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You are here: Home > Forum > A Place of Safety > General Talk > Gay Pride Parade in New Hope, PA - my perspective
Gay Pride Parade in New Hope, PA - my perspective  [message #65750] Sun, 15 May 2011 18:46 Go to next message
Scott is currently offline  Scott

Likes it here

Registered: September 2007
Messages: 141



Yesterday a few friends and I went to the New Hope, PA Gay Pride parade. New Hope is to PA what Provincetown is to Massachusetts, a very gay-friendly town.

http://www.newhopecelebrates.com/

The trip was part of a bicycle trail ride with my gay cycling group. If you didn't see the "equals" stickers on the backpacks, you wouldn't know we were gay (well, except for my orange and blue cycling jersey. But hey, it's so I don't get whacked by a car on the road). The other 4 guys are two couples who have each been together for decades, and then me, who has been out just in the past few years. They are all great guys who understand where I have come from and are very supportive of me. Anyway, personal stuff done.

I have been to a few Gay Pride parades and felt a mix of "don't look too interested or you'll out yourself" to "I'm really embarrassed how the gay community presents itself" to "I hope some day I will be that comfortable with myself". Yep, I bet my therapist would have a field day with that succession of ideas.

Yesterday's parade was very well done. I am referring to the participants. There were the "Dame Edna" impersonators, the Mummer's style band, and the definite eye candy guys. But the overwhelming presentation of the parade was family friendly (no pun intended) with the desire to be all-inclusive of the GLBTQ family. There was nothing embarrassing about the parade that I wouldn't have wanted my mom or kids to see. There were marching bands, organizations representing the Human Rights Campaign, groups with rainbow flags, equal sign flags, AIDS walk information, even church groups with accepting outreach programs. The only mainstream church represented was the United Methodist Church, the others being evangelical/ecumenical stand alone churches. The parade was far removed from most of the Mardi-gras style that I have observed.

I discussed my observations and comfort level with the parade with a friend. I asked him if this was a change of presentation by the GLBTQ community to seem more mainstream, or just a local style to fit in with the area. His reply centered around his idea that originally the Gay Pride parades were a way to allow gays to "blow off steam" in front of an audience, similar to the Mardi-gras. Unfortunately, the local news services pick up footage of the really far-out people, and run that on the evening news. Average Joe watches that news and now really thinks gays should be outlawed, because "look how wild they are". (of course, they don't run footage of him and his buddies at deer camp, because that's not out in the open) I guess I'm leaving that idea hanging without closure.

The other possibility is that I'm definitely becoming more comfortable with myself. I did realize halfway through the parade I was standing with my hands in my coat pockets, a body language that says "I'm hiding". Over-all, I am glad I was there with friends that I talked with to, from and during the parade. We did ride 40 miles overall (it WAS a cycling event).

My perspective is that the parade's message was that normal people can be gay. Just because a person is gay doesn't mean he/she is a freak. We are regular people, too. So, is this a direction the gay community is going with their image, or a local factor, or just my wishful thinking?

Any thoughts?



Cycling is the one sport where a guy can shave his legs, wear spandex and bright colors, and be accepted.
Re: Gay Pride Parade in New Hope, PA - my perspective  [message #65751 is a reply to message #65750] Sun, 15 May 2011 21:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13739



My perspective is that pride parades are all things to all people. There is the carnival, of course there is, and there are the ordinary people. I enjoy watching the carnival types and ADORE being an ordinary gay man.

I have walked in two parades now, I don't need to walk in any more, but I may choose to. I am proud to be who I am. I walked with the ordinary people. I am an ordinary gay man. IT took a choice to walk in the first. t was not even a decision to walk in the second, it was just an obvious thing to do. It was my local one.

I have no experience of pride parade history. Someone who has been at and in more than I should comment on how and whether they have changed. Our own correspondent has some reports on this. Start at the end of http://tinyurl.com/5tmjd95 and work up. Well, don't read upwards, obviously! Do it article by article. The articles deal with happening upon London Pride on 4 July 2009, and participating in Brighton and Reading



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
icon14.gif Re: Gay Pride Parade in New Hope, PA - my perspective  [message #65752 is a reply to message #65750] Sun, 15 May 2011 21:38 Go to previous message
chrisjames147 is currently offline  chrisjames147

Really getting into it
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630



How wonderful for you, Scott. Gay Pride is one of the events that brings joy to the heart.

I too have seen some of the events that shock the average person. I am speaking of Gay Pride in San Francisco circa 1981, and Washington D.C. in the years following.

Yes, there are the aspects of Mardi Gras. The freaky moments that draw a gasp and you hope will not appear on the evening news. But in general there are just gay people who are out to be seen and see what the community offers.

I saw it as an event that was all inclusive. I took straight friends and their kids who went to enjoy the parades, the music and the fun. Everyone can laugh at men racing in high heels or parading in outrageous drag. Nothing nasty about that.

But there will always be those who are out to shock the world with that 'in your face' kind of demonstration. I know all about that, I marched as a member of ACTUP DC in those early years. The Gay Plague scared us all and no one in government seemed to care.

Today I am just proud to display the HRC equals sign on my vehicles. I get waves from those in the know, and at my age those are the people who count.

Thanks for sharing your feelings, Scott. It takes pride to lead a successful gay life. Bravo.



Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
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