{"id":1872885,"date":"2026-04-08T20:15:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T17:15:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1872885"},"modified":"2026-04-08T20:15:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T17:15:34","slug":"why-pride-events-matter-making-ski-communities-stronger-and-more-inclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1872885","title":{"rendered":"Why Pride Events Matter: Making Ski Communities Stronger and More Inclusive"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_398165\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-398165\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398165 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGqAQMAAACh3GetAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADhJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20ON6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD4NobKAAFhB0TLAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"Keystone Pride 2026\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride_Kate_Young_006.jpg?resize=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride_Kate_Young_006.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride_Kate_Young_006.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride_Kate_Young_006.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride_Kate_Young_006.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"426\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398165\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride_Kate_Young_006.jpg?resize=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Keystone Pride 2026\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-398165\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A group of revelers poses before the slope parade during Keystone Pride 2026. | Image: Katie Young\/Keystone Resort<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"ai-viewports ai-viewport-2 ai-viewport-3 ai-insert-2-49056454\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;clear: both\" data-insertion-position=\"prepend\" data-selector=\".ai-insert-2-49056454\" data-insertion-no-dbg data-code=\"PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0nY29kZS1ibG9jayBjb2RlLWJsb2NrLTInIHN0eWxlPSdtYXJnaW46IDhweCBhdXRvOyB0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7IGRpc3BsYXk6IGJsb2NrOyBjbGVhcjogYm90aDsnPgo8ZGl2IGlkPSJsZC0zMzMwLTk0NzciPjwvZGl2PjxzY3JpcHQ+KGZ1bmN0aW9uKHcsZCxzLGkpe3cubGRBZEluaXQ9dy5sZEFkSW5pdHx8W107dy5sZEFkSW5pdC5wdXNoKHtzbG90OjIwMzM3NjE3MjU0OTAyMTcyLHNpemU6WzAsIDBdLGlkOiJsZC0zMzMwLTk0NzcifSk7aWYoIWQuZ2V0RWxlbWVudEJ5SWQoaSkpe3ZhciBqPWQuY3JlYXRlRWxlbWVudChzKSxwPWQuZ2V0RWxlbWVudHNCeVRhZ05hbWUocylbMF07ai5hc3luYz10cnVlO2ouc3JjPSJodHRwczovL2NkbjIuZGVjaWRlLmRldi9fanMvYWpzLmpzIjtqLmlkPWk7cC5wYXJlbnROb2RlLmluc2VydEJlZm9yZShqLHApO319KSh3aW5kb3csZG9jdW1lbnQsInNjcmlwdCIsImxkLWFqcyIpOzwvc2NyaXB0PjwvZGl2Pgo=\" data-block=\"2\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"ai-viewports ai-viewport-1 ai-insert-1-62623721\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;clear: both\" data-insertion-position=\"prepend\" data-selector=\".ai-insert-1-62623721\" data-insertion-no-dbg data-code=\"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\" data-block=\"1\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>At the third annual Keystone Pride Festival this March, one skier in the throng heading toward the gondola on Saturday morning turned to the Mountain Pride booth and yelled, \u201cwhy are you celebrating homosexuality?\u201d <\/strong>The representatives of <a href=\"https:\/\/mountainpride.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mountain Pride<\/a>, the Colorado-based nonprofit organization that helps organize and run the Keystone Pride event as well as several others in surrounding communities, didn\u2019t respond. \u201cIt\u2019s best to just meet people where they\u2019re at,\u201d Mountain Pride Executive Director Maddy Partridge said after the encounter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If she had responded to the question, however, she would have said this.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cWhy \u2014 because you haven\u2019t had to fight for your rights<\/strong>. Because you haven\u2019t ever had to worry about not feeling safe in the space. That\u2019s why we have this, so that kids that are figuring themselves out to the parents that might need support to the people who moved here from another state who didn\u2019t have that safety or that community can see it on the mountain,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/behind-scenes-keystone-resort-open-first-north-america\/\"><em><strong>Behinde the Scenes: How Keystone Won the Race to Open in North America<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>A crucial point about pride festivals and gay ski weeks is that they\u2019re not about sexuality.<\/strong> The aim is to celebrate people for the individuals they are in an environment in which each person feels safe and welcome being oneself and experiencing a sense of community.<\/p>\n<h3>Snowsports Open to Everyone<\/h3>\n<p><strong>\u201cIt\u2019s shifting the narrative of who belongs on the mountain,\u201d Patridge said.<\/strong> \u201cFrom the incredible women\u2019s weekends that Keystone does, the veterans\u2019 weekends, to have community, you have this sense of it\u2019s not just me on the mountain alone. Our community should be celebrated and seen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Since its debut three years ago, Keystone Pride has grown exponentially.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cThe first time you put on one of these events, you hear the naysayers, you hear the comments, and it doesn\u2019t mean that they\u2019re not still out there, but I think, especially from a staff standpoint, like this is now just something we do,\u201d Keystone Resort Vice President and Manager Shannon Buhler, who was attending the inaugural drag brunch at the 2026 Pride event, added.<\/strong> \u201cThis is something that\u2019s part of Keystone, something that brings anybody and everybody to our mountains, in this community, to our mountains. There\u2019s a ton more acceptance. The events that we\u2019ve been able to evolve from a smaller setting or a smaller venue to bigger venues [show] people are like, yeah, we want to come Keystone. We want to have a great time, whether that\u2019s skiing on the slopes or going to a drag bingo. It\u2019s amazing to see the growth.