Jun 25, 2012

Happy Pride - Take Two


My thoughts on GLBT Pride month and events:
  • My first pride parade was instrumental in helping me begin the process of shedding the self-hate that dimmed my light. I know a few teens out there are going to have the same experience. 
  • Our community in not a monolithic group, yet the media will portray the same images of drag queens, dykes on bikes, and the boys giving body while wearing a Speedo. I love them all; however, the repetition of these images really limits the mainstream public's view of the GLBT community.
  • DADT has been repealed and a solider can be out of the closet in the military. I find it interesting this finally happened during a time when the military has been struggling to meet their recruitment numbers. 
  • I wonder how many parade participants and viewers ended up later that night at a Tina-laced-barebacking-gangbang. Cock rings and Viagra went flying off the shelves. 
  • I can see how many twenty-somethings think of HIV as a chronic condition that is managed with meds. These yungins didn't witness the devastation of the pandemic during the late 80s and early 90s. 
  • During the Black and Hispanic history months, the school district I work in encourages teachers to create lessons plans highlighting the history and contributions of people from these communities. In June, for Gay Pride Month encouraging the acknowledgement of the GLBT histories and contribution is non-existent.
  • Bisexuals are real. I know a few of these folks quite intimately.
  • After the euphoria of the days events are over, I pray that many members of our community will walk away motivated to continue the good fight, not only against homophobia, but also the racism, classism, sexism, body-fascism, ageism, and all the other "-isms" that fester within our community. 

5 comments:

Wonder Man said...

I wish we could change the direction of the parades. Less Man candy and more substance

Anonymous said...

Agreed, of course. However, I feel it's important that the Pride Parade itself doesn't get too sanitized and issue-driven. First of all, it is a fun day to go outside and celebrate gay people, but also, and I've said this before, the only thing that makes gay people not straight is who we have sex with so showing the "sex" should be embraced. We shouldn't have to hide all dressed to our necks. It should be a celebration about what makes us gay... our sexuality!

Reneé said...

Pittsburgh is a very conservative city and it is reflected in Pride events. There are no penis panties on parade around here. While I think planners and participants need to be mindful that families attend the parade, it seems way too PC. This year I don't think the local paper's website did a main story on anything to do with Pride including the fact that Melissa Ethridge played. Last year they did mention Ms. Patti doing a show.

Moving with Mitchell said...

Happy PRIDE to you, too. I share your prayer!

Todd HellsKitchen said...

Finally catching up with Blog Posts... Ack... Almost all of Pride Month was spent working... Ahhh... But it's summer break NOW!