Stonewall at 40: Do We Still Need Pride Parades?

As the 40th anniversary of the legendary uprising at Greenwich Village's now-historic Stonewall Inn approaches, we can look back at the brave men and women who raised up their hands and fists and said, "No more!" People were tired of being harassed, tired of being corralled and led away in shame and dishonor, tired of being treated like second-class citizens. When the Stonewall was raided shortly after midnight on June 28, 1969, a group of gay men, lesbians, drag queens, street youth, hustlers and more fought back against the police. They used coins, bricks, garbage, bottles and their voices to tell the "authorities" to step the fuck back.

Two years later, the first gay pride parades took place in Los Angeles and New York and have spread to cities large and small the world over. But after 40 years, do we still need to gather in the streets in our capitals and small towns to tell the world, "We're here. We're queer..."? Ah, you know the rest.

It's an interesting concept, the pride parade. Whether it's to show Puerto Rican pride, Irish pride, American pride ... gay pride, people want to gather in the streets each year to say, "Hell yeah, this is who I am and I love it!" But do annual Pride parades still have the same objectives and reach the same goals today as they did 20 —or even 10—years ago? The gay community has made major strides in the last decade. We have representatives in politics, entertainment, sports, science and adademics, and we are allowed to get married or have a civil union in dozens of countries and a number of U.S. states. Yet we still have a ways to go before we truly have equality.

When you think about Pride in your town or city, what first comes to mind? Is it the riots that started our gay liberation? Is it the political factions who helped us get where we are? Perhaps it's the companies that supported our rights to work alongside straight people and get the same benefits. Or do you just think about how fucked up you're going to get while watching hot, buff, gyrating go-go boys toss beads your way?

However you view your Pride, you can't deny we got to this place today by the support and help of a lot of people. Whether you were in the trenches fighting or benefitted from those actions, each summer we come together to remember how we got here. But why can't we do this everyday? There is plenty of dissention within our community to make us all take pause and ask what it is we're proud of. If each of us takes a step back and thinks about it, we can remember something in each of our lives that makes us proud to be gay. But is it because of some politician or some company or a big fat party? Yes.

There are many ways to show pride in who you are. If you feel like you have to get wasted to do it, so be it. Otherwise, stay home. Just make sure you do something on one of the other 364 days of the year.

(Image courtesy of Getty)

Comments

[Antonio]

Just loved this post and think you're absolutely right. We all achieve so much but we all need to stop a little bit and think of what we are fighting for now. I'm brazilian and, sadly, the Sao Paulo Gay Parade is more a big darkroom on the streets than a fight for our rights and celebration of our pride.

[Jim Burdette]

I 62 year old man that God created Gay. And since the God of my understanding does not created junk.......then in His eyes I was created equal to every other man. Our only difference is who or what I choose to go to bed with and wake up next too and this is done behind closed doors and no ones business.
Of course we need to continue gay pride week, month, why not 24/7 all year and all years after. What we need to do as a community is too rethink the manner in which we display our pride. I feel the days of Gay Pride Parades are gone. Unfortunately our national news agency coverage was on the "freak" show taking place in our parades. And, please do not patronize me by saying I do not know what he is talking about. Of course you do, almost totally nude painted bodies prancing down the street with feathers coming out of every orvis of their bodies.......making wonderful faces and jestures in the camera. As a man that is gay I was apalled at these actions. As the saying goes "we've come a long way baby", despite ourselves. We have so much so very much in which to be proud today. Just one wonderful example. The movie Milk......nominated for an Academy Award one of 5 and Sean Pean nominated and winning Best Actor as Harvey Milk. Talk about pride - what better of which to be proud. Now I ask, how many of you reading this that are under 40 even bothered to go see this movie? I saw it.....loved it......associated with it.......because I LIVED this story. I would hate to think that what myself and my piers endured was not in vain and will not be wasted. Not wasted on some 20ish faggot marching is or her half necked, painted, glittered, plumaged ass down some street in a Gay Pride parade.