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_398171\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-398171\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398171 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAANWAQMAAABUE6\/mAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAFpJREFUeNrtwYEAAAAAw6D5U9\/gBFUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPAMORQABsNAN2gAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\"Keystone Pride Summit Lunch\" width=\"640\" height=\"854\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.SummitLunchParty.jpeg?resize=640%2C854&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.SummitLunchParty.jpeg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.SummitLunchParty.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.SummitLunchParty.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.SummitLunchParty.jpeg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"854\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398171\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.SummitLunchParty.jpeg?resize=640%2C854&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Keystone Pride Summit Lunch\" width=\"640\" height=\"854\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-398171\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rainbows and Heated Rivalry jerseys were prominent at Keystone Pride\u2019s Summit lunch party. Shauna Farnell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>As more ski resorts worldwide launch new pride events, it\u2019s a testament to the acceptance of the queer community, but in Keystone\u2019s case, the Pride Festival was masterminded by its own staff.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cOne of the cool things that happened with Keystone, this was an internal push.<\/strong> We have so many LGBTQ-identifying employees who work in our mountain towns. This representation for themselves and the community is so powerful,\u201d Patridge says.<\/p>\n<h3>Keystone\u2019s Community Comes from Within<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The two highest-ranking employees at Keystone Resort \u2013 Buhler and Mountain Operations Senior Director Kate Schifani \u2013 both happen to be part of this community<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cThis event is led by queer people for queer people,\u201d Partridge said.<\/strong> \u201cWhat happens sometimes with bigger things is they\u2019re led by allies, which are so important in this space. We especially need our allies to show up these weekends because it amplifies the narrative around who belongs on the mountain. From the internal staff here at Keystone, our partners at Warren Station, Mountain Pride, it\u2019s queer community leading these efforts, and making sure that community voice is centered in it, delivering the message that everyone is welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The sense of welcome and celebration in ski areas is exhibited in the industry\u2019s ever-growing number of pride events and by the perennial presence of rainbow flags in mountain communities (Breckenridge Ski Patrol has a large one displayed in the window of its on-mountain headquarters).<\/strong> Before welcome and celebration comes acceptance. Accepting people for their individuality and strengths is something Buhler says is happening with a clearly upward trajectory.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cOne thing I have loved about the ski industry over the years is how it\u2019s evolved in terms of inclusion,\u201d Buhler said.<\/strong> \u201cWe\u2019ve gone from a significantly male-dominated community to a time when so many more females are now running resorts. For us at Keystone to host Pride Weekend and be a part of that community, it means a ton that our company feels comfortable welcoming the LGBTQ-plus community into our ski resorts and making it such a special event for so many people to feel like they do belong in this sport and on these mountains, just like every single other person does.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The fact that both she and Schifani worked their way up the ranks in the ski industry to top-tier, decision-making roles imparts a positive message to that community.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cPeople at the lower points of the mountain can see a white straight guy is not the only person that can be the CEO of a major ski resort,\u201d Partridge added.<\/strong> \u201cAgain, it\u2019s the visibility, having these events and having these opportunities for people from lifties to ski school can see themselves represented and see themselves at a leadership level and that potential to grow, that has so much power.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_398172\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-398172\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398172 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGqAQMAAACh3GetAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADhJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20ON6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD4NobKAAFhB0TLAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"Mammoth Elevation mascot, by Cody Mathison \" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MammothGaySkiWeek.byCodyMathison.jpg?resize=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MammothGaySkiWeek.byCodyMathison.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MammothGaySkiWeek.byCodyMathison.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MammothGaySkiWeek.byCodyMathison.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MammothGaySkiWeek.byCodyMathison.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"426\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398172\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MammothGaySkiWeek.byCodyMathison.jpg?resize=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Mammoth Elevation mascot, by Cody Mathison \" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-398172\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mammoth Mountain\u2019s Elevation Gay Ski Week celebrates 25 years next March. Cody Mathison\/Mammoth Resort.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"ai-viewports ai-viewport-1 ai-insert-3-30675849\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;clear: both\" data-insertion-position=\"prepend\" data-selector=\".ai-insert-3-30675849\" data-insertion-no-dbg data-code=\"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\" data-block=\"3\"><\/div>\n<h3>Long-Lasting Welcome<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Looking at long-standing Pride festivals, like <a href=\"https:\/\/gayskiweek.com\/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23518909616&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADu0YRDdWy-jt25FtZyHlxfFVafm_&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwp7jOBhDGARIsABe7C4ekYcRHWQwiNFN3bCSt8eYK4W_idWE8RNiIT5kvi0pXAGyaFGfm22gaAirYEALw_wcB#antiice\">Aspen Gay Ski Week<\/a>, which celebrates its 50<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary next January, when <a href=\"https:\/\/whistlerpride.com\/\">Whistler Pride<\/a> celebrates its 35<sup>th<\/sup>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/mammothgayskiweek.com\/#\/events\">Mammoth Elevation Gay Ski Week<\/a>, celebrating its 25<sup>th<\/sup> next March, these events have been embraced by their entire communities.