OurChart's Bloggers
Our Favorite Sites
Tips?
thehookup@ourchart.com
Pride: Our Liberation Celebration
June 24, 2008 - 9:27am — Grace Moon
As you are well aware, this is Pride month, celebrated in cities around the country and the world. We’ll be bringing you coverage from San Francisco, New York and even Mexico City. Lest we forget, Pride commemorates the beginning of the modern LGBT liberation movement which began on June 27, 1969, with the Stonewall Riots. The arrest, beating and bullying of queers by police had been a regular occurrence during the first half of the 20th century. On that fateful day in 1969, when police raided the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in the West Village, the queers fought back.
Stonewall Inn circa 1969
And we’ve been fighting back ever since. Sure, our tactics have changed dramatically over the years. We’ve become organized, well-defined, re-defined, more sophisticated, if you will, but our purpose remains the same. We fight for equality and freedom. I had a fascinating interview with Kerry Eleveld, the news editor of the Advocate, who discussed with me at length issues concerning gay marriage and the implications of LGBT rights in the presidential race. I’ve posted the video in Wake Up today.
I say this a lot and I will continue to say it into my grave: our voices and visibility here on this site, in the streets, in the work place, everywhere you are out, is an act of activism. Whether you work in lesbian media or for the man, our everyday interactions and dialog, our clothing, our habits, our lifestyle...they are all an act of activism.
The Gay Liberation Movement circa. 1970
So, as we march down 6th Avenue, gather at Dolores Park and party in the streets at Castro and Market, our celebration is the expression of our freedom, all the work that has been and has yet to be accomplished.
Friday, June 27:
SF Trans March
Saturday, June 28:
SF Dyke March
NYC Dyke March
Sunday, June 29:
Pride in SF and NYC
For anyone in other cities celebrating Pride or attending or launching a Pride event this week, please feel free to shout out in the comments below.
Stonewall Inn circa 1969
And we’ve been fighting back ever since. Sure, our tactics have changed dramatically over the years. We’ve become organized, well-defined, re-defined, more sophisticated, if you will, but our purpose remains the same. We fight for equality and freedom. I had a fascinating interview with Kerry Eleveld, the news editor of the Advocate, who discussed with me at length issues concerning gay marriage and the implications of LGBT rights in the presidential race. I’ve posted the video in Wake Up today.
I say this a lot and I will continue to say it into my grave: our voices and visibility here on this site, in the streets, in the work place, everywhere you are out, is an act of activism. Whether you work in lesbian media or for the man, our everyday interactions and dialog, our clothing, our habits, our lifestyle...they are all an act of activism.
The Gay Liberation Movement circa. 1970
So, as we march down 6th Avenue, gather at Dolores Park and party in the streets at Castro and Market, our celebration is the expression of our freedom, all the work that has been and has yet to be accomplished.
Friday, June 27:
SF Trans March
Saturday, June 28:
SF Dyke March
NYC Dyke March
Sunday, June 29:
Pride in SF and NYC
For anyone in other cities celebrating Pride or attending or launching a Pride event this week, please feel free to shout out in the comments below.
- Grace Moon's blog
- Login or register to post comments
- Share
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
YahooTagged As
Recent comments
- hi hun, can you please post links to where these figures came from. rovermom :) Life is a 3D puzzle and everyone has a piece...
- I agree with everything you have written here PK. It was hard enough to find one's way around on here when it was ...
- I prefer ittybitty dogs . ROTFLMAO...
- Yeah, I guess I sort of figured out that they really don't care. You know, I completely understand having to cut back in ...
- Nice job LL. That's a very clever haiku. :) xoxo - PK...
45 Comments
There were a couple of
There were a couple of Prides in Europe today, Paris and Berlin went OK, Zagreb too, but different story in Brno in Czech Republic and Bulgaria. I apologize for the lousy translation :) :
"During pride in Brno at least 20 people were injured. Around 500 activists gathered in the center of the city, led by Czech Ministry for human rights Dzemila Stehlikova and tennis legend Martina Navratilova. Before the beginning of the pride, around 40 young men attacked participants with eggs and firecrackers. Thanks to police interventions, worse injuries were prevented.
But that wasn't it, organizers had to change the route of pride, because of the gathering of Neo-Nazis and illegal Czech national guard. But the attack was not avoided, so the police stopped neo-nazis with gas bombs. Seven people were arrested in this fist Czech gay pride.
It wasn't any better in Bulgaria. 88 extremists were arrested, 18 of which were minors, who tried to stop the first gay pride in streets of Sofia. Attackers had baseball bats, and one of them threw Molotov cocktail, luckily, there weren't any injured."
We had Molotovs in Croatia last year. :)
And now for the conclusion: Don't go to prides in Europe :D
Brazilian Pride - São Paulo May 25th
I'm a Brazilian who lives in São Paulo.
Last Month we had our pride weekend. Four days to celebrate freedom, respect and choice. Besides the Parade itself (which gathered almost 5 million people - gays, lesbians, transexuals and everybody else who felt like being there), there were lots of other events happening around the city during the whole 4-day holiday.
