Pride

So this weekend is the Long Beach, CA Gay Pride event. It is a alleged to be one of the largest in the country after New York and San Francisco. It IS big. And it is a lot of fun. There is so much criticism each year that there is nothing different about Pride, its the same boys in thongs, the same tired old drag queens, and the same dikes on bikes. But the truth is, its not all the same. The boys in thongs from ten years ago are now on the sidelines watching the new boys in thongs. The tired old drag queens are new tired old drag queens. The dikes on bikes, well okay, maybe they are the same. But who doesn't just wonder which lesbian will pop a wheelie and tear through the crowd. Its almost as good as NASCAR.

A lot of us have had the chance to play in or around Pride events in the past. It is disingenuous to say that no one else should get their turn to witness or be a part of the spectacle. We don't go to Disneyland than ask that it be shut down because we've already seen it. The Pride parades and events are now as much tradition as they are opportunities to express freedom in regards to sexual orientation, gender identity, attire expression, etc.

In addition to those who claim that Pride events are tired and worn-out, I still can't help but think this is the chance for the LGBTQ community to uniformly say to the population at large, "We determine who we are." Is that very right, 60's liberal? Maybe so. For 364 days out of the year, I work within the population at large expressing myself as I believe, but I am still a minority. During Pride, I am no longer that minority and I enjoy the unity. For those heteros that choose to support Queers during Pride, it is a welcome relief to be supportive in such a, well, supportive environment.

Each year there are the group of religious rights who gather to shout over their cheap-ass P.A. system how we're all going to burn in hell. I am always glad they are there because it is a reminder of what Pride is all about. For each of those religious nut jobs standing there, there are thousands more like them who are not at Pride, but who would say and think the same things as the people promising me hell in a hand basket if I don't stop performing the art of fellatio. I am always grateful for the chance to demonstrate to the holier-than-thou's that God's love is permanent and unwavering. I am not going to be punished for being gay since that is the way He made me and they won't be punished for being assholes, because that is the way He made them.

The one thing I will say about Pride is that we need to continue to make it bigger and better and greater over the course of time. We need special effects, better beads thrown to the audience, more people in attendance, and more almost-naked go-go boys. The only question about Pride should be how great it will be, not whether it will be at all.