Second Life’s official Twitter account has changed its icon into a heart shaped rainbow and added a new banner with “Love is Love” emblazoned across it as same sex couples hold hands. This appears to be part of a promotion of Second Pride, which is celebrating a decade of pride in Second Life with an event that runs until tomorrow, so you still have time to visit. I say appears to be because I haven’t asked Second Life if this is the reason, but it does seem rather obvious!
The Second Pride event has been running since June 19th and ends tomorrow, June 28th.
There’s an extremely busy festival schedule that today started at 8am SLT with DJ Kendra on the East Stage and runs all the way through until the 10pm – midnight slot with DJ ZeroZero on the main stage.
The about page of the Second Pride website provides us with more information :
Second Pride was born around 2005 in small gathering of LGBT groups in the LGBT region of Province Town in Second Life. Back then the participants were almost all from the same few groups and it is only later that it grew when they decided to make their celebration event available to all of SL by making it much bigger.
Beginning in 2007, the Second Pride Committee has chosen a Real or 1st Life charity to designate as the recipient of proceeds raised above and beyond those required for the “business” of organizing events leading up to the annual Second Pride Festival as well as the Festival itself. Over the years, Second Pride has raised thousands of dollars in support of these Real World organizations whose mission and goals dovetail with our own.
As Second Pride moves into a new era we will be supporting “in-world” Second Life groups and organizations that share our interest and concern and further LGBT causes through the donation of space on the Second Pride Sim — a community center space where where in world non profit groups can have presence, meeting and event space. Surplus donations beyond the operating costs of Second Pride will continue to be donated to Real World organizations whose mission and goals dovetail with our own.
Our governing principles, objectives and goals can be found in the By-Laws of Second Pride.
The concept and idea are similar to the well-known Gay Pride Celebrations held around the world. The Second Pride Festival, however, is about an international gathering of LGBT people in the virtual world of Second Life ® created by Linden Lab ®.
Since it”s beginnings, Second Pride has raised and donated in excess of US$25,000 to various charities and causes.
This sounds like a very noble venture.
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