During these days the city was ours! Gay couples expressing afection freely on the streets, colorful rainbows hanging from windows of buildings...
did you know that the Brazilian pride has been considered the biggest one in the world for the last 3 years in a row?
I AM PROUD!!!
PRIDE***
WOO WOO I'm going! and this will be my first pride ever!!! and what a great time to celebrate after coming out this year with my girlfriend of 5 years!!!! I can't wait and hope to see you all there!!! Let's party, get drunk, and celebrate :)
SF pride
i'm going to San Francisco, this is my third time attending there and i can say that SF Pride is the mother of all prides :) it's awesome and i'm excited!!!
Queer As Folk Fans
Talking about Pride celebrations always reminds me of Heather Small's song "Proud." As much as The L Word is a ground-breaking series for us Lezzies, Queer as Folk was for gay men (mostly, with one lesbian couple). I continue watching the reruns on Logo and love it. Here's a tribute to the end of the series set to Heather Small's great song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksznJCr7ad8&feature=related
Lezbeth
=)
i always looooved queer as folk!!
omg yeah and my mom did too lol
but shes not so comfortable with the l word
i think only because of me lol
Proud
I love that song too! Thanks for sharing the video and reminding us how the amazing "Queer As Folk" series opened new doors. I have been enjoying celebrating Pride Month and plan to extend it well into the summer!
NEUQUEN,PATAGONIA,ARGENTINA
Here we come! May be the smallest in the world but it´s amazing too! =)
Saturday, june 28.
Happy pride everyone!!!!!
SÃO PAULO PRIDE!!!!
It is the largest in the world with approximately 3.5 million people!
It is a-m-a-z-i-n-g!
Come when they can, always occurs in the month of June in Avenue Paulista /Sao Paulo - Brazil!
Denver
Just had it. It was great, but I'm biased, because Pride also is our [my girl & me] anniversary. Just wanted to shout out from the Rockies.
~paz y amor siempre
Atlanta Pride is July 4th
Atlanta Pride is July 4th weekend. Soooo excited. This will be the first Pride after coming out
New York City!Sunday June 29.
If I REALLY luck out I'll crash at a friends in Queens that weekend, or at the very least I'll just arrive early morning and make a long day of it.
I've done a few San Francisco Prides, and I used to work setting up the WEHO Prides for a few years, so this is my first Pride on the East Coast.I love New York.I'm down for an adventure;-)
this will be my first san
this will be my first san francisco pride seeing that i just moved here two and half weeks ago, but i am extremely excited. and for anyone that will be lingering around the city for the week after pride, there will be a 4th of july show at the house i'm currently living at with bands coming from portland and seattle, and i will be drumming for two other bands. there will also be a bbq, most likely vegan. anyone and everyone is welcome to come, message me for more details
Israeli pride
The Israeli pride events started June 6th and will last until the end of July. Although the main parade already took place, Tel Aviv is still covered with rainbow flags – hang by the authorities – and just yesterday celebrated the opening of the annual LGBT International Film Festival.
Meanwhile, the TV networks (cables, mainly) are broadcasting so many LGBT films, documentaries and series that some of us look forward to a decent heterosexual sweet and juicy romantic movie in which the boy kisses the girl (no strap-on included) and they live happily ever after (oh, and none of them is a transgender).
Our main conflict every year is about the parade in Jerusalem. As always, fanatical ultra-orthodox jews, associate with religious Christians and Muslims protesters are doing everything they can in order to prevent it and let it "defile the holy city". But hey, for once, they stop fighting each other and start fighting the "same sex sinners", which is also a progress. controversial one, but still :).
Two years ago, for example, 7,000 police officers and 200 paramedics were deployed to protect an estimated 2,500 marchers. I hope it'll be easier this year.
fabulous pride
"For the past 4 years I have attended DC and Baltimore Pride, and as usual each city delivers nothing but wonderful events, activities, and crowds. Next stop ATL pride for us, we look forward to displaying our pride once again" this is what I would usually write--but of course it doesn't start or stop there does it? You are absolutely right, we represent on a daily basis--and yes! I'm so happy and gay about it *wink* I love being the "lesbian" at work, or out in the streets... I love being out to my friends and family--regardless of their beliefs. Here's to being proud and queer! *raised glass*
Winnipeg Pride
Has come and gone - but we left our videos on Youtube to carry on...
Winnipeg Pride 2008
∞ Reach out and touch somebody ∞
Toronto Pride here we
Toronto Pride here we come!!!!!!!!!
Sacramento Pride
Last Saturday. A very small event compared to SF and other big cities, but a good celebration. And, compared to where I live, it's a definite city environment.
I recommend anyone who attends a pride event (or doesn't) rent the movie "Before Stonewall" and watch it before the end of the month. If you have time, rent "After Stonewall" and watch it too.
Lezbeth
After never attending a single pride,
SF will be my third one this year, following LBC and LA. I am very proud to be attending, especially with my beautiful girlfriend on my arm. Woohoo!
Pride.....
Was celebrated in the halls of the Justice Department last week for the first time in eight years because of a new Attorney General that recognizes the rights of the people who work there for the freedom of others as a daily routine. Under G.W.Bush and Gonzales and Ashcroft, the celebration had been banned!
