The people in this photo are Bronx writers who each
contributed a slice of memoir to
the Bronx Memoir Project vol. III. I’m behind the woman in the red blouse
(center, back).
If you’d like your very own copy of the anthology or one to
give as a gift,
Your purchase supports the project, so the Bronx Council on
the Arts can do it again.
At the end of June, my long-time friend Judy and I went to the
Pride
Parade. Unlike years ago, we were
spectators. When we first started going
to the parade in the late 70s/early 80s, it was mainly to support a couple of
friends. It was different then. We were some of the marchers. You didn’t have to be part of a
contingent. Sometimes I wore a sign,
sometimes I didn’t. When I did, it said,
“Another straight for gays’ human rights” and the other side said, “Another
straight for lesbians’ human rights.”
When I wore it, so many people would come over to thank me throughout
the day. There would be hugs. It was a warm human experience. On years when I didn’t feel like wearing or
holding a sign, if I ran into anyone I knew, they’d act like they just
discovered my secret. I once tried to
explain that I was there to support friends, and the person “yeah, yeah, yeah”-ed
me. I realized it was making everything
worse, so I just decided to let people believe whatever they are going to
anyway. It doesn’t really matter. These days, I ain’t fuckin’ anyone anyway.
Back then it was rare to see a corporation. It was more like “Gay Doctors
and Nurses,” “Gay
Teachers,” “Gay and Lesbian Police Officers,” and that sort of thing. It felt like getting to know the
community. People had boom boxes and
played, “Gloria” and “I’m Coming Out” and other popular songs of the time. The parade typically ended in under five hours
and then there’d be partying down Christopher Street. Dancing on floats, in the streets, and on
fire escapes. Now it lasts over ten
hours and it is a lot of commercial advertising – cell phone companies, credit
card companies, all kinds of stuff like that.
And those of us who used to be able to march in it are now on the
sidewalks behind barricades.
Judy and I went mainly because of it being the 50th
anniversary of the
Stonewall patrons fighting back. That really took balls to fight the
police. I can relate to the fed-up-ness.
In general, gay people tend to make things colorful and
pretty, and Judy
took some good shots.
Chuck Schumer partook.
Bill DeBlasio partook.
Judy managed to take pics of none of the corporate stuff. :-)
Sunday, July 14, at 8:30, comedy show at Jazz on the Park
Hostel. It is
Randy Epley’s Comedy
Dungeon show. I’m on the line-up. The show is FREE. You are welcome to BYOB (& cup), food,
etc. 36 West 106 Street near Central Park
West.
Love to CGG-M
