The Couple Who Walks With Pride

Photographer Charles Meacham and blogger/coordinator Sarah Baxter created the The Walk with Pride project, where they have been showing the struggles and celebrations of the global gay community around the world through photographing Pride events.

Gay.com readers have been able to share in the couple's journey with regular updates in our Walk with Pride section, but we wanted to learn more about this this dynamic duo. We wanted to find out why this straight couple began the project in October 2009, see what's next on the horizon, and tell you how you can help them continue their great work.

GAY.COM: Where are you guys based?
SARAH: Taipei, Taiwan. While we’re both from the US originally, we live and work in Taiwan. I’ve been there for just a few years, but Chad’s been in Taipei for much longer.

CHAD: I’ve been in Taiwan on-and-off for the last 10 years using it as a base for my freelance photography work.

What gave you the idea to start the Walk With Pride project?
CHAD: We were having breakfast one morning when Sarah saw in the newspaper that the Taipei Pride march would be the following weekend. I’d been following the news on the LGBT rights situation back in the US, so I thought it would be interesting to photograph what it was like in Taipei. I had a great experience at the event, and it made me think about what other Prides in other countries might be like. I thought it would be very interesting to document the similarities and differences between international Prides.

SARAH: Chad told me about his idea, and I did a little research and realized that it would be possible to “link” various Prides into a photography trip.

This is more than a series of shirtless boys dancing in the street. What’s the mission?
CHAD: Our goal has always been to photograph Prides in a positive way, but it wasn’t until experiencing Slavic Pride in Minsk, Belarus, that I realized the importance of documenting the human rights struggle, and the individuals who are still very much fighting for basic rights. In Minsk their Pride was banned, and while the group was able to march for a few hundred meters, they were then brutally arrested by the police. Conditions that many of the groups face in Eastern Europe are pretty horrific, and they receive very little media coverage in comparison to some of the larger “Mardi-Gras style” Prides [seen elsewhere].

Why do you think this is important for people to know about?
CHAD: These are real stories that are happening right now. The participants who take part in these Prides, particularly the smaller ones, can be putting their lives and livelihood in jeopardy by doing what they do. We’ve met people who have been physically assaulted, had Molotov cocktails thrown at them, lost jobs, were kicked out of school, and lost relationships with family members— all from participating in Prides. If their fights aren’t documented then their stories aren’t told. I think we owe it to them to record and tell their stories.

SARAH: We hope these images can help spark positive change toward improving LGBT rights globally.

How do you divide up the work?
SARAH: We play off each others strengths. Chad takes and maintains the photo collection, and does the creative work for this project. As the project coordinator, I focus on the organizational work, such as trip planning, correspondence, promotion, etc.

What was the most exciting city to shoot?
CHAD: My experiences in Minsk and Moscow are constantly on my mind, [but] I wouldn’t describe them as exciting as much as nerve-racking. Both of these Prides were banned by the government, and I really had no idea what was going to happen when I woke up in the morning. There were skinheads and the police to worry about. You get paranoid, not only about who may be watching or following you, but also about the quality of the work you are producing. The organizers there really trusted me, and I wanted to make sure I did a good job for them.

SARAH: Just to add on to that, I’d also say that documenting places that were holding their first Prides were also very exciting. There’s so much anticipation leading up to these events, and a collective sense of accomplishment at the end. During this trip we were able to document the first Pride marches held in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Minsk, Belarus, and Turkey’s first Trans Pride in Istanbul.

What’s the long-term goal?
CHAD: To bring as much attention as possible to the groups that need it, and that does mean holding gallery shows, a book, and of course to keep shooting.

SARAH: Again, we’d welcome any support from those who would like to work with us to share these stories and images on a broader scale.

Are you guys married, single, dating?
CHAD: We met in India three years ago, and we’ve been together since then.

What do you do when not working on this project?
CHAD: When I’m not working on a photography project, I’m back in Taiwan trying to raise money for the next one. Originally I started out by focusing on travel photography, as I’ve always done a lot of traveling, but recently I’ve become more interested in photojournalism-style projects.

SARAH: I also enjoy traveling, which is how I met Chad in the first place. While sometimes I assist with his larger scale photography projects, I also do work in sustainable tourism development. I feel very fortunate to be part of this particular project, as LGBT rights is a topic I feel very strongly about.

What inspires you?
CHAD: The people you see in my images are my inspiration. The friendships I have gained during the last year have really enriched my life. They fight the good fight and I have always been up for that.

SARAH: I completely agree. The people we’ve met and the personal stories we’ve heard have been very inspirational.

You’re currently trying to raise money to continue the Walk with Pride campaign.
CHAD: We believe sharing the human faces, stories, and issues that are behind the global LGBT Rights struggle is important. However, this kind of project costs a lot of money. While Sarah and I travel on a tight budget, the costs still add up. Many of the Pride organizations that we have worked with don’t have any money, and the big players— international LGBT organizations, LGBT magazines, government institutions— don’t see the value in documenting and exhibiting the struggles that smaller Prides go through. It can be pretty frustrating when you see how much donated money is spent on DJs, smoke machines, and other entertainment aspects.

SARAH: Realistically, in order to continue this project we need help to attend this year’s Johannesburg Pride. There are only two Prides on the whole of the African continent, both in South Africa, with Johannesburg Pride being the first. We believe including this Pride is essential for the project, making it truly global. When we are able to turn this project into a photo exhibition, we’d like to include images of African Pride.

That’s why we are doing a fundraiser on Kickstarter.com, which not only gives individuals the chance to support this project, but allows us to provide rewards such as printed photos, souvenirs from Africa, and other Pride memorabilia to thank those individuals who see value in our work and want to see it continued.

Finally, we’d like to thank Gay.com for giving us the opportunity to share information about our project, as well as all those who are reading this and who have enjoyed the project’s photos.

Watch Charles and Sarah's powerful video here. Contribute today! Any amount will help them reach their goal!

See more images at: http://www.WalkWithPrideNow.com
Discover the stories behind the images: http://wwpbehindthephotos.wordpress.com
Read the WWP Blog: http://wwpproject.wordpress.com