Photo from the first-ever SF Trans March, 2004. (Photographer unknown.)
In honor of Pride, I wanted to share three Pride-related articles, two old and one new.
1. “Watching the Defectives”
Joe My God’s annual Pride column, shared on this blog a couple weeks ago. Since then I’ve heard a lot of grumbling in the community about queer queers “making the rest of us look bad,” so I decided to re-re-post this. The column provides a brilliant answer to anyone who’s ever said or thought “I don’t like that there are so many drag queens, leather people, dykes on bikes, etc. in the parade, they make us look bad and hurt our chances for mainstream acceptance.” Read it and get excited for the parade!
2. “First Successful Pride March in Moscow!!!”
Ken Coolen (of Vancouver Pride Society)’s moving firsthand account of
Moscow Pride 2008. It was a 1-block-long, flash-mob style event that
formed and dissipated before the skinheads could attack, or the police
could arrive to break it up and arrest anyone. It’s an amazing story,
and reading it from California, really a good perspective to keep in
mind.
3. “Lust for Life: The true meaning of Gay Christmas” (New – Hot off the presses!)
SF writer Gina de Vries just got a sex & culture column in the San Francisco
Bay Guardian. She’s been a queer activist since she came out at age 11
(yes), and she’s an excellent writer. Her inaugural column, in time
for Pride week, is a beautifully-written reminder of the true meaning
of Pride. (If you like it, please leave comments or share on Facebook
– this will help ensure that the Guardian continues her column.)
Happy Pride!
-AidanAbroad
The Gay Highwaymen 