, drag performances, food trucks and local vendors.
Aletheia Smith from Concord was one of the people milling around after the parade Saturday afternoon. She said it's difficult to see federal policies limiting transgender rights and healthcare around the country, but she believes representation at these events can make an impact.
“I'm proud of being a trans person,” Smith said. “And having people be able to see me and building relationships with people allows people to know that we're just like everybody else.”
