Today was Denver's annual pride parade and festival. I showed up fashionably late after a night out (my second visit this year to a lesbian bar where I'm working on my mad dance skills). I always enjoy pride because it's the one time of year when everywhere I look I see people who are like me. I have heard gay Christians who are uncomfortable with the word "Pride" - thinking that we shouldn't be proud of anything. But I view it more like people having been beaten down, heads hung in silence and shame, and now a hand is held out, chins are brought up, faces shown the light, and we're told, "you have just as much right as anyone else to walk with pride in who you are."
One of the things I noticed again today is the diversity in our community, and the beauty of seeing those who aren't mainstream, or who don't "fit" for whatever reason. I'm always a sucker for the PFLAG moms too. I remember my first pride parade in 1995 and I saw a woman holding the classic " I love my gay child." Having never seen anything like that before, and not knowing it was even possible for parents to love their children even though they were gay, I couldn't hold back my tears. PFLAG mom hugs are still one of the best things in the world for me.
But maybe my favorite thing was seeing the older gay and lesbian couples, those who look at today's Pride celebration and probably shake their heads at what we take for granted. Meanwhile, I look at them and am grateful for their roles in the community and for paving the road for today's parade.
I went to the Trans-Pride in Northampton earlier in the month, I have been to other Prides but this was the first that I marched in. It was a very moving experience and it brought me to tears to see all the trans-people and our allies marching and chanting. There were more than 800 of us marching and we were over three blocks long.
ReplyDeleteThose PFLAG parents are the best!
ReplyDeletediana_ct, so glad to hear that the Northampton trans pride was such a success. I was in Memphis that weekend but wow 800 of you marching! That is wonderful.
Diana, that sounds amazing. I'm so glad you were able to march. Wish I could have been there to lend my support!
ReplyDeletei LOVE the pflag parents, they give me so much hope
ReplyDeleteHAPPY PRIDE!
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Ah, pride...when pressed for a quick answer, I say I'm proud not to be ashamedof feeling what I feel, of being who I am.
ReplyDeleteBut it is just shorthand for a more complex set of feelings. I feel gratitude, because I know that many of us are prey to self hat. And I feel indebtedness to all of those that have waged this fight before me, and those who are doing it now, since they made it easier for me. Last, but not least, I feel a need to help all those that are still struggling with this.
We know a female couple in their seventies, and they kind of take the whine out of us when we get upset over how mean the world can be.
ReplyDeleteAt our last Pride, L'Ailee defined it pretty well: "I'm proud that I survived." For her, that's literal--abusive parents threw her out for being lesbian, and she was gay-bashed shortly after. Yet we got really jaded and didn't do Pride at all this year. What a mistake! Thank you for reminding me of why it's such a great thing.