
Linda-Cristal Young Photos.
This photoessay is to celebrate joy in the experiences of the teens participating and performing as part of Starseed Circus. Starseed Circus is a gender-affirming youth empowerment program for LGBTQ+ teens and their chosen allies ages 12-18.
This group pictured started gathering in March 2024 several times a month in two Connecticut locations, to learn circus skills as a way to promote life skills and build confidence and community in a safe space.
Under the guidance of Circus Moves Director Cynthia Rauschert, they all became confident and proud stilt-walkers by the first weekend of June 2024, in time for Middletown’s Pride Parade. Costumes were custom made for them by Chenoa Albertson, with input from the teens.

These pictures, created at Middletown Pride by Linda-Cristal Young, document their joy, pride, and community interactions. They walked the mile-long parade route supported by their parents and coaches, on stilts up to two and a half feet high. They had a constant smile while saying cheers, giving high-fives, and waving rainbow flags and ribbons to the crowds.
Several teens chose to stilt-walk in several additional Pride events over the month of June, including North Haven Pride Festival, Danbury Pride, and Bridgeport Pride Parade and Festival.
Participation in the program is completely free for teens, thanks to small community grants and private donations. The 2024 season was made possible with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). If you’d like to support the 2025 season or if you have a teen interested in participating, visit their website. 




