Obama Pride

Sunday June 8 was the Los Angeles Pride Parade. As usual, I was really looking forward to going over to West Hollywood for a good time. This year, however, I was thrilled to be marching with the Obama supporters. Claudia and I walked from her new apartment to the parade site and met up with Sarah and Zoe J. We met lots of other Obama supporters, and as I later said to the girls, working with the Obama campaign in L.A. has been the single most community/family filled thing I've done in the city. It leaves you feeling wonderful. The woman in charge of organizing the event immediately struck me as so very friendly and welcoming. She was like the cool Aunt you always wanted. She drove her big white pick-up truck (clean diesel) on the Parade route with supporters marching in front and behind. Claudia and I were ecstatic to learn our beloved Wilson Cruz (aka Ricki from My So-Called Life) would be riding in the back of the truck.

He looked gorgeous; buns of steel on that man! And he was so kind. You'll recall that Claudia and I met Wilson at the Abbey about 2 years ago. At the parade, she had me take a picture of her and Wilson, and then he hugged and kissed both of us! I thanked him for using his celebrity to help the campaign, and said that he was such an inspiration to so many people. He said that from the moment he first saw Obama and heard his message, his reply was what do I have to do? Tell me and I'll do it! That sentiment is shared by many Obama supporters and the reason he has such strong grassroots support.

We marched and shook Obama Pride signs and handed out Obama Pride stickers. There were babies in strollers and wagons, and people of every age and race. There were straight people and gay people. We marched and screamed all the way to the end of the Parade. People cheered us. There was one person booing loudly--I think it was for McCain. There were maybe 5 Hillary hold-outs. We welcomed the Hillary supporters to join us with a message that it was time to heal the party and unite.

After the parade we stopped by a local bar and grill to see Greg P. who was working. Then we decided to walk home and go to a favorite Mexican Restaurant in Silver Lake. We had margaritas and a late, rambunctious lunch. You get tipsy quickly when you've been walking in the sun all day. We walked a little over 5 miles, but it hurt so good.

Afterwards, Claudia came over and we passed out/watched West Side Story. Then we went to Griffith Park to watch the sunset. It really was a beautiful Sunday.

The parade emphasized that Gay Rights are Civil Rights. We have to realize that racism, sexism, classism, homophobia--are all shared causes. I read an article today that really summed this up and expressed how I'd been feeling in light of the media controversy surrounding the comments made by a tiny group of senile supporters of a certain Senator. The quote that struck a chord was:

"I’m not a woman and a person of colour – I’m simultaneously both. Usually when people are being sexist towards me, they’re also being racist. I would like to fight both racism and sexism...I also continue to believe, very deeply, that the revolution ain’t gonna come until we recognise that struggles against sexism, racism, ableism, poverty, homophobia, heteronormativity, classism, consumerism, (etc) are all, at their root, the same struggle."

The only way we can move forward is together. It means fighting for each other and joining together for the benefit of everyone.