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“We had a few LGBTQ social events that people showed up to,” he said to NewNowNext. Townsend, who had the pride flag with him in Antarctica, tested the waters before orchestrating a larger public statement. The rainbow flag, now a ubiquitous symbol for LGBTQ pride, has earned new status: This week, Londons Design Museum acquired it as part of its permanent collection. Shawn Waldron, who oversaw much of the planning in Antarctica alongside galley co-worker Evan Townsend, told NewNowNext in an interview, “My biggest fear before I left was, I’m going to be the only gay person, there’s going to be no one else here. “Whether it’s 10 people or 10,000 people, being visible and showing LGBTQ pride moves acceptance forward and can change hearts and minds.” “With crackdowns and rollbacks to LGBTQ equality happening around the globe, it’s heartening to see this showing of pride from one of the most remote places on the planet,” Zeke Stokes, a vice president at GLAAD, said in an email interview. When so many countries are still struggling to create safety and equality for sexual minorities, citizens and visitors alike, the representation of Antarctica as a gay-friendly place matters. In such a small community, the odds of finding like-minded people can be slim, and in such close quarters, expressing yourself and receiving support for doing so can be an even greater challenge.
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Ten may not seem like many people, but during the off-season, when it’s too cold for aircraft to function and too dark for scientists to do much of anything at all, only 133 employees remain in the area.