Personal note: With Wicked doing such an excellent job, I have some huge shoes to fill for doing the Out Spotlight while she is working on some of the technical things for OMG. The Out Spotlight is too important not to have. My apologies if I make mistakes in facts or focus I am learning as doing. So I ask for patience and to bear with me as I attempt do something even close to the great job Wicked did. Topics, suggestions and ideas are welcomed and encourage. 
PRIDE
Pride celebrations, parades and events, what's the history behind Gay Pride?
Gay pride or LGBT pride refers to a world wide movement and philosophy asserting that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Gay pride advocates work for equal rights and benefits for all people.
The movement has three main premises:
- That people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity,
- That sexual diversity is a gift,
- And that sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered.
Throughout history there has been a need to recognize the oppression of homosexuality in society and the belief that all that gays, lesbian, and bisexual people deserve the same rights as others without judgement or hate.
From early Greek societies, who do did not use sexual orientation for social identification, through the oppression of all sexuality of during the Medieval times from the Church, to modern society , Pride has drawn attention to the gay community throughout history. In the 19th century" Germany, there was an early gay rights movement akin to today's Gay Pride movement. Lead by Magnus Hirschfeld, this movement sought to educate the public and to bring about the repeal of Paragraph 175, a pr
ovision of the German Criminal Code begun on the 15th May, 1871, which made homosexual acts between males a crime."But modern Gay Pride has its roots in Stonewall.
The first gay pride parade was a protest. On June 27, 1969, the March on Stonewall, started as a protest against discrimination and violence following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar at 43 Christopher Street, in Greenwich Village, NYC. The late Miss Stephen Whittaker, a transgender rights activist and founding member of both the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance, is credited by many as the first to actually strike back at the police and, in so doing, spark the rebellion. Further protests and rioting continued for several nights following the raid. These protests and riots became known as the Stonewall Riots/Stonewall Rebellion, which is generally considered to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement.
The first year anniversary rally and the "Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March" on June 28, 1970 was to commemorate the Stonewall Rebellion. First year anniversary marches organized by other groups were also held in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The celebrations to commerate Stonewall in New York and Atlanta, Georgia became to be known Gay Liberation Day, in San Francisco and Los Angeles the day was called Gay Freedom Day, both names spread from those cities to other parts of the world in celebrating the LGBT community.
Brenda Howard originated the idea for a week-long series of events around what is now known as Pride Day; this became the first of the extended annual LGBT Pride celebrations that are now held around the world.
Pride became something more during the 1980's the marches began dropping "Liberation" and "Freedom" from their names under pressure from more conservative members of the community, replacing them with the philosophy of "Gay Pride". It was also during this time that Pride was a time to celebrate diversity, and acceptance and lives of the community even during times of great loss. It has over the years has provided a chance to address the issues, concerns and focus within the LGBT community, from basic rights of all, the decriminalization of homosexuality, to fight to remove homosexuality as a psychological disorder, to AIDS and its impact, healthcare, funding for research, gay adoption, the celebration of gay and lesbian families, legal rights for partners, to same sex marriage and more.
Today, Pride events have become an annual ritual and have grown to include hundred of thousands of gay and gay-friendly participants, not to mention thousands of spectators. From the the world's largest gay pride parade in with 3.5 milliion participants to the world's smallest gay pride parade with 100 participants in the city of Sligo, Ireland. It brings together all parts fro the LGBT community, from all ethnicities, economic groups and background. From drag queens to out and proud soccer moms, out Police and Emergency Workers, out Seniors, supportive friends and families, leathermen, bears, femmes, dykes, Pre Ops, Post Ops, even out Republicans! - all are welcome. It is a chance to celebrate, commemorate, and educate others about not just the LGBT community, but about about basic principles of tolerance, acceptance, and diversity for all.
44 comments:
Great post Special. I think the word on the left of the second picture is supposed to be "became" right? You might want to move that word so it shows under the pic. Other than that it looks great. Thanks!
Perfect post today - there's no question that our OutSpotlight is an integral part of OMG, and by all means must continue! I have no doubt you'll do a fine job with it, while Wicked is concentrating on the technical stuff. I love today's song proclaiming "In The Name of Love!" History is one of my favorite things, and LGTB history is heartbreaking, beautiful and something to be very proud of indeed. Happy Gay Pride Month for the month of June to all, and to even more progress in the advancement of equal rights for all in the future. :*
WTTW channel 11 in Chicago is airing a special called "Out & Proud in Chicago" It is on 6/3/08, at 7:30 pm and repeated at 9:30 pm CST. This is the Public broadcast station. Supposed to be a history of the LGBT community in Chicago.
Pride Day in Philadelphia is a big day. The turnout is always good. The area in Philly where the parade is held is ofically known as the Gayborhood. Under the streets signs is a similiar shaped sign made of the colors of the rainbow. One year on pride day I actually shook hands with Governer Rendell when he was the mayor of Philadelphia.
But I hear there is no Pride Day like Pride Day in NYC. I have never attended. Maybe we can hear about that from Destiny. I would also like to here about DC Pride day from Wicked.
Same sex kissing not safe at Safeco Field and Mariners?
What a great post to kick off Gay Pride Month. I have to admit that I haven't gone to the parade in NY in recent years because I am not a parade and huge crowds kind of gal. But I often do go down to the Village or Chelsea to walk around, have dinner and watch everyone. There is something really satisfying about seeing so many gay people out celebrating, and because there are so many I think there is a real feeling that you can safely be yourself out on the streets in a way that maybe you aren't in everyday life.
So, I wonder if Jake will be try to catch a performance of South Pacific in NY. :D Haven't seen it myself yet, but it is a huge hit.
Smoochie at the Phillies games in Citizens Bank Park they actually have a kissing contest. Couples are pictured up on the Phanavision and are expected to kiss. A best kiss winner is always picked at the end. Some of the kisses are definetly make out sessions which get huge applause. What what I've seen it seems like all guys control the cameras at the games. Once they displayed two really hot girls up on the screen.. The guys at the ballpark were screaming for the girls to kiss and urged them on. They seemed very embarrassed and refused to do so.
Smoochie, I've told the story before that there used to be a kissing contest at the Washington Mystics games. Mystics games have a large lesbian and lesbian couple following. They would never put a lesbian couple on the Jumbotron, despite many of us trying. The gay community complained about it in the local gay paper and the Mystics discontinued the kissing contest.
But I hear there is no Pride Day like Pride Day in NYC.
True. Amazing to see the streets packed with gay folks. I even got to see Stonewall before they tore it down.
DC Pride has really evolved over the years. It used to be held in Dupont Circle, the gay section of DC. As it got bigger and the community demanded more visibility, the festival moved to bigger and more visible locations and it is now held on Pennsylvania Ave, with its main stage in full view of the Capitol. Tink loves Pride and goes every year that we are in town for it. It is a great event for dogs- plenty of people to pet you and all that food that they drop! Tink fills up on French fries, ice cream, pretzels, basically whatever she can reach. There are usually a fair number of dogs there each year too.
The most memorable gay event I've ever been to was the 1993 March on Washington. Ellen was there with then-wife Anne Heche! Every car on the Metro going into town that day was full of gay people but there was this one straight guy on our car. Being among family, we were all doing pretty heavy PDA. The straight guy kept asking what everybody was doing, why men were kissing men, and women were kissing women, etc. Finally he got off the Metro (before his stop!) because he couldn't take it. My other great memory from that day was when we got to the Metro parking lot. There was an older, very conservative looking straight couple pulling into the last spot. We thought they were probably in for a real surprise. Then they opened the back door of their car and pulled out a big banner for PFLAG (Parent and Friends of Lesbians And Gays). Going to the same place we were, with the same agenda. Never assume.
I never realized how new the gay movement was, 1969 that is. I moved to the San Francisco bay area in 1971, in my early 20's, and the gay population was generally totally open and visible, which I just took for granted. I loved SF for its diversity of all kinds, especially the sexual diversity. CA's recent ruling I think is the start of a whole new freedom. Odd though that Lindsay Loghan may be the well known face to be openly gay rather than Jake.
I wanted to comment about something in the previous thread. I find it interesting when people say we're being mean to say negative things about Reese's looks. I see nothing wrong with it. Reese and her PR have made the choice to market her as a beauty and super-fit. It's a PR campaign, just like anything else. I see no reason not to call it out as bullshit, the same as any other PR campaign. If you're supposed to be beautiful and super-fit, you can't show up in a bikini looking like Reese did. You just can't. Reese did not choose to market herself as a regular girl next door or soccer mom. If she had, there would be nothing to say about those pix of her in a bikini. If you're going to do the sexy talk, you gotta do the sexy walk. And if you don't, expect to be called out for it.
Tink loves Pride and goes every year that we are in town for it. It is a great event for dogs- plenty of people to pet you and all that food that they drop! Tink fills up on French fries, ice cream, pretzels, basically whatever she can reach.
Woof!!
PFLAG (Parent and Friends of Lesbians And Gays). Going to the same place we were, with the same agenda. Never assume.
great story wicked. ita.
a gay friend of mine has religious parents and they accept him and all his frinds. the dad [a deacon] told me his philosphy on love and acceptence; family first, god 2nd, people/church last.
I remember there were lots of problems last year regarding the organization of our very own LGTB parade, although it finally went through and was a resounding success.
It's fascinating to see how fast it has become more or less a family event (almost). There's even been some grumbling about this in the queer community, people wondering if all those hets watching were truly supportive or simply there to enjoy a show that comforts them in their stereotyped vision of gay men and women - particularly men (i.e. sex, leather, transvestites, etc.)
What I know personally is that the crowd is always enthusiastic and I've never witnessed or heard any disparaging behavior or comment in the audience.
Having said that, what's great to see is that we now have several gay festivals throughout the year.
By the way, thanks Special for taking up the Spotlight torch. Don't very, Wicked's shoes seem to fit you very well.
Wicked, even though you'll be very busy I hope you'll still find the time to post once in a while. Have to admit though that I'm very happy to know that there will be a backup copy of OMG in a safe place. :)
from my GOOGLE ALERT -eonline says reeke was at cruise party last nite but no pics.
arrival pics- no reeke
says reeke arrived holding hands- no pics
'reeke arrived holding hands' = what else??!!
^^^ US magazine, OK magazine and Just Jared doesn't mention Reeke.
Ok, Us and Jared doesn't mention Prince, Sean Combs, Ben Stiller. Cuba Gooding Gooding either unlike Eonline.
jake and reese and tomkat, ewwwwww.
yea i dont beleive it til i see pics esp when eonline describes what color dreess all the women were wearing but nothing on reese., just that reeke was 'holding hands' which is a tired old standby desription.
btw where is tinker bell..austin??
omg..toothy believer = tb = tinker bell = austin
^^ anyone ever think of that?? :O
I'll wait for the pictures.
the TB name connection..
omg..toothy believer = tb = tinker bell = austin
:D :D
Bad Seed, what would I get if I planted some of your stuff in my garden? ;)
frenchy - evil pretty little girls. lol
the bad seed
Friends and relatives are confirming that T is about to PoP the question to Wicked before the end of June. T's sister is pushing him to not let this one get away. T wants Wicked to bare his children very badly says this really really really cute male nurse who takes care of T's sis. T has been seen beaming as he dicusses very personal issues with the cute male nurse. You know he has to be talking about romance.
Oh The Bad Seed looks like such a lovely little film! Thanks for the hint. :D
Forgot to ask earlier: since it's June already, will we have queer bands and singers this month? Would love to. :)
But I heard that Wicked won't discuss T's moving in until after they are married because she's very conservative and traditional, and that she doesn't want to be a bad influence on Tink, Potter and the rabbits. T wants to do this right! I did hear that T bonded with the male nurse on the trip to Puerto Vallarta, tho. ;)
I don`t want to hide anythting, so those of you who know me, know my main-interest is in N.P.H, and not Jake. I do have a question for you, though. Like i`ve told you before, Neil was on Regis and Kelly friday 23th, talking about the loss of his boyfriend`s when mother. The audience was full of marines. Boys and girls dressed in uniformes. But, when Neil talked about his loss, there was just silence. I would have expected an "ohhh", or something like that, but there was nothing but total silence-exept from Kelly.
Ain`t a "ahhh" , 0r a "ohhh" natural when it comes to something like this? I`ve wondered for about a week, and today(although i can`t remeber the person`s name), i found out i was not the only onle.
I love the matching rings Neil and David wears. The first time i saw them, was on Neil`s finger(right hand), october 2006. A few weeks before Perez outed them.
We do get obsessed with rings, don`t we:D
I heard T bonded with the boy donkeys in tiajuana too. Aparentlly T only bonds with males. Poor wicked does she know what shes getting into or is she marrying for her money and thier career?
Me believes the proper and conservative wicked would be preggers already if she wanted to marry T(she has played that game before). Either T aint interested in the ritual which makes babies or wicked has had those tubies tied. I certainly dont think T would be interested if wicked couldnt produce. Sources says he wants children very badly.
Interesting comments from Do Storks... I have heard t say he wants children very badly and is looking for the perfect mother. Me think W's mother days are over. Something ain;t right here? Hmmmm?
I have to say Pride in Atlanta is a very nice affair. This will be my third one this year. It will be a bit strange since its usually in Piedmont Park and this year its at the convention center near downtown. But I don't really care because its just so great to see everybody out having fun and being free. It reminds me of Pride in NYC just a little more organized and controlled. I can't wait : )
Btw, I watched Maurice last week. Awesome movie. I'm going to watch certain parts again to make sure im ready for the discussion.
The audience was full of marines. Boys and girls dressed in uniformes. But, when Neil talked about his loss, there was just silence.
Interesting point NG. On the one had I'd say that people in the military are taught to be stoic so lack of response from them is not surprising. On the other hand, knowing how homophobic the army is, I wouldn't expect much empathy from them - or let's say that if they'd feel sympathy, they would be embarrassed if not fearful to show it.
With a regular audience, there's no doubt in my mind that one would get the "ohhs" and "ahhs" you're mentioning.
ng maybe the audience was being respectful and letting nph talk. the military being there- maybe nph loss reminded them of thier own losses too and they were quiet and sad.
Someone on WFT2 is saying that the untitled moon project pic has been postponed indefinitely as the director wants to work on another picture he hopes will turn into a trilogy. No idea how accurate that story is, just passing it along.
Reeke at Tomkat's? Does not sound accurate to me, unless they just invited everyone they could think of. I guess we will see as stories come out over time. Maybe Nailed is shut down again so they ran out of restaurants and coffee shops to pose in.
Were the birthday pics on spooky's site or on austin media?
PLEASE NOTE:
The Birthday pictures were on a locked - friends only post on another site. The owner had chosen to keep them locked for a reason.
Since it is not open to the public, the discussion of specific details in a public forum have been removed from the blog.
I was reading about the Tomkat party on E. They said there were over 500 guests, so I guess they did invite everyone who was anyone. I would not pass up the chance to see a $30+million house, if asked.
There's a a thread on Data Lounge about the Billy Crystal quote, and I couldn't resist copying a couple of the comments that I think are pretty funny:
#33:
Well, imo, Billy Crystal was right on but he is still going to turn up dead in a dumpster in about a week's time, upsidedown with a note pinned to his ass saying:
"Lots of love, CAA and the 360 Management Team XX"
#39:
It's okay though, Reese has been made aware via the Batphone she'll be needed for 48 camera ops this week ALONE, including three naked arm-in-arm sunset strolls down the beach.
#33 must come from you or someone else on this blog, since you are the only one obsesses with 360 Management Team. How desperate.
^^^ Babblers are always here, complaining about everyone else. LOL
arent they tho?!! youd think theyd be happy in their own piece o paradise but noooooo..lol its lik when all the religious fanatics are in the 'hood..dont answer!!
Not at all crazy about the TomKat party story, if true - it was a big enough stretch to imagine any overlap in Jake's and Reese's fanbases.
Nice post Spesh, makes me want to attend another Pride day.
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