Sunday, June 24, 2007

The Last Sunday in June

The last Sunday in June has a symbolic purpose for all LGBT Americans. This was the first time gays and lesbians in the United States rose and fought for our rights in the aftermath of the raids at Stonewall Inn. One by one, homosexuals in New York stood up and rioted for several days, demanding equality and fairness.

This Sunday, was the 38th anniversary of the riots. and in typical fashion, Heritage of Pride, held a number of celebrations from the Rally at Bryant Park to the big Parade and culminating with an outdoor pier dance. (The Street Fair was canceled this year due to political and legal issues.)

For the first time since I came out, I chose to skip all the festivities, and nearly the dance all together. I wasn't "feeling" particularly gay this year. That is not to say I'm about to join the ex-gay movement. Far from that!

This year happens to be the 10th anniversary of my coming out. Ten years! The "Gay Agenda" has come a long way since the late 90's. Sodomy is now legal. Massachusetts allows homosexual couples to marry. New Jersey has instituted Civil Unions. New York is working on some version of all this. Statistically, more kids are coming out at a younger age simply because those of us who have come out have become more and more visible -- out and proud as they say. And now, by some statistics, 70% of heterosexuals know at least 1 gay person. I work among all heterosexual women. I'm glad I'm contributing to this statistic.

What is the status of my personal agenda? I'm more comfortable in my own skin than when I first came out. I remember the days when I didn't want to talk about it with friends -- rather I kept two sets and hoped that neither would meet the other. Then I progressed to making sure I told everyone. Now, I'm just me, and I don't really care if you know or you don't. I'm simple out and proud but not loud about my sexuality. I find it to be a turn off actually when someone is too loud about being gay -- after all, the heterosexuals are usually not loud about it. And I'm generally not very loud about my ethnicity either -- at least I'm following a pattern. I'm still single. Sure I've dated, but I haven't found anyone that I can see myself settling down with "until death do us part". Finding the one has not been a priority.

I also think a part of me is becoming disenfranchised with the gay establishment in part. The whole community is very physical. It's all about how cute is your face, and how hot is your body. It's all about the alcohol -- there are few venues to meet other gays outside of the bars. It's about sex and how high of a body count you can have. Perhaps part of the problem is that all my friends here in New York are gay. I never leave the "gay life". And having a gay sibling does not help either. I may need a break.

Happy Pride everyone.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Let the Pride Begin

June is the month of gay pride as much as February is the month of Black History.

June is the month of the Gemini -- twins with dual personalities that are like Jekyll and Hyde. That about describes the gay man. He can be a blend of a good breadwinner and a great homemaker. He is yin and yang swirled together. He is charming yet bitchy. He can swish down the catwalk, but can strut right into the end zone.

June is the month the TONY's are handed out. How appropriate that Broadway gives out it's highest honor this month? We may joke that liking the theatre is an obviously gay trait, but it's so true!

June is when Broadway Cares puts on their most scandalous fund raiser. For all intensive purposes, this event kicks off the Pride festivities. You could argue that it's the Rally in Bryant Park. But this is my blog, and well this event kicks it off for me.

June is when Heritage of Pride throws the annual Pride festivities including a rally, parade, dance, and street fest.

And in the middle of all this gayness is the annual Puerto Rican Pride Parade. The irony here is that Latinos are not very accepting of homosexuals -- perhaps even more so than Republicans. And the parade is perhaps the most unloved in the City. Year after year, residences along the parade route board up their windows and businesses close for the day. It's such a problem that local new channels cover the story and interview disgruntled businesses and doorman buildings along the route. And I have to say, I've walked the aftermath of the parade in years past, and the trash left after the parade is much worse than the gay pride one. Perhaps the big difference is that the Gay Pride one occurs through the neighborhoods that are most gay concentrated where as the Puerto Rican Pride is not. It's just an observation and is not meant to be bigoted in any way (just my observations).

Let the pride begin!