CassAsks - Pride Q&A (Patreon)

I did something similar to this around the holidays, and now we are back with a question that centers around Pride!

Which of your characters would enjoy going to Pride events the most and how would their partner feel about being brought along?

Roslyn Sinclair:

Hæra from The Woman from the Waves is insatiably curious and would absolutely be dying to go to Pride. She’d be fascinated by the idea of humans using rainbow symbols as a symbol of being proud—especially since her first positive experience of human life was seeing a rainbow. I think she’d also be bemused by the whole concept of homophobia in the first place, wondering why such a thing as Pride is even necessary but really enjoying the exuberant party atmosphere. She’d have a million questions and she’d expect Madeleine to be able to answer all of them, since Madeleine is a human herself and therefore knows all about it.

Meanwhile, assuming this takes place after the end of the book, Madeleine would be feeling about ten million things! Residual shame and embarrassment that she’d been conditioned to feel all her life, but also so much excitement at stepping into a place where she hopes she’ll be seen and embraced for who she is. And she’d be seeing it through Hæra’s eyes as well, which would lend it a very different perspective. One of the strengths of their relationship is the way they help each other understand the world in new ways, which makes their life together a continual adventure.

By the end of the day, Madeleine would be wearing a cute little rainbow pin on her shirt and Hæra would have purchased a T-shirt that reads “Equal Rights, Or I Bites.”

Melissa Brayden:

Hadley Cooper from the Seven Shores series would definitely want to attend every second of Pride. In fact, her two dads have been taking her to Pride events her entire life.  And you know Hadley would have the absolute best Pride attire because she'd likely hosted a Pride Theme Night at her apartment already this month.

Plus, she would know and already be friends with everyone there and have the skinny on all the best food booths. Spencer, her partner, would be totally cool attending and might even have designed some of the clothes they were wearing. Had would be in heaven. This is a total win! Cartwheel!

Lee Winter:

Eden/Michelle from The Fixer/Chaos Agent.

Eden Lawless would absolutely be down for Pride because it incorporates all her favorite things: a party, social justice cause, people from all walks of life, un-ordinary people, and colorful people. Introverted Michelle would endure all of the above for Eden, because Eden loves it. A former FBI agent, Michelle would also be the only person at Pride wearing a tailored skirt suit and would blend in seamlessly with the scenery. Just the way she likes it!

Carrie Byrd:

Mattie loves Pride, but feels really strongly about not supporting queer events with corporate sponsors like NYC’s Pride, so she convinces Jillian to drive down to Philly instead. Jillian hates parades and grumbles about it—“If I have to mingle with the masses I should, at minimum, get to yell insults at a subpar quarterback”—until she realizes it would make Mattie really happy to go. And because Jillian would do anything in the world to make her Freckles happy (even if she’d never admit it to anyone but Mattie) she agrees.

Of course, it all ends with Jillian marching proudly in the anyone-can-join parade, with Mattie by her side, and holding a handmade sign that reads STOP HURTING QUEER AND TRANS KIDS, YOU ABSOLUTE FREAKS. At one point while they’re walking, Mattie puts her hand on Jillian’s back, leans in, and kisses her cheek. Some onlookers on the sidewalk make “awww” sounds. And after the first rush of self-consciousness, Jillian thinks, I came so close to never having this.

It’s a drop of rain she wipes off her cheek. Absolutely nothing else.

Milena McKay:

I think Audrey Avens goes all out for a Pride event. She does rainbow makeup, wears an on point outfit and generally is very loud and joyful about going. Neve, however, is reticent and hard to persuade to attend. Audrey is absolutely insufferable about how amazing Pride is, and gives Neve the entire history of Stonewall Riots every year.

When all is said and done, Audrey respects her wife’s wishes and attends with her buddy Jamie Walker, only to find that Neve has been named Grand Marshall of the LA Parade and is riding in a snazzy car waving at people like the true Queen that she is. When Neve passes by Audrey and Jamie she stops the car to give her wife a kiss leaving her speechless, then continues fulfilling her Grand Marshall duties. As one does

J.J. Arias:

Mia from Like First Love, Again. Newly out in her 30s, she’s going to be wearing rainbows from top to bottom. A very aggressive baby gay to make up for lost time. She’s also pretty outgoing, so I feel like she’ll end up on a float with some fierce drag kings.

Mia’s partner Tori will rediscover the joy of being newly out in a sea of queers and remember the value of community that’s easy to take for granted when you’ve had it for so long.

Runner up: Roxy from Losing Control. Not just bc she’s tOo GaY tO fUnCtIoN but she’s probably grand marshal of the parade

Roxy’s partner Adriana will tolerate the heat and excessive peopling because it makes Roxy so happy to be there (but let’s be real, she rather be in the car with the AC blasting getting work done)

Clare Ashton:

I think Geeta Sachdeva, from Discovering Nicola – book 3 of my Oxford Romance series - would enjoy going to Pride the most. Mother to Olivia from book two, she was always the best ever ally to Olivia growing up, and now after Geeta’s late awakening she’s ready to embrace everything about her own queerness.

She took Olivia to watch the Oxford pride march when Olivia was younger and Geeta suspected she was gay and wanted her daughter to know there were others out there too. And this year I think Geeta would love to join the parade and dance along waving her bi flag.

Aloof Nicola Albright KC would accompany her, because she would do anything for Geeta. Striding confidently and lesbionically, hands slung in elegant trouser pockets, silk shirt and sexy shades on, chin aloft, but smiling at exuberant Geeta living life to the full. 

Monica McCallan:

I'm going to pick two of my baby gays, Brooke and Kennedy, from When I'm With You. Not only do they live in Philadelphia (which has SUCH a fun Pride -- I know from personal experience), but it would be Brooke leading the charge on getting Kennedy out for a fun day in the city.

Kennedy would have never been to Pride before, but obviously she'll go anywhere with Brooke.

Haley Cass:

Seeing as how I’ve already made a Pride post about my published characters this month, I’m going to take the opportunity to say that the couple of mine that is going to enjoy going to Pride together the most is Abbie/Rose from The Game Plan here on patreon.

Rose wasn’t an option on the poll because her story is unfinished. But, as I mentioned in the follow-up, Abbie would love going to Pride events. And she started going to them when she was a kid, so she is really excited to start going to events with Rose and Cassie (eventually).

Rose is 100% going to cringe and give some side-eye to the very colorful exuberant celebrations… but inside, it is going to feel incredibly healing. Like WOW. She’s living a life where she’s not only able to be with a woman (with ABBIE), but her daughter is being raised so differently than she was. Not only in terms of acceptance and parenting (Nathan would also LOVE to go to a Pride celebration with his lesbian ex-wife and her new partner), but the whole extended family. Like. She’s not only at Pride with her partner and daughter, but two mothers-in-law. What a crazy, amazing way life can turn out.