"What are you doing with my girlfriend?"
That's Very Cool!
Not the last eight years, but this one.
Lezbeth
YES....
Things will get better as soon as we get some good people in there. It's a movement forward anyway.
"What are you doing with my girlfriend?"
NYC!!!!
I will be Pride-ing it up all weekend long including the dyke march and the party on the pier. This will be my first, so I'm very excited for so many boobies! :)
florida pride
st. pete pride is on saturday!
Chicago needs to step up
I'll be at Chicago Pride and Chicago Dyke March this weekend. I almost wish I were in Ontario instead because Toronto has one of the most amazing Pride WEEKS. Yes, they get a whole week to celebrate.
Chicago has a really great parade. I think around 250,000 people show up for it - obviously a huge number of those are our hetero allies or onlookers. And the Chicago Dyke March is a really, really good event. We don't get nearly as many observers as the parade does, but it still draws a crowd and gets the message out. There's a gathering after Dyke March featuring female / lesbian / bi / femme / butch / boi / ftm / genderqueer / ftm / tranny / stud / women-empowering musicians, poets, activists, and artists from all walks of life. And the amazing thing this year is that they're moving the Dyke March away from the safety of the very lesbigay-friendly northside neighborhood of Andersonville to the southside Latino neighborhood of Pilsen with the idea of spreading the message to neighborhoods that need it more than the ones already packed with lesbians.
With all the goodness that comes from the parade and the march I do have to say that I am very disappointed in the actual Pride events that Chicago puts on. I've been to much better organized, better attended, cheaper pride events with more merchants/vendors and better entertainers in much smaller cities than Chicago. Chi-town really needs to step up their game and make ALL of Pride an event that people want to participate in and make it a goal to have less gender segregation of the weekend's events.
That being said, I am totally looking forward to Girl in a Coma and God-des & She coming to town this Friday!!
~Slicey
Chi towns pride...
I agree with you about Chi town. I'm from upstate NY and been to Chicago's pride the last 2 years, and will be at this years as well. I wasn't all that impressed with Chicago, I've been to better prides, a hell of a lot more vedors, more things going on, after parties are way cheaper. But it is fun for the most part and yeah, the parade is a good time so...can't complain ALL that much. They should def try to turn up the excitement for next year though.
Slicey!
xo
Moon, I miss your face! You
Moon, I miss your face!
You should come back to Chicago. :)
~Slicey
Paris
i'll be at Paris Pride this Sat! [28th]!
----
after silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.
--aldous huxley
hot!
philly pride was hot, hot, hot! on june 8th. literally... i was sweating throughout the whole day. but it was still very fun!
i'm hoping to go to nyc pride this saturday!
!!!! Italy !!!!!
june 28, Bologna Pride !!!!
www.bolognapride.it
Toronto Pride this weekend
Toronto Pride this weekend and uh huh Her is performing on Saturday. A shout out to all queers around Toronto to attend. woooooooooooot!
Shane fan
Samedi!
Paris (France) Pride this Saturday! I'll be there!
If you deny any affinity with another person or kind of person, if you declare them to be wholly different from yourself, you have, in fact, alienated yourself...~Le Guin
This is my first Pride.
I'm so excited!!!! I live in NY I'll be in the city all weekend celebrating. HAPPY PRIDE EVERYONE!!!
If you're up at that hour
stop by Central Park around 9:00am to check out the Pride run. Lots of incredible looking women in sports bras. mmmmmmm. Oh, I'll be running in it as well. I'll be the slow one.
----------------------------------
http://scoopstheblog.com
Madrid shouts out
Madrid pride parties start on June 28, and end with the Pride March on July the 5th. I will report back with pictures of the events. ; )
Cris
Twin Cities Pride
Twin Cities Pride is this weekend. The festival is in Loring Park downtown Minneapolis. The parade is Sunday morning down Hennepin Ave. I'll be there!
My first pride was in Grand Rapids, MI (West Michigan Pride Day) 20 years ago. In 1992, I attended the San Francisco Pride.
Oh, and along with Ebe down there, I attended ABQ Pride Weekend this year but missed the parade. Shout out to EBE!
kelka pride
the pictures of kelka pride looked awsome! i wish i had gone!
well there is a gathering
well there is a gathering next year. you should come. :D
Pride in the 'Couver...
spans three months. It kicks off with a couple of small events in June and culminates with the 30th Anniversary of the Pride Parade on August 3rd.
*** ***
"It matters not Who you love, Where you love, Why you love, When you love, Or how you love, It matters only that you love." - Lennon
abq and la
I already celebrated in Los Angeles and Albuquerque.
abq was definitely the best. anyone with me? :P
Saturday, June 28. Lansing
Saturday, June 28. Lansing Pride. Be there.
It'll be my first. =]
STL
St. Louis pride this Sat. and Sunday. It'll be my first. Pretty excited...
Amanda
Seattle Shout Out
Representing the seattle queers!
Pride parade is this sunday the 29
with dyke march sat the 28.
happy pride everyone