Sissies and Trannies and Lezzies, Oh My (or We're Here! We're Queer! We're All Alone!)

Picture it: Staten Island. June 3rd 2006. it's rainy and bordering on chilly that morning when a small gaggle of local Homo-folks get together for the 2nd annual SI LBGT Pride Parade. how small? VERY small. let's just say Stephen and i have had more people in our living room than were walking in this parade. ok, maybe that's a slight exageration: there was a marching band of about 20 people (men, women and some that were literally in-between. ie this fabulous Tranny with a Drum) and then about 60 marchers (of varying ages, genders and preferences). it was small, but festive. i kept waiting for the band to play Don't Rain On My Parade, but it never came (which might've explained the storm that raged at the very end). we made our way down the boardwalk on South Beach, our homo-heads held high; chins held up with determination, waiting to brave any jeers and accept support from the spectators that would line the boardwalk.
too bad there were no spectators. Apparently anyone who actually cared, was IN the parade. everyone else was home, in bed, probably thinking "god those crazy gays would never go out in THIS, their taffetta and leather will be ruined". there was some small opposition, of course. the Crazy Christers (thank you Michael Thomas Ford), were out in full effect, holding signs and handing out (to the marchers) pamphlets prosteltizing Jesus' love for all (non-practicing) Homos. in response, the six lesbians that made up the "parade staff" ran defense and cheered and hooted love and praise in FRONT of the plaquard weilding Jesus-freaks, until that bit of the parade passed and then they'd run forward again in front of the next batch of Chest Beaters. One man behind me just shouted out to the Bible Thumpers, "Chill out! Jesus LOVES a parade"! i dunno if he does or not but by the time we made it to the end (1 mile and 30 minutes later), the heavens opened up and down came the rain. this was mine and stephen's cue to leave our bretheren (have you ever smelled a wet bull-dagger? think wet sheep-dog, cedar chips, beer and tuna). we left the "festival" and went to go book the hall for our reception.

but where were all the homos? a friend of mine did a search on My Space for Gay Staten Islanders and came up with a WHOPPING360 people. There was barely a quarter of that number showing their pride! where hairy hell was everybody?

"If you are ashamed to stand by your colors, you had better seek another flag" ~Author Unknown