It wasn’t a pretty rainbow back at the beginning…
Once upon a time Cinderella crossed paths with Snow White deep in the woods, they fell madly in love and opened up the very first Lesbian Bar where the seven dwarfs DJ'ed and tended bar and they called it "Princess Palace"– hence, GAY PRIDE DAY was born! Well, unfortunately, we all know it didn't quite go that pleasantly. In fact, the real-life story was quite the opposite. Only a few, short decades ago the LGBT community had to hide just about EVERY aspect of their lives because they were not accepted in our society in any way.
"Gay Pride Day" was created after the Stonewall Inn gay bar was raided by police on June 28, 1969 in NYC and riots broke out when the gays stood together in PRIDE. Homosexual behavior was illegal back then, so the Gay bars and gatherings were continually subjected to raids. The LGBT patrons were constantly harassed, humiliated and abused by police officers who were called "The Public Morals Squad," enlisted specifically to seek out gays and arrest them on the spot. Well, the gays had enough of the abuse on that fateful night and finally stood up and refused to be arrested–hence, the riots ensued and forever changed the landscape of gay rights–and paved the way for the long-awaited, and well-deserved homosexual LIBERATION!
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\tIn NYC, the last Sunday in every June recognizes this historic event in LGBT history with it's highly spirited and wonderfully eclectic Gay Pride Parade, along with LGBT events and festivals happening throughout the entire month. It would soon become a world-wide event, celebrated at various times throughout the year in different states and countries. This year the NYC Gay Pride Parade is on Sunday June 29th at noon, and starts at 36th Street and 5th Ave and ends at Christopher and Greenwich Streets–and ALL (especially family members) are welcome!
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\tGay Pride is not JUST for gay people to feel pride– but for their families, friends and supporters to feel pride for them as well. To show their love and appreciation for their gay loved ones and friends for the wonderful people they are regardless of their sexuality. It's also for the LGBT community to walk alongside their straight loved ones and friends to thank them for all their love and support. It's simply a time when EVERYONE appreciates being there for one another–and accepting people for who they TRULY are!
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\tGAY Pride is indeed a CELEBRATION of how far we've come–and a continued fight for how much farther we still have to go. Did I forget to mention that "Gay Pride" is also a total BLAST?! Yes, there is indeed so much to do–And SO much we have to CELEBRATE this coming year with America having just about Half the states (and still counting) granting Gay Marriage rights, and the Defense of Marriage Act finally being put to rest.
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\t\tWe owe much of our advancement and thanks to groups like amfAR, ACT UP, GLAAD, GLSEN and ardent activists like Edie Windsor (fighting DOMA on behalf of her late wife Thea Spyer), Larry Kramer and the late, great Vito Russo (For AIDS), as well as our very BRAVE celebrity Lesbian pioneers like Billy Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Lily Tomlin, Rosie O'Donnell, and Ellen DeGeneres who came out during a time when society still considered it taboo.
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\tWe also need to appreciate our amazing, straight advocates like the late, beautiful Elizabeth Taylor, and Sharon Stone, Oprah Winfrey–And Especially our US President Barack Obama and his Cabinet for helping to make tremendous strides for our community. And so, so many other LGBT advocates and groups that helped bring awareness to gay issues and campaigned so heavily for AIDS and LGBTI rights. THANK YOU ALL! Yes, we've come a LOOOOOONG way baby!
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\tThe LGBT path we now walk was indeed paved with tons of hard work, sweat and tears. Unfortunately, lots and lots of tears. Gay Pride is also a time we REMEMBER all those beautiful souls we lost–especially during the terrible AIDS crisis and to celebrate the Special life and times WE SHARED together. We celebrate how far we've come politically and socially, but most importantly, how far we've come EMOTIONALLY–BY CELEBRATING OUR GAY PRIDE!
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\tSo there you have it! The TRUE Story behind Gay Pride Day! (but there's certainly no harm in believing Cinderella and Snow White are Celebrating it together at 'Princess Palace'!)
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\tHAPPY, HAPPY GAY PRIDE TO ALL in 2014! And to all –have one HECK OF A GOOD NIGHT!!
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\t *For the NYC GAY PRIDE PARADE and Events check out:
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\t*For the latest Gay Pride Events from all over be sure to check out Curve's EVENTS section:
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\tCJ MANN
