polysemy, pride, and sore knees

[redbird]

Back in September 2001, pnh posted something, to either Usenet or his LiveJournal, on the many different things the American flag means to the people who were flying it.

Here's another: the American flag was raised over the Castro, in place of the rainbow flag, to celebrate the Supreme Court ruling legalizing consensual sodomy. And I was reminded of something Patrick said, around that time: "I'm a patriot. I love my decadent, cosmopolitan, self-indulgent, racially-mixed, godless, intellectually dilettante, drug-abusing, promiscuous, queer-loving country. And its flag is the Stars and Stripes."

Part of why this comes to mind is that I don't think I'm going to be marching in the NY Gay Pride parade tomorrow. The heat and my knees and all make it look like a bad idea. (More likely I'll do an early animal-sitting run, then watch a while; porcinea lives half a block from the parade route, and supportive watchers are a good thing by the time you've walked a couple of miles on pavement in the June sun .) I don't mind not marching, or not as much as I did the first year I decided I couldn't. We have things to celebrate this year--things in the US as well as in Canada--but it is a celebration, not, or not only, a protest march. We're part of the ordinary fabric of this city--bank ads on telephone kiosks with Gay Pride tie-ins; subway posters advising riders which stations to use for the march, for the related PrideFest street fair, and the dance afterwards; a hotel concierge offhandedly advising a tourist against doing the tour bus thing tomorrow because "it's Gay Pride, traffic will be a mess."

I feel like thanking all of you, especially all of you who could easily have said it was nothing to do with you, and not spoken up for your friends, and for the gay and bi people you don't even know, but who all benefit when someone says or does the right thing. Thank you.

Comments

[eleanor.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty proud of Betsy, who at 14 has ocme out as bi; it took me until I was nearly 30 before I felt able to come out. There's a post in there, if I get to write it. I'll be taking Betsy and her best friend, who is gay, to view the parade -- would you care to join us? Last year we watched south of the Flatiron and north of 15th street.

[redbird]

Tempting. Any idea of timing? I figure I'll head out sometime mid- to late morning, spend a random amount of time with Trouble and the other animals, and then go over to Fifth Avenue. I'll have my mobile.

Re:

[eleanor.livejournal.com]

Noonish, I expect.

I have a new cell phone, so at some point, call me and I can save your number.

[redbird]

I'm feeling somewhat inert this morning; will call you from Piglet's, I think.

Re:

[eleanor.livejournal.com]

OK

[treadpath.livejournal.com]

Hey! Watch for my band (Lesbian and Gay Big Apple Corps)! I think we'll be marching in the frontish part of the parade (or so it has been rumoured).

Happy Pride!!!!

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

We never went to the San Francisco Gay Pride march. It was just too hard to get to and too far away from where we actually lived. However, the Seattle march ends up at a park 2 blocks from our house. So while not marching, we'll be out applauding and cheering on and going to the park for mingling and celebrating later on.

MKK

[womzilla.livejournal.com]

For something like eight years running, I managed, purely by coincidence, to be in the Crossover/Unplugged Games offices overlooking Fifth Avenue on the Saturday evening of Pride Week, and every single time I was surprised by the marching lesbians.

This is the second time that there has been no Crossover/Unplugged window to watch out of. Sigh.

[bibliotrope.livejournal.com]

Here's (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&frame=right&rnum=1&thl=0,1325490974,1325475272,1325489804,1325359406,1323859466,1325487964,1325478512,1325443347,1325415910,1325473413,1324874726&seekm=slrn9qsmh5.l6j.pnh%40panix3.panix.com#link1) the PNH post you're thinking of.

Enjoy the parade. Throw in a cheer or two from me.

And in re your last paragraph: you're welcome.