Thoughts on Civil Rights & Gay Pride
This weekend is the big Pride celebration in St. Louis. Two days of festivities in Tower Grove park along with a parade down Grand beginning at noon on Sunday. I’ll probably go, I always do.
I “came out” as we say back when I was just 16 years old. If you are trying to do the math that would have been back in 1983. AIDS was just becoming an issue, although it would be two years later before President Reagan would publicly say “AIDS.”
I became somewhat of an activist in college as a co-chair of the University of Oklahoma Gay-Lesbian Alliance. We, as a group, participated in Oklahoma City’s first ever gay pride parade in 1988. The parade, thankfully, went off without any trouble as was feared by many.
I recall one weekend in the early 90’s where I was in Kansas City for their pride weekend and I returned to St. Louis to catch the parade in St. Louis — down Euclid and ending in Forest Park at the time.
1993 was the best year for me, the March on Washington. Some said we were a million strong. It seemed like it, everywhere you turned in Washington D.C. was someone gay or lesbian. At the time we were not as inclusive as to include those who are bisexual or transgendered. I’m sure they were there.
At the time the big issue was gays in the military, like somehow that was a new thing. 1993 was the year we got the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy” that is still in effect.
My best memory of the entire event was my college friend Richard and I hearing the fabulous Eartha Kitt on the load speaker. By the time we made it across the mall to the stage she was done with her performance.
When I came out at 16 my big fears were getting beaten up (or killed) and AIDS. I’ve avoided both, thankfully. I never imagined, at the time, discussions of gays serving in the military, civil unions, and marriage. Although still hostile, the world is certainly a better place today with respect to gay rights.
Happy Pride weekend everyone!
– Steve
Hey Steve, we’ll be at the big Pride parade in Chicago, also at noon. They’re expecting over 400,000! We’ll miss you!
Glad it was successful. I do not mean to skip this major event and all it importance both historically and today and its personal connection to your life, but
Can you post about Dutchtown’s DT2 picture hunt competition?
That is a really short stint above about the Pride event.
The Pride festival went off rather well this year, without the political and leadership problems that have plagued the organization in the past. It was expected with the unseasonably cool weather that this year’s attendance would be the highest reached, but I do not know what the final estimate of actual attendance is. While the parade was a bit long at over an hour and a half, and food lines were long, reportedly 2 hours at some points on Sunday, most everyone enjoyed the event and much needed funds were raised to continue the organization through another year.