First LGBTQ Pride Event held on Fort Myers Beach
The Nauti Parrot Dock Bar held an all-inclusive celebration of the LGBTQ community on Saturday night, designating some of the event’s proceeds to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning youth community center, Visuality.
For General Manager Tyler Geib, the results of the event are both short and long term.
“Tonight we want to give the LGBTQ community a safe place to express themselves and have a great time without feeling threatened by anyone who doesn’t happen to share their view. In the long term, we want people to feel comfortable with an ongoing association in the community,” Geib said.
Though the original event itinerary included three drag queens, Geib said once word got out people began contacting the bar with a desire to perform. By Saturday, the program included five drag queens, and two drag kings, as well as dance music, a balloon drop, and a commemoration of the Stonewall riots, believed by many to be the prime catalyst for the birth of the gay liberation movement.
“One of the things I’ve noticed,” Geib said, speaking of the local LGBTQ community, “is that it’s very tight-knit. The DJs will tell their friends, the drag kings and queens will tell all of their friends and they all have their own little bubbles that end up reaching as far as Port Charlotte or Saint Petersburg. It’s cool to see that kind of effect in the sub-culture.”
Community member Missy Fox sumed up her reason for attending the event by saying, “We’re hoping some of the gay community comes out, because there aren’t many places for us to go and it’s nice to have a place where we can commune together.”
Tina Garrido, another supporting LGBTQ member said, “I want this to be a great turn-out, since it’s the first annual Fort Myers Beach Pride event and, of course, I came to show my support.”
Event coordinator David Scherrer, who worked closely with Geib planning the Pride celebration, said his primary focus is bringing unity.
“This is the first Gay Pride event on Fort Myers Beach which shows that we, as a community, are progressing and coming together in unity.” Scherrer said. “We are the same as you. This event is open to everybody in the community, not only the LGBTQ; we want everyone together, that’s very important to us.”
Both Geib and Scherrer share the hope of bringing the same kind of acceptance to LGBTQ people on Fort Myers Beach as is experienced in places as far as Philadelphia and as near as Naples. When Scherrer came up with the idea to host a Pride event at the Nauti Parrot, Geib said he and owners, father, Ken Geib and his wife Mary Geib, agreed that a mid-point location was a fantastic way to keep people who live in Fort Myers or Bonita from having to travel too far from home.
Geib has a vision for future Pride events.
“Because of their long road, we want all the people in the LGBTQ community to have a place where they can feel accepted for who they are and find understanding for all they have been through, without persecution,” he said.
The Nauti Parrot Dock Bar is at 19001 San Carlos Blvd., on Fort Myers Beach.