A Tale of Two Prides

I attended a Pride on the first weekend in June. It was outside, a hot day but not unbearable. I made sure to drink plenty of water because last year at Pride (when my friend had been performing up on the main stage. She’s in an all girls band) I had collapsed under dehydration. These street fairs (although I know Pride is more than that) can be insidious. You are drinking liquids but these may dehydrate you further and you are having so much fun with the sun baking down you might not even notice until its too late. As usual Pride is a mixture of street vendors selling T-shirts, flowing pants, buttons, community organizations such as the local Pride Center and the local library and other causes. I got several pamphlets on different subjects such as the local food pantry to which Justin and I both volunteered several dollars (I know homelessness is a problem in that town) and a pamphlet on a ceasefire in the Middle East. Several were wearing rainbow capes while many wore rainbow flags, hats, keychains. I don’t own a single rainbow item. I don’t exactly come from a rainbow sporting household. 

The second Pride was held on the last Wednesday in June. It was held indoors because of excessive heat and possible thunderstorms. And get this! Waterbottles were free! Free! I really appreciated that. Again, many causes, many vendors. I passed Planned Parenthood (always good for a few free condoms), a booth against gun violence and another table that was handing out these nifty journals called Gratitude on the Go where you could log your gratitude and your reflections for the day (they were also free). There was another table where if you spun the wheel and correctly answered three questions you could get a free rubber ducky which suddenly seemed to be the most coveted item. Some questions: “What was the first sitcom to feature a lesbian couple? (Friends)” “What are the two star signs of June? (Gemini and Cancer)” and “Who sings “She’s a Rainbow?” (Rolling Stones)” My rubber ducky is winking and has a pink bow in her hair. I named her Lucy. Not everything was fair. I got a really cool light denim jacket that says “Beautiful Mess”. I wanted to buy all the buttons I saw but that wasn’t exactly feasible.

But the main thing is supporting the LGBTQ community which I find is a very misunderstood community. I find it misunderstood because I feel misunderstood. I am bisexual. I’m not out to my family. I have a feeling some people wouldn’t care. I have a feeling that some people would definitely care and they would care even more that I put it out on the internet for everyone to see. Because I’m bi and not fully lesbian I feel like I have a foot in both worlds and I’m being pulled in both directions especially since sometimes my political beliefs don’t always line up with that of the LGBTQ community. I sometimes feel like I don’t fit in anywhere. And not even Pride can change that.