Originally appeared as an editorial June 27, 2002, in Bay Windows (Boston).
EACH JUNE, as the roses bloom, discussion in our community focuses on the many complaints about Boston Pride. Prior years brought concerns about nudity and sexual expression in the parade. "Too many bare breasts, simulated copulation, and gyrating boys" is refrain number one. This year, according to The Boston Globe, a leader of the lesbian burlesque troupe The Princesses of Porn complained that Pride presented "a sanitized version of gay life to the public." "Too many elected officials, church groups and families" is refrain number two.
Meanwhile, GLBT leaders bemoan the absence of political activism in Boston Pride. Political groups struggle to get just a few interested souls to attend their forums. While in the next corner, GLBT party-ers bemoan the paucity of good disco festivals, even as promoters struggle to get just a few adventurous souls to attend new events.
It's enough to make you just want to stay at home, which an increasing number of gays and lesbians do. Luckily for the gay community, we are seeing an increase in the attendance and participation of our allies and supporters from the non-gay community. They think Pride is important.
Like Robert Reich, for example.
You may have missed the historic moment, which happened this year at Pride. Many people skip the rally and festival at the end of the march and did not hear Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Robert Reich's announcement that he had made-up his mind to move from "civil unions" to "gay marriage" You weren't alone: the reporters I spoke to who were there thought they misheard the announcement or missed it all together. Gay papers didn't report the big news until weeks after Reich delivered his remarks. Seems the gay media are in synch with the community--we also think nothing important will happen at Pride.
Robert Reich was thinking about the issue of gay marriage before Pride, but according to sources in his campaign, Pride sealed the deal. Spending time with young activist Corey Johnson and meeting people in the march and along the parade route was all Reich needed to move from "civil unions" to "gay marriage".
In a governor's race that has a bonanza of pro-gay candidates, Reich now stands apart from his Democratic primary opponents and joins Libertarian candidate Carla Howell and Green Party contender Jill Stein in support of gay marriage. He has raised the bar on what "pro-gay" means.
So the lesson learned here is: Pride can still have an impact. Just because some of us may not feel the sting of discrimination or experience the drive to belong as strongly as we did in the days of our "just out" gayness, there is an entire community of people out there who are changed for the better by Pride, and by our celebration of unity. You may know a few of them, they're called straight people. It seems they make up 90 percent of the general population. While we're ho-humming another Pride, some of them are attending the parade to get to know us. Manners dictate that we actually be present when our straight friends make a courtesy call.
Who will you bring to next year's Pride?