And just three years ago, the North Carolina state legislature barred cities from passing ordinances to protect gay and trans people, drawing plenty of support from locals here. In 2012, a majority of Henderson County - where Republicans outnumber Democrats 2 to 1 - voted to ban same-sex marriage in the state constitution.
The story of how Pride came here - a retirement community of 13,000 in the heart of apple-picking country - is, by most measures, a sign of the dramatic shift in public opinion on LGBTQ rights.Ībout two decades ago, a support group for parents of gays and lesbians met secretly in a church basement accessible only through a back door, fearing for their safety.
