My ‘Handy Lerner’s Dictionary’ defines pride as “pleasure in what you (or someone connected with you) can do or have done well.” Here we are 2009 on the precipice of another pride and looking at this rather broad yet simple defenition leaves me cause to reflect on prides of my past. Have I been a good faggot? Have I done it well? Do I find pleasure in it?
My first pride in the mid-eighties sent chills of happy excitement through my body and maybe even a single tear of joy as I danced behind a float blaring the disco version of “I am what I am”, I was moved by the crowds, the energy, the acceptance and the plain old fashioned good time being had by all. I was feeling the pride the pleasure in what I was doing and the pleasure of as many as I could connect with. Fast forwarding over twenty years later and I can honestly say I am still feeling it. I have had sober prides, less than sober prides and much more less than sober prides, I have had prides as a single, and prides with a significant other. I have also experienced pride celebrations with community commitments, work and social commitments and others where I just let the celebration evolve on its own. At the end of the day pride still brings out that ingenue wide eyed little cock sucker that got the chills of excitement way back when.
You will always hear complaints and grumblings from those that aren’t feeling i’t’ but pride is what you make it. I will always get my Pride moment, I know I would not have had the incredible life experiences that I have had if I had not been the kinky twisted gay male that I am. No matter where you fall on the Kinsey scale I urge you to find and embrace your pride moment and I will end with my slightly overused quote from my favourite author Dr. Suess “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
Happy Pride!