[Jeffer]

As long as the gay marriage/civil union conversation includes what "god" supposedly wants, and we base our laws on that supposition, we have a problem with separation of church and state.

[mfholland]

MOSCOW – Riot police violently broke up several gay rights demonstrations in Moscow on Saturday, hauling away scores of protesters hours before the Russian capital hosted a major international pop music competition.

City officials had warned they would not tolerate marches or rallies supporting the rights of gays and lesbians. Activists had targeted Moscow, which was holding the finals of the Eurovision song contest on Saturday, to press their claims that Russia officially sanctions homophobia.

[jerry johnson]

milwaukee, wi---yes! pride parades are a must. they help bring the glbt and straight communities out to celebrate together. milwaukee has had parades and festivals since the early 1970s. the current festival is huge--3 days--june 12-13-14. if the weather is good there should be some 50,000 attending on the incredible summerfest grounds on our downtown lakefront. parades are an institution as are festivals. the parade adds to a great weekend honoring glbt citizens.

[corrective_unconscious]

So that they can include more str8 allies, pride parades should morph into g/l/b/t organized Carnivale type celebrations.

[mikey]

I've only been to one gay pride parade, when I was in my 20s, I think it was 1986. Even at that age, I was embarrassed by what I was seeing. I felt no pride in that display. Pride to me represents our successes and goals towards achievement and our strive towards equality and respect from all people despite the obstacles in our way. Not how drunk and naked and flaming we can get in public. They have Mardi Gras for that.

[Me]

We can never have enough pride parades. And I'm talking about REAL PRIDE PARADES where the thousands and thousands of gay persons who have contributed greatly to the society at large and made us proud were prominently showcased for the whole world to see. Those parades can only help our causes. If we're talking about the ones regularly seen nowadays that resemble public male burlesque shows, then HELL NO!!!

[Jonathan Plessner-Tel Aviv]

There is no problem with celebrating the rights achieved (so far) by the GLBT communities in the U.S.A or in many other countries. God knows many of us are still alive who have earned the right to party... but there are many of our brothers and sisters around the world who dont have anything to celebrate (Egypt, Russia, and Africa). We shouldn't forget them or their plight nor should we forget the thousands of gays who were butchered by Nazis.

Gay Pride parades should draw attention to the plight of those whose voices are still too weak to demand their rights and to stand together with millions who still face daily persecution. Let all of our voices cry out for freedom! If all my family is not free, am I?

[Jon]

Special packages for Toronto Pride can be found here http://conxity.com/pages/pridetoronto.php come celebrate freedom, diversity, and love at North America's largest Pride in North Americas most accepting city and the most multicultural city in the world.

[sojourn]

THIS IS NOT EQUAL RIGHTS... THIS TOILET DUMPING .. CRAP CRAP CRAP

[sojourn]

such as people feel so sexually repressed that they will lose themselves to whatever opportunity presents itself, for example in prisons) but parenting and sexual encounters with homosexuals are the main reasons. Indeed homosexual activists know that they cannot give birth and that homosexuality is largely due to environmental factors, and so they try to 'recruit' to keep their 'population.' In fact it was exposed that some homosexual groups distributed pamphlets to younger people and children trying to get them to attend homosexual meetings to learn more about themselves or to find out about any confusing things they are having with their sexuality, and to avoid telling their parents where they were going. It is often said that at these so called meetings is where they try to initiate the pre-teen into the lifestyle usually by another adult.

[sojourn]

Homosexuality is usually due to victim hood of adolescents or from children, not because of any genetic factors but largely because of environmental ones. The media has distorted the actual results of what those who tried to prove a homosexual gene actually found. They themselves admitted to their scientific peers that they found none and the idea that it was environmentally influenced still stands. To understand this more, the sexual drive (the desire to engage in sex) IS genetic. However with whom you choose to do it with, how you do it and to what you direct your attention and imagination to when you do so, whether the opposite sex, the same sex, children, infants or animals is a matter of personal choice.

