COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – The Inland Northwest Business Alliance (INBA) has served as a network for LGBTQ+ owned businesses and allies for over three decades. This Pride Month, queer business owners are celebrating the community’s impact on the Inland Northwest’s economy and culture.
Throughout , queer north Idaho businesses were given the opportunity to shine and network with interested customers.
It hasn’t been a perfect Pride Month. Several alleged hate incidents have taken place in the past few months, making some LGBTQ+ people and allies living in the region feel unsafe.
“I have parents that come to me and say that they have LGBT kids that moved away that won’t come back to visit. And we have LGBT folks that live in this community that have told me stories about how they’ve been harassed and bullied,” North Idaho Pride Alliance Executive Director Sarah Lynch said.
Several laws focused on LGBTQ+ youth have sailed through the Gem State’s legislature in the past three years. A law denying the existence of transgender people April, the same month the US Supreme Court approved an Idaho law
Blair Williams, the owner of the Art Spirit Gallery, says that the queer community is standing strong in the face of intimidation and political pressure.
“I know that there is always fear in a place like Coeur d’Alene, or North Idaho. I grew up here, and I remember that fear…But I can only speak for myself, and the choices that I will make. And I will not be afraid,” Williams said.
Krista Evans-Millet, the Vice President of INBA, reaffirmed the alliance’s focus on empowering queer business owners throughout the year and highlighted the importance of creating secure spaces for employees.
“The need doesn’t just end in June. We highlight times like this because this is a big spotlight, this is a time when we want to have people showcase. And all year long there needs to be a safe space for people to network and feel confident about that, so that’s what we’re here for,” Evans-Millet said.
Nathan Grosvenor, studio manager at Relic Moon in Coeur d’Alene, is focused on creating a welcoming environment within their business despite wider issues with hate groups in northern Idaho.
“Something that stood out to me when I first came to work here, is that Idaho is definitely not as supportive. It is not as easy to be out and proud here…but at least [at Relic Moon] we can make sure that they are welcomed and taken care of,” Grosvenor said.
Ways to support INBA businesses can be found on the organization’s website.
This article uses the terms “LGBTQ+” and “queer” interchangeably to refer to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in accordance with the NLGJA style guide. Additional information on those terms can be found here.
