I know why I usually avoid Gay Pride

// June 30th, 2008 // All things LGBT

So after 6 years of absence, I finally decided to volunteer and attend the SF Pride Parade this past weekend. The massive crowds of people, congested public transportation, slew of litter and waste, corporate presence and the loud blaring music just had me fighting a headache by the time I got back home at night. Pride is fun if you want to give a jolt to a regressive relative–just take them to see the trans dancing, dykes on bikes, or the naked men running around.

Jokes aside, somehow, I think the essence of gay pride has been lost to the mammoth corporate advertising and sponsorship–SF Gay pride seems more keen on promoting consumerism than actual LGBT PRIDE. It is no longer about a ‘protest’ of discrimination and violence against homosexuals. I don’t want to support a commercialized ‘gay’ identity but ‘gayness’ is seemingly cool when linked with consumer culture i.e. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Project Runaway etc.

That said, gay pride is a wonderful spectacle; a spectacle that fills the city coffers more than any other event in the year.

Will I go next year? Yeah, probably.

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4 Responses to “I know why I usually avoid Gay Pride”

  1. Doug says:
    July 1, 2008 at 1:55 am

    Yes, GLBT pride events are exploited by corporate interests. I still like them because they provide a glimpse into a world where the stigma of being a ‘gender minority’ is largely absent. After all, every commercial firm, labor union or politician that appears in such an event is saying “we’re okay with gays and we don’t care who knows it.” Maybe that’s no big deal in SF, but here in the Midwest it still is.

    Reply
  2. Prerna says:
    July 1, 2008 at 7:06 am

    I know, it’s a double-edged sword, what can we do? There are organizations like “Gay Shame” that openly oppose Gay Pride for its consumerist culture and “selling” gayness. Here, it is simply a profit-driven venture for businesses like Comcast and especially Showtime to appear gay-friendly and gain access to “untapped markets.” I don’t necessarily believe that it has anything to do with their “tolerance” or “acceptance” of homosexuality. This year SF Pride was especially vigorous about the “unlicensed vendor” policy–all ice-cream carts and people asking for donations without licenses were chased out time and again. If the focus was really on LGBT pride, we wouldn’t be assigning volunteers by the hour to ensure that people who are not supposed to be selling anything are off the premises.

    That said, I would support any sort of Pride celebration in the Midwest…

    Reply
  3. AC says:
    July 5, 2008 at 1:56 am

    Hey Prerna, If you like, you could attend Pride in India next year. I’m going to be there. Its very much a protest march and a risky one at that. Have you seen some of the clips of Delhi pride? What amazing spirit!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udXcfIAIX1E

    Reply
  4. admin says:
    July 5, 2008 at 6:49 am

    Hey AC, sorry, don’t think I can make it to India anytime soon. Maybe in a couple years — I don’t know; I am an utter coward maybe, I hate putting myself in hateful or intolerant situations. There’s a part of me that feels real animosity towards the Indian community at times to the point that I don’t associate myself with it. But it does not correlate to self-hating, maybe just bitterness over how I was treated growing up. Had enough of that growing up in Fiji. And I am actually scared of traveling to India!

    That said I did see Delhi Pride events on the news.

    Reply

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