Pride!
This was my first Pride Parade. I yelled a lot. I stood on my tip-toes and tried frantically to see. I sang at the top of my lungs. And I fought not to cry when an elderly man marched by, holding up a sign that read, “This is for my granddaughter Sara!”
This is some of what I saw:
(click to enlarge if you can’t read their shirts)
There were some really huge sponsors:
Google was there, too, but I didn’t get a picture.
Their sign says “Thirty years engaged– Let’s get married”:
My brother Gabe, who was with me, said, “I feel like I need to spend a lot more time at the gym”:
The pole dancer guy from America’s Got Talent was there. He’s the one on the right, in the silver shorts:
He was with his colleagues:
How is she doing that? The float was moving!
This made me extra proud:
As I walked happily uptown with my flag, after we were too tired to cheer anymore, a woman yelled, “Carpet muncher!” at me. And then, in the little cafe in the 40’s, I felt the urge to put the flag away, when the server kept giving it suspicious looks. A guy on the packed subway glared at me. And then glared at me again.
Oh. Right. It’s easy to cheer for so much unity, joy, and self-expression. It’s not so easy to be gay in a world that still can’t seem to get over the fact that people are not all exactly the same.
We have a lot of work to do.
But I can’t help but think that this helps:
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Unroast: Today I love the way I look in a maxi dress.
Kate on June 27th 2011 in Uncategorized
Emma responded on 27 Jun 2011 at 11:12 am #
I agree. Sometimes it’s easy to get sucked up into the pride of the day that I forget that the other 364 days of the year it’s not quite as true.
Mandy responded on 27 Jun 2011 at 1:11 pm #
Good reminder.
In the future, I’ll make it a point to smile at anyone carrying/wearing gay pride paraphanalia.
And/or sit next them on public transportation.
It will help balance out the name callers and the ones who glare.
And, honestly? I’ve never understood where all of the hate comes from.
Unroast: Today, I love how my wedding ring looks on my hand.
Tempest responded on 27 Jun 2011 at 3:05 pm #
I think some people have become so trained at disdaining the “other”, they don’t even realize or consider what they’re doing. I don’t think there’s any real rational thought involved, just a knee-jerk reaction to anything they’ve been taught to perceive as different/dangerous/not them. It’s really sad.
Joyce responded on 27 Jun 2011 at 4:24 pm #
I’ve marched in 3 SF Pride parades and can’t say what’s better: marching or watching the parade. Let’s just say it’s a wonderfully unifying experience.
B1 responded on 27 Jun 2011 at 5:40 pm #
It looks like you had an awesome time. I’ve never marched for or been to a parade for gay pride and I don’t think I’ve ever looked at anyone funny for wearing anything related to it either. I know I don’t swing that way, but I’m not exactly completely opposed to the idea either, it’s just not my preference. I’m a Christian and most would think that I would be unaccepting of gays, but I look at it this way…
It’s all about love. That is what has been deminishing in this world and we need so much more of it. I guess the movement in the 60s and 70s about free love was good to an extent in getting people to open their minds a bit.
People are afraid of change and allowing gay marriages is change and those who are afraid will distain it. Personally, I welcome it and think it’s about time.
LovelyLici responded on 05 Jul 2011 at 12:22 pm #
Aaahhh! Good tiiimes! I LOVE Pride! I’m missing out big time this year. Recently moved back to “The Christian Nation” where there is less pride and more shame. I don’t get it. I’m moving back to a 1st world country soooon! Glad you had fun. Don’t let anyone take your pride away from you. 🙂