"Gay Pride"

[terrya]

Well, it's June. Gay Pride Month.

It's a time of affirmation for GLBT people. It's history, of course. To commerate the Stonewall riots in 1969, which were the trigger for the modern gay rights movement. But there were pioneers before Stonewall...Franklin Kameny and Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin. The Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis, good brave people who fought for our rights and our place at the table before Stonewall.

It's sort of a time of reflection for me. It's not just a party, as the Pride parade is. Don't get me wrong, it IS fun. :-) But it should be more than that.

When Bill Clinton was President, every June he issued a proclamation celebrating Gay Pride Month. It was sort of amazing for me...granted, he was a politician and he was recognizing a voting bloc who helped put him in the White House. But it was still sort of amazing to me that the President of the United States would actually recognize GLBT people..that we are a part of the American quilt, so to speak.

And now we have a President who basically despises us. But we will be here. After this man has long gone from the scene.

Proclamations and parades are nice. But I wish that Gay Pride Month would get all Americans thinking. That we are your fathers, your mothers, your sons and daughters. Your sisters and brothers. Your friends. That we are America, also.

Thank you, DUer's.

Terry

[NWHarkness]

1. FYI

28,000 people at Detroit Pride this year, far surpassing any previous attendance.

Ferndale mayor Robert Porter conducted marriage ceremonies (non-binding, alas) for 11 couples.

[newyawker99]

2. kick

:kick:

[proud patriot]

3. This is the perfect thread for me to ask

How do I as a straight person show gay pride ?
Well my support . Is a pink Triangle appropriate ?

I just recently learned about the pink Triangle and
it's history .

I'd like to add a GLBT support sticker to my car .

Thanks for any advise :hi: Hi Terry

[terrya]

5. A pink triangle is appropriate. As well as a rainbow flag.

The good admins here at DU have made both as avatars. You'll see a LOT of rainbow flags at Pride.

I like the pink triangle just because of the history. As you know, homosexuals forced into the concentration camps during World War II were forced to wear the pink triangle to indentify themselves. And we've honored the gay victims of the camps by appropriated the pink triangle as a rememberance.

Either the pink triangle or the rainbow flag are appropriate, proud patriot.

I'm so proud of you. It shows that you are very supportive of us.

If there's a Pride Parade, go. Take your wife and kids. One thing that amazed me seeing my first Pride Parade was the straight people there with their kids. It gave me the greatest feeling.

:-) :hi:

Terry

[WindRavenX]

7. Thanks for the info

As a straight chica filled with gay pride, I have often wondered which is the most appropriate. :hi:

[proud patriot]

9. Cool Thanks

:hi:

[Unperson 309]

8. Try Googling

the phrase "I'm Straight but I'm NOT Narrow!" and see if you can find a site that sells that bumpersticker. I've seen it around. IIRC, it has a rainbow flag and those words. The wording might differ such as "I may be straight, but I'm not narrow!". It's a great way to show solidarity!

309

[proud patriot]

10. oh, I like that "straight but not narrow"

:thumbsup:

[Selwynn]

11. I like the "Celebrate Diversity" Rainbow sticker...

It kinda covers it all, I fell :D

[Sapphocrat]

13. proud patriot...

Well, for one thing, just by asking, you're making a statement to straight folks who might want to support us, but are worried about "guilt by association." (Yeah, I'm afraid that is a big deal for some.)

Along with the other fine suggestions here, I'd also suggest attending LGBT-rights events when you can. You don't have to march in a pride parade, but there are lots of other, "smaller," but just as important events where your presence and support would really help.

For example: My tiny, conservative hometown just passed a proclamation making June 7 Gay Pride Day -- a proposal the city council had previously rejected. I believe that the strong support shown by the local straight community (including my own 82-year-old -- and VERY straight -- mom) had a great deal to do with convincing the council to reverse its earlier decision.

"Town hall meetings" are another great way to show your support. My (very, very, VERY straight) sister attended one with me in San Francisco, to show her support for same-sex immigration rights. (She also got her very own "straight but not narrow" button there, which she loves. :) )

Letters to the editor are ALWAYS appreciated. Just as we refute LGBT myths here on DU, you can do the same (in as little time as it takes to post a message here) by e-mailing your opinion on any LGBT issues you see in news outlets all over the world.

And, of course, if you'd like to march in a pride parade, we'd love to see you there. :) Seriously, one sight that brought me completely to tears was at a S.F. parade some years ago: A male-female couple marched hand-in-hand together, holding signs that said: "WE'RE STRAIGHT, WE'RE MARRIED, AND WE SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS."

They may not have changed the world that day, but they made my heart swell with joy -- and I've never forgotten them. :)

Thanks for asking, p.p. -- you don't even realize just how many of us are truly touched by your question.

[newsguyatl]

4. i just got back from

one of the grocery stores here in town, and the whole store is decked out in gay pride balloons, flags, and decorations. it was insane!

refreshing to see though.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

6. the more I think on it the more I realize how revolutionary Gay Pride is.

...the Gay movement is pushing for something that the world has not really seen...tolerance, acceptance and equality for GLBT people. This is actually a pretty radical agenda, when you think about, which is why the enemys of the GLBT folks are so strident and aggressive.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

12. I think I was at the first parade in Chicago

I was on the Broadway bus and saw someone all camped up - not a rare sight, but it was like 10 in the morning - and asked where he was going and he said There's a parade, wanna come with? So I did. This was back in the days of Dugan's Bistro and Carol's Coming Out Pub, and the Snakepit, and so many others.

I went to other parades, but I stopped going because I really hate crowds and I really hate drunks, now that I'm older and rarely drink. But I support the GLBT community with votes, donations and friendships.

Even though I'm no longer much of a drinker, here's to Gay Pride. :toast: