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Monday, June 30, 2008

Under the Rainbow

posted by on June 30 at 11:34 AM

The Spouse and I were walking home up Broadway on Saturday afternoon, when an attractive young man asked us if we had a minute for gay rights.

Actually, I’ve had decades.

I’ve never been a big Pride booster. Living for the last quarter century on and about Capitol Hill, and being completely open about my gayness since I was 17, I always regard Pride as a celebration geared toward the people who dwell outside the gay community, who need one day a year to be away from jobs where they can’t be out, and neighbors who might not take kindly to having fags-or-dykes-next door. Colorful though I am, I’ve never been a Rainbow Gay, and, although I want my civil rights as much as the next person, I’ve never been in a big hurry to assimilate. The rainbow flag, introduced in 1978—that last delirious year of the Gay Movement before the decimation began—has always seemed too shiny-happy. I prefer the pink triangle as a reminder of things homosexualist. I’m optimistic like that.

Anyway, this year, feeling a more hopeful about the future (Thanks California! Stay true, Obama!) and wanting do our part to swell the ranks of the gay, Spouse and I fortified ourselves with some of the Uncle Riz’s birthday brownies, and rolled down the hill to see if we could find something for us—a couple of mid-40s art fags—in Sunday’s Pride festivities that didn’t involve the financial support of a liquor vendor.

We arrived at Fourth and Stewart to an onslaught of rainbow… and a crowd deep enough to make it difficult to see the signs identifying the various contingents. There were a lot of young people marching. Especially young women with Burning Man hair. This was heartening, as it has been my experience that young women actually Get Things Done. (See also: The cool music bookings for Pride weekend at the Wildrose.)

Soon we were delighted to behold giant trucks representing the various city utility workers. There was City Light and Puget Sound Energy. (All the Department of Transportation folks sat on their asses in the back of a rather shabby looking vehicle. Your highways at work! Well played, DOT!) Then there was a gigantic white truck (ooh, shiny!) that appeared to be a giant vacuum, complete with enormous hose. And then a merry thought: To have control of that vehicle for the day! Sucking up rainbow beads and Pride roses, those damn Macy’s bandannas, panting purse dogs and their n-n-n-nervous meth queens! (Not a radical housecleaning, mind you. Just some tidying up).

After 20 minutes, the parade seemed potentially endless, so we continued down Fourth until we reached the revue stand… which was apparently sponsored by this newspaper. I noted Savage and that cute little Dominic Holden on the panel, but between my sunglasses and the brownie buzz, everyone else was a blur. Was that Jen Graves? Sylvia O’Stayformore (hard to miss) was commenting, colorfully, but we couldn’t hear from across the street. We ran into one or two people we know, patting ourselves on the back when we hit the half-dozen mark. For the most part, this was a sea of happy strangers.

We moseyed on down to Seattle Center and arrived about 12:30 p.m. Well, someone had to get there early. Loud, thumping music, people already dancing in their underpants around the fountain. The weather was of course spectacular, and the stage set for all and sundry to marinate together into a big rainbow gumbo.

There were, of course, the vendors, peddling Equality, elephant ears, and a big display of tiny underpants for all your dancing-around-the-fountain needs. (Dancing in my scanties has been limited to one unhappy evening in a cheap Chicago disco circa 1979, and an underwear party at Tugs on Belmont back in ‘92; Savage may remember the details I’ve blocked out.) Eh. Nobody seemed especially crazy, or angry, or demented. I witnessed no protesters of any kind. The requisite leather Daddy or two, deflated cheeks in chaps. A lot of whiteys smiling around the Gays for Obama tent. I looked in vain for a Gays for McCain tent or anything at all contrary to the conventional. Whither the lone, angry evangelist? Alas, I came up short.

Overall, everyone seemed thrilled to be participating. And I’m thrilled they were thrilled, but I’m too contrary for going with the mob. So much cheery togetherness wears on me. As hordes of people started arriving from the parade, we moved against the flow to make our exit.

Lest my personal crankiness take over too much, let me say I’m glad that Pride has moved downtown. It all seemed like a fantastic fit: the parade, the festival, the reported 400,000 attendees. Everyone seemed happy, hopeful, and looking toward the future. This is what we need. I feel optimistic for the first time since the damn rainbow flag was introduced. With the possibility of a black man in the White House, full marriage rights probably just a matter of time, and my personal health so robust my doctor took me offone of my HIV meds, I can’t help but feel good. We finished our Gay Pride Sunday with the family on the porch, making ice cream.

pride-rose.jpeg

Pride rose photo by It’s Mark Mitchell.

RSS icon Comments

1

"...panting purse dogs and their n-n-n-nervous meth queens!"

I don't know you, Mark Mitchell, but I love you.

Congrats on the meds thingy, too.

Posted by Jubilation T. Cornball | June 30, 2008 11:53 AM
2

Yes, you danced in your scanties, Mark. Three bucks a night was the pay, if I recall correctly. Glad you're still here.

Posted by Dan Savage | June 30, 2008 11:55 AM
3

Yeah, who is this Mark Mitchell?

Posted by It's Mark Mitchell | June 30, 2008 12:21 PM
4

Mark, your post reminds me that I didn't see a single fundie-xtianist with their charming signage this year. Are we so mainstream that we can't even get the usual suspects to protest us anymore? And if they aren't standing on a corner trying to "save" us, what are they doing with their time now?

Posted by Brian | June 30, 2008 12:26 PM
5

I'm happy you enjoy the fruits of other's labor. I've marched and protested for gay rights for almost half a century in cities from New York to L.A. Yes, I was happy to do it, even for those gay people without the courage or passion to do it for themselves. I would do it again. Why? Because nobody gets handed freedom without a fight and I fought. I even served in the military during war because freedom isn't free. So, I'm glad you enjoyed a day of joy and celebration of advances in our rights. But don't forget, others worked damn hard for that.

Posted by Vince | June 30, 2008 12:27 PM
6

Apparently Mark only saw noticed the "whiteys" at the Obama tent, as there actually were some... oh I can't go there. Or does Mark, like Steven Colbert, not see race?

(Of course to acknowledge the mixture of ages and races in the Obama contingent would have robbed him of a chance at a snarky remark.)

Posted by Andy Niable | June 30, 2008 12:31 PM
7

Love the write up. I'm old enough to remember Tugs, too. Like you, I've always preferred the pink triangle to the rainbow, and I'm pretty ambivalent about the parades. Once you've been for several years in a row, they get redundant, and I can't really get any more out than I already am.

I have to say, the dyed roses in that photo are an abomination.

Posted by Reverse Polarity | June 30, 2008 12:31 PM
8

I just go for what little eye candy that actually shows up for Pride. I definately do not go for the overplayed themes of loving all families etc. (We get it, gay families are good, maybe we should stop preaching to the chior and start preaching it to the red necks on the other side of the mountians.) Oh, wait if we took Pride on the road next year that would be too close to actual activism...... sorry I brought that up.

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger | June 30, 2008 12:32 PM
9

mmmmmmmmmmmmm - Uncle Riz's birthday brownies!!

Posted by tamara | June 30, 2008 12:56 PM
10

Vince, it would have been better to say "the fruit of others looms" in reference to the gay pride parade.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | June 30, 2008 1:16 PM
11

Loved the post, loved the roses, too!


Posted by merry | June 30, 2008 1:27 PM
12

Wow, the realization of how different things were and are is starting to hit me. Being a gay man in the 70's is TERRIFYING. Was it really constant sex with everyone, whenever and however? That is the impression I got from some documentary. I attended my first pride parade in houston last weekend and had a blast. Well, apart from the scary butch lesbian who bitched at my friends and I for standing and greeting a friend and for wearing Obama stickers. She said something like "this is clinton supporters over here... blah blah blah." We just moved on, she definitely had too much to drink. It was still a night that I won't forget, ever. Is that what pride is for? So half-in half-out people like me know that there is an entire "community" or whatever you want to call it, out there?

Posted by anthony | June 30, 2008 1:30 PM
13

Gosh Vince, thanks. If it wasn't for you, none of us would be where we are today. Send me a picture, I'll put it next to Jesus.

Posted by inkweary | June 30, 2008 1:56 PM
14

#12
yes and yes

enjoy

Posted by John | June 30, 2008 1:57 PM
15

We went to Baltimore's pride festivities this year. The street party was cool but I think I've aged out of that. I much preferred the park festival held on Sunday b/c a lot of community groups were there and we were able to get info on teh gays in our new town. I even signed up to volunteer!

Posted by Balt-O-Matt | June 30, 2008 2:31 PM
16

@13 No deal. Only if you replace the Jesus with me! Mine has eyes that follow you around the room.

Posted by Vince | June 30, 2008 3:21 PM
17

CYY @ 8: The last thing we "red necks on the other side of the mountains" need is for you condescending idiots to come over here and fuck up our Pride.

Posted by gay in geg | June 30, 2008 3:25 PM
18

If I'd known Riz's brownies were on the schedule, I might have left Vashon to enjoy the day with you and the other half. Fun write up.

Posted by kerri harrop | June 30, 2008 3:52 PM
19

Gay in GEG @17: When the Spokane contingent went by, I cheered extra loud for my hometown. :)

The last Spokane Pride I went to was about ten years ago - congratulations on your fantastic turnout this year!

Posted by Donolectic | June 30, 2008 6:10 PM
20

i'm just reveling in the fact that Mark Mitchell is not "Chelsea Alvarez-Bell" and actually knows how to write an entertaining blog post...

Posted by michael strangeways | July 1, 2008 10:15 AM

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