<\/strong> They\u2019ve helped these resort towns become known as open-minded, welcoming places throughout the year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cHeading into its 25th year, Elevation has become a cornerstone of Mammoth Lakes\u2019 winter calendar,\u201d Mammoth Lakes Public Relations Manager Ally Watson explained.<\/strong> \u201cWhether you are a visitor or a resident, you know resort town communities are often made up of transient and seasonal workers, diverse identities, those who were born and raised, and the ones who never left. For resort destinations, creating an environment where people\u2014both locals and visitors\u2014feel welcome and visibly represented is vital to community health and long-term sustainability.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/chasing-the-second-season-why-mammoth-and-june-ca-peak-in-spring\/\"><strong><em>Chasing the Second Season: Why Mammoth and Mammoth, CA, Peak in Spring<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Tom Whitman, a lifelong skier who alpine raced for the University of California-Los Angeles, founded <a href=\"https:\/\/mammothgayskiweek.com\/#\/events\">Mammoth Elevation<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/utahgayskiweek.com\/\">Utah Elevation<\/a>, which wrapped up its 16<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary in Park City this winter.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>While both events, like Pride celebrations in major cities, are largely dominated by gay men, Whitman says the sense of community they foster is ever-present and always growing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cWe\u2019re all here with a shared interest \u2013 skiing and snowboarding. People open up. You meet friends you have for your whole life,\u201d Whitman said.<\/strong> \u201cYou get to bond on the mountain and have something to talk about versus just going to have a cocktail at a bar. Everyone is brought into that. When you come back year after year, it builds community in a different way.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Breaking Down Barriers<\/h3>\n<p><strong>To ensure that sense of community lasts beyond the week or weekend of a Pride festival, organizations like <a href=\"https:\/\/mountainpride.org\/\">Mountain Pride<\/a> in the Colorado Rockies and California\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/easternsierrapride.org\/\">Eastern Sierra Pride<\/a> are lifesavers for both residents and visitors of ski towns.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em>\u201cOutdoor recreation in general has its own barriers to access, and one of those is visible representation.<\/strong> Supporting and championing the LGBTQ-plus community through longstanding events like Elevation uplifts representation and access not only during the event, but throughout the year, giving our local organization Eastern Sierra Pride even more opportunity to shine,\u201d Watson says. \u201cAll marginalized identities need to see themselves in the spaces they recreate and participate in, and by supporting the LGBTQ-plus community within a resort town, it only broadens the appeal and sends a message that Mammoth Lakes fosters a welcoming and inclusive culture for all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>With the cost of skiing and snowboarding being a major barrier as well as the financial viability of living and working in a ski community, resorts need all the help they can get to make these communities feel welcoming to everyone.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>That is a large reason why Partridge created Mountain Pride.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cSo many people were moving to Denver, to other areas, because they couldn\u2019t find queer community here,\u201d she said.<\/strong> \u201cEven with us being here for four years as an organization, we still are watching people leave. That\u2019s why having more events are opportunities to build deeper connections to make friends so we can build deeper roots within our community.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_398173\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-398173\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398173 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAKhAQMAAAD6843zAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAExJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20JT6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgJsB1PEAAUsB73AAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt=\"Keystone Pride Thanks for Coming Out\" width=\"640\" height=\"673\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.Walking.jpeg?resize=640%2C673&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.Walking.jpeg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.Walking.jpeg?resize=285%2C300&amp;ssl=1 285w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.Walking.jpeg?resize=768%2C807&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.Walking.jpeg?resize=600%2C631&amp;ssl=1 600w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"673\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-398173\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KeystonePride.Walking.jpeg?resize=640%2C673&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Keystone Pride Thanks for Coming Out\" width=\"640\" height=\"673\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-398173\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Keystone Pride aims to be family friendly, welcoming all ages and backgrounds. Shauna Farnell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 2 -->\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A group of revelers poses before the slope parade during Keystone Pride 2026. | Image: Katie Young\/Keystone Resort At the third annual Keystone Pride Festival this March, one skier in the throng heading toward the gondola on Saturday morning turned to the Mountain Pride booth and yelled, \u201cwhy are you celebrating homosexuality?\u201d The representatives of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-1872885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1872885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1872885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1872885\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1872885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1872885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1872885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}