June 17, 2000

1:20 PM

how helpful.a relatively complete listing of gay pride days around the world. just in case you're proud only once a year.
posted by patricking (5 comments total)

But they don't list any of the Heterosexual pride parades...
Should that be considered descrimination?

posted by Bane at 4:57 PM on June 17, 2000

do they do that? i didn't think anyone cared about heterosexual pride anymore.
posted by patricking at 9:59 PM on June 17, 2000

And thank the Lord for that, too! My goodness, all them het'ros, marching down the street in their jeans from Penney's and their beer label T-shirts and their sandals with the dark socks - and holding hands! Good Lord, next they'll want to get tax breaks like normal folks!
posted by m.polo at 5:15 AM on June 18, 2000

Personally, I think gay pride days are harmless symbols of a desire for social acceptance. So far, I have heard of little outbursts of mob violence at a gay pride march or rally, I've been entertained by the costumes (admittedly, this was five years ago when I was considering moving to SF...I have no idea if the parade is that outlandish now) and I respect the courage to stand up and say screw you, world, I am that I am and mean it, even if it is connected to a pair of assless pants.

However (C'mon, it wouldn't be me without the however, it's practically like the sonnet...I gotta have a turn in line nine or what have you) that doesn't make it any more socially relevant that St. Patty's day. Parades are fluff. Pride days, whether they be Gay Pride or Latino Pride or KKK Pride (there is such a parade) or what have you, these are minor things. Changes in the law, changes in public attitude, these are the signposts. Parades and such are, in a sense, just litmus tests. When there's a Gay Pride Parade in Huntsville, Alabama, and it's as big as the one in the Castro, that'll be progress. When you can go to a bar in D.C. without the bouncer having to follow you to your car to ensure your safety (and, as an ex-bouncer, I had to do this on more than one occasion), then we'll be getting somewhere.

How goddamn humorless I am on this subject. Crap. Well, maybe we could have a Ban the Dr. Laura game parade? Would that be something we could all get behind and support, gay, bi, straight and otherwise? I'd like to see us all build a bridge based on our common hatred for this meddling shrew.
posted by Ezrael at 7:36 PM on June 18, 2000