The victim hood I speak of is usually caused by a child being neglected by a parent of the same sex, a daughter desiring to be held by one's mother and be nurtured for example, only for whatever reasons, bad parenting, or unfortunate circumstances, the child as she grows seeks this nurturing, but will get the motherly nurturing more and more confused until it begins to resemble a sexual yearning. The same will be true for boys without the attention of fathers. Another problem is when the parents do not treat their child according to their gender and reinforcing the beauty of their gender, for example a father telling his daughter how lovely she is or reinforcing what a fine man his son will turn out to be, that is acceptance of the child's gender and making them feel comfortable in their role. Sometimes this is neglected in say a couple wanted a son, but got a daughter instead or vice versa, and may unintentionally treat the child differently or show no acceptance for the child's gender, leaving the child to unconsciously behave more like the opposite gender in order to please their parents.

However the problems don't have to stem from parenting. A child or young teen may be molested or had a sexual encounter with an adult of the same sex who took advantage of them and like Stockholm syndrome they may hate to think that they have become victims and tell themselves that they are homosexuals and that it was consensual. Indeed many cases of homosexuals state that because of such encounters in their early life they 'discovered' they were homosexual and are happy about it.

There may be other explanations too (such as people feel so sexually repressed that they will lose themselves to whatever opportunity presents itself, for example in prisons) but parenting and sexual encounters with homosexuals are the main reasons. Indeed homosexual activists know that they cannot give birth and that homosexuality is largely due to environmental factors, and so they try to 'recruit' to keep their 'population.' In fact it was exposed that some homosexual groups distributed pamphlets to younger people and children trying to get them to attend homosexual meetings to learn more about themselves or to find out about any confusing things they are having with their sexuality, and to avoid telling their parents where they were going. It is often said that at these so called meetings is where they try to initiate the pre-teen into the lifestyle usually by another adult.

[sojourn]

In the King James Version, Leviticus 18:22 is translated: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."
All homosexual behavior is sinful, regardless of the nature of the relationship. Homosexuality is a chosen, unnatural, abnormal, changeable, and perverted lifestyle, which is hated by God.

[sojourn]

Leviticus 20:13
13(A) If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

Corinthian 6:9
9Or do you not know that the unrighteous[a] will not inherit the kingdom of God ? Do not be deceived:(A) neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,[b]

[sojourn]

When you see two male dogs trying to have sex , we laugh and call it a stupid dog. This is not a NATURAL ACT.

NATURE DICTATES THAT LAW.

Now the immoral.

(1 Corinthians 6:9-10) "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God ? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God ."

They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarily. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

[sojourn]

1 Corinthians 6:9
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God ? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
SODOMITES »

[sojourn]

ASK FOR GIVENESS..

STOP CORRUPTING THE CHILDREN..

HAVE SOME RESPONSILILTY..

[sojourn]

The grace and Peace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you All!

[sojourn]

God gave you free will...

It is up to you in how you use it...

[hadoge]

good example how rel|g|on simply doesn't work. instead of inspiring people and spreading love, teaching people to love (as it is claimed) they deal with demagougery and intimation. presenting your arguments is pointless - there's a dogma somewhere for everything. actually quite convenient...

AND i just can't refrain to mention that it's scary that some people need to have "thou shalt not kill" written somewhere down

ANNNDD just for the record, it's only organised rel|g|on that i'm against - spirituality is something very different and far more positive

[Jeffrey A]

These hateful, and wrong comments by this man above, remind us why we need a pride parade..so we can be there, to face the few zealots, that are out there with their signs saying God is love, (supposedly trying to convert you), by spewing hate! This is the time we need to come together as one, and let them know we are PROUD, and its only getting better! BTW, I am 25 and seen the Harvey Milk movie, best movie I seen in a long time,(I cried) it made me realize how lucky I am, my freedoms, and how getting people to love and accept us as a whole starts with them knowing just one of us! An early wish for everyone to enjoy GAY PRIDE MONTH!