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¿WHAT IS GAY PRIDE? Gay Pride is a movement that celebrates the GLBT community. This movement emerged in the 1960s. It came out of a time when mainstream society tended to view being GLBT as something shameful or inferior to being heterosexual. The term PRIDE was deliberately chosen counter the idea that there was something embarrassing or wrong with being gay. In many places, Pride occurs in June to commemorate the famous Stonewall riots. These riots occurred in 1969 as a response to homophobic raids that were happening at gay bars. During raids, police would drag people off to jail on fake charges, even if they weren't committing crimes. But on June 27th, 1969, GLBT patrons of New York City
¿WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? Long gone are the days when I didn't feel proud to be exactly who I am every day, so why the need to reaffirm that we aren't still living in shame? Can't we just name it National Gay Day and get a three-day weekend out of the deal? For now, let's just unveil GAY PRIDE DAY for what it appears to be…a rapidly becoming commercialized semi-holiday with corporate-sponsored parade floats, inflated admissions to bars that are normally free and overpriced circuit-party tickets for people still using expensive designer drugs. For me, GAY PRIDE GAY, like New Years Eve has become another excuse for having expectations of a fantastically memorable experience; one that hopefully involves some romance with a few shirtless AND sweaty muscle boys. I try not to be cynical and callous because GAY PRIDE means so much to so many, but it seems to have been misplaced between sex AND fun. I can’t help but feel like year after year this event is like a fake orgasm we go through the motions, courting an elusive satisfaction that never comes…
¿WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? Long gone are the days when I didn't feel proud to be exactly who I am every day, so why the need to reaffirm that we aren't still living in shame? Can't we just name it National Gay Day and get a three-day weekend out of the deal? For now, let's just unveil GAY PRIDE DAY for what it appears to be…a rapidly becoming commercialized semi-holiday with corporate-sponsored parade floats, inflated admissions to bars that are normally free and overpriced circuit-party tickets for people still using expensive designer drugs. For me, GAY PRIDE GAY, like New Years Eve has become another excuse for having expectations of a fantastically memorable experience; one that hopefully involves some romance with a few shirtless AND sweaty muscle boys. I try not to be cynical and callous because GAY PRIDE means so much to so many, but it seems to have been misplaced between sex AND fun. I can’t help but feel like year after year this event is like a fake orgasm we go through the motions, courting an elusive satisfaction that never comes…
¿WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SHOW YOUR PRIDE THIS YEAR? This month I’d like to see something different done that draws attention to the wonderful events taking place throughout June. After the many costume change into drag and we dance the time away to Jennifer Hudson’s AND I’M TELLING YOU, I’M NOT GOING…What is the one thing that will hold you until PRIDE comes around next year?
In the words of: Carl Bean "I'm happy, I'm carefree and I'm gay I was born this way."
ReplyDeleteDuring the month of June I have always partaken in some gay cultural activity be it a parade, party or march for gay rights. This year will be no different with the exception I will truly celebrate and appreciate what Pride stands for in my life and in the Gay community.
Pride means: freedom from shame, freedom to be me, embracing all that is new and truly gay.
In most countries in Europe, Gay Pride is usually in the first week of July. That's the case in Madrid and London, this year. Since I'll be spending Summer in Spain, I'm going to enjoy the delights Spanish Pride has to offer. I was at Madrid Pride 2006, but only on the last day, and took part in the march: it was partucularly special, since that year Gays had been given the right to marry - and it was called "marriage", not "civil union", or whatever. Gay Pride in Madrid is a particularly special event, since the entire city comes out in support.
ReplyDeleteAs for your comments about Pride in general, it is true the message of Pride has been lost, but the same happened for all of the Christian festivals. In a perverse way, it shows how far the LGBT community has come, when kids don't give a shit about the meaning or the message, and just use it as a chance to enjoy themselves for a little while. I'm not much of a sceney person, but I still support Pride because it is important to come out and show the world just how many LGBT people there are who aren't afraid of hatred.
As Harvey Milk said: -
"I cannot prevent anyone from getting angry, or mad, or frustrated. I can only hope that they'll turn that anger and frustration and madness into something positive, so that two, three, four, five hundred will step forward, so the gay doctors will come out, the gay lawyers, the gay judges, gay bankers, gay architects ... I hope that every professional gay will say 'enough', come forward and tell everybody, wear a sign, let the world know. Maybe that will help."
I have never been to any pride events yet in my life, it's because all I hear about is the sex parties, the clubs and how good dudes look. I'm sure it's more to these events like sizzle and splash than just the three things I listed above.
ReplyDeleteAs of right now, I show my pride through my writings, giving voice to the love that we gay men are capable of. We are not men that just sit around lusting for one another. It surprise me that some people think that is what we do.
in hamburg the pride parade I don`t like so much, its a lot of drinking, using drugs...its make me sick.. You now, i make every day my parade! :-)
ReplyDeletewell Im not gay....I took a test on Face book that told me that I was 11% gay...hahaha...well whatever man. LOL!!
ReplyDeleteBut I am proud of all my gay friends that are cool enough to be open about it without shame. We are all humans and thats how I see everyone as a whole.
I've never been to a gay pride event either, for the same reasons Lyric states, but I'm so sick of all the self-hatred (check out Taylor Siluwe's SGL Cafe for a horrible example of that, or the bible nut thegayte-keeper has just written about) and down-low culture that I might just go along to one this year.
ReplyDeleteI just wish Sanya wasn't in España, now I've finally decided...
CHET – I LOVE WHAT PRIDE MEANS TO YOU…
ReplyDeleteSANYA IN ESPANA – I LOVE THAT HARVEY MILK QUOTE…SAW THE MOVIE THE OTHER DAY & IT WAS WONDERFUL!
LYRIC – YOU CONTINUE TO SHOW YOUR PRIDE MY BROTHER…
BJORNS-BRUTZELBUDE – YES I KNOW THAT EVERY DAY IS YOUR PARADE…
OYIN – YOU NEEDS TO GO TO A GAY PRIDE EVENT…
KA-OS – I’VE BEEN & KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT MISSING A THING…
Gay Pride month for me is no different than any other month except like u said....more parties. its something for us to do as a so-called community. And I have to admit. they are fun. But like you said the true meaning of pride has gotten lost in translation and all thats left is the parties and the sex and the drugs and the making of money. I just look at pride as something extra to do with my free time. Its nothing i have to be a part of because i know who i am. An out and proud black gay man. I think pride it mostly about saying fuck you to the str8 community that shuns us and im always down for that. lol
ReplyDeleteTRU3LOGIC - JUST MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR PART TO PUSH THE COMMUNITY FORWARD...
ReplyDelete