• Tara Bozick •
• Originally published May 18, 2008 at 4:30 p.m., updated May 18, 2008 at 4:30 p.m.

MAGNOLIA BEACH - The 48-year-old Victoria woman arrived at the beach early to fish for trout with her girlfriend.

The morning reminded Amber Russell of their first date spent fishing, where she learned to love the relaxing pastime. The couple spent two and a half years together before coming to the GLBTvictoria Pride party at Magnolia Beach on Saturday.

GLBTvictoria is a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights advocacy group. They celebrated Saturday to remember all groups in the past who suffered from discrimination.

Russell didn’t even know the group existed. Not a lover of the bar scene, she usually just hung out with her close-knit group of friends and was surprised to see the number of gays and lesbians from the area.

“I’m really excited it turned out this well,” Russell said, watching the crowd from her beach chair. “Everybody’s having a good time, socializing. I wish we could have something like this in Victoria.”

More than 200 people, including local residents, friends and family, attended the beach party to hang out, dance, swim and even karaoke. Rainbow flags dotted the sand and attendees held or wore gay pride sticks while a musical duo played songs like Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

Dane Rider played guitar, but the 21-year-old college student from Victoria performed to support his close friends.

“It’s a cause worth supporting,” he said.

Kim Norman, assistant vice director of events, hopes the party promotes awareness of a local resource.

“It’s not easy coming out,” Norman, 25, from Victoria, said. “We’re saying we’re here to support them.”

Seventeen-year-old Nashmia “Kat” Hurley from Port Lavaca hopes the pride event inspires pride in the GLBT community.

“It’s not bad to be gay. As long as you can be yourself, then you’ll be happy,” Hurley said. “Don’t worry what people think about you.”

Krysten Navarro never experienced any discrimination as a lesbian. No one ever made the 34-year-old from Victoria feel ashamed.

“I’ve been lucky,” Navarro, an accounts finance officer, said.

Navarro, originally from Port Lavaca, joined the GLBT organization in San Antonio while she lived there for four years and she’s glad she can join a local chapter in Victoria.

“Nobody had anywhere to go before,” she said.

Russell has friends and family who support her. She always knew she was a lesbian, but married to satisfy her father. She said her husband was a loving man, but she just loved women more.

Russell spent years as a friend to her girlfriend, Lori, always going to the same parties.

“I thought she was hot, so I asked her out,” she said. The two remain a strong and connected couple who aren’t afraid to tell people about each other.

The San Antonio native doesn’t feel a need to stay closeted, but would like to get the same rights and benefits in her relationship that a husband and wife receive. Raised as a Southern Baptist, Russell knows that the only one she has to worry about judging her is God. She wishes others could get to know her before judging her.

“I guess I want the hate to stop,” she said. “We’re just like anybody else.”

Tara Bozick is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6504 or tbozick@vicad.com, or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.

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