Proud

ok, this is a couple of days after the fact, but bear with me: it's been a tough week at work...

This year's was one of the best Pride parades i've been to. mind you, i have only about 5 to compare it to. the last few i went to were fun: it was hot; the men were hot. it was sunny; the men were scantily clad. it was loud; the Dykes on Bikes were there, tits to the wind. it was emotionally moving; there were men with incredibly broad and hairy chests walking about in leather thongs. every year, for the last 5 (and i'm sure for the 30 parades prior to them). anyway, back to this year...
as you may have read in my previous post Letter to a Candidate, we started our journey at the Ferry. the ferry terminal was JAM packed with Pride Pilgrims, all making their way to Manhattan for the parade. it was nice to see all the people who didn't show up for SI Pride (Sissies and Trannies and Lezzies, Oh My!) turn out for this. Quite a few were dressed up for the occasion: Rainbow from Head to Toe. it was truly fabulous. Anyway, we got to 23rd and 5th at around 10:30 and there we stood for the next 7 hours.

This parade and spectators were so different that what i've seen in the past. Stephen says it's on account of the rain ("Fags don't get wet. They spend too much time and money on Product to let it get messed up by rain"). Perhaps he's right, because there were alot of lesbians (sorry girls, but it's true: you don't use anything in your hair) and gay men that had a very Get Up and Go look. it was nice! there wasn't any attitude, bronzer or designer sunglasses. There were alot of families marching; childeren everywhere you looked, holding the hands of one of their two mommies or daddies. Everyone seemed genuinely excited to be there; hooting, applauding and cheering despite the occasional rain. the crowd gave off such a good vibe that i was sad not to be marching.

As for the parade itself, it was really well done. The floats and revelers weren't gaudy and over-sexed like the last couple of years (note the conspicuous absence of the Altoids float). the drag queens seemed almost dignified. sure the **ack** Gay College Party float was full of the usual adolescent Tina-Queens and some strung out looking DJ, but do we expect anything less? they were balanced out by the gay Homeless youth organizations and the Harvey Milk School. the usual politicians were there, Mike and Hill etc **gag** again, do we expect less? not really. it was fun to see all the gay friendly churches and organizations. i'm always mystified by the gay football players, boatmen, horseback riders and volley ball teams; i know we like balls but c'mon! it's always great to see PFLAG and gay Police Officers and Firefighters. Hours later (after the Gay acrobats, tumblers, octogenarians, nudists, Indians, Asians, Africans, Haitians, Dominicans, Brazillians, Mexicans, and the only 4 out and proud teachers in NYC) my favorite group, the NYC MetroBears, brought up the rear (no pun intended) looking all hot and hairy and fabulous; but even they were decked out tastefully and with flair.

i can honestly say that is was a parade that was complete PR Heaven for Gay Marriage: it showed that even though we're all different, quirky and kinky we're still human beings. it made me so completely proud to be there, held by my hunky boyfriend/lover/fiance`, to watch the parade go by.

"Pride is the recognition of the fact that you are your own highest value and, like all of man’s values, it has to be earned. "~Ayn Rand