Did anybody from this msg board attend yesterday's gay pride parade? Wow, it must have been huge! I was supposed to go to the 'campo' to a village called Buitrago de Lozoya to be exact for a 'merienda fresquita' with friends (it's in the Sierra de Madrid which is definetely cooler than the city), and the pre-parade atmosphere was such with so many streets closed to the traffic, etc... that we left two hours later than planned! (So we had dinner at Buitrago instead, mmm! great food, by the way!)

Also, I wanted to comment on Chueca's neighborhood ever since last Thursday, because I was so nervous (or rather anxious) needing to be on time for a party that, of course, I HAD to take the wrong bus (the one that took the longest time to get me home by far!) and on it crossed the street Fuencarral at "turtle speed" as we say here. I don't know if the fact that it was "Gay Pride Week" had something to do with it, but what a fascinating experience!
It was around 8PM and the street (in the middle of Chueca) was packed with of all kinds of people coming and going; trendy young people, classy old people, very pretty girls (Spanish and foreign), BEAUTIFUL men (sorry girls most of them gay!), fun stores, g-string wearing go-go dancers in a window-shop....in other words, lots and lots of happy-looking people, it reminded me of a livelier and a little less muti-cultural London Soho.
I was really delighted and entertained so it was worth being a little bit late and miss some Thai apetizers....

Unfortunely I couldn't go this year because I wasn't in Madrid. I've been before the last two years and it's a great fun. I hope they get soon the rights they claim for, specially the marriage right. I think the support of PSOE and other political parties and unions and the interview of Zapatero in the gay magazine Zero have been a great step.

"Marriage right"...hmmm...shall I completely open the can of worms that has been left ajar just at arm's reach? Hmmm...no, I think I'll just let it go.......

Well, I am very glad to have missed GAY PRIDE in Madrid. I don't support gay pride day at all.

Why should I be proud to be gay? First I am a human being, then African-American, then and individual, then gay. I don't put so much emphasis on my gayness at all because I know that it is a part of me and I feel that I don't have to flaunt it in front of everyone.

Let's look at this from a logical point of view. When gays prance around in women's clothing, tight pants and act like women, what will the straight community think? Yes, we all deserve rights in this society, but why are we begging the straight community for these rights? Why don't we just live our life and move on?

Like I said, I am gay and I am just trying to live my life to the fullest. I refuse to jump on a bandwagon and support something that I do not believe in. I don't like watching men in drag and I certainly refuse to marry anyone. But hey, that's just me.

Shawn

Shawn: Now that's a viewpoint that makes sense! I was never quite sure what a bunch of kooks in drag had to do with being gay either!

i would have gladly attended pride in madrid had i been there, and next year i certainly will. i don't know about where you live, but here there are all kinds of festival/parade type things. there are ones for irish, greek, mexican, catholic, lutheran, polish, etc.(all something-american), and i don't think that's there's any problem with celebrating.

all of these things have an effect on our lives and are part of who we are. being a part of a community that is not always considered acceptable by everyone doesn't mean that we should hide. pride week is important because the rest of the population has a chance to see how many people are glbt etc. or support people who are. the more visible we are the more people get used to us being here. and if we choose one week a year to do that i don't think that's too intrusive.
there are all different kinds of queer people and not everyone agrees, nor do they have to. (pardon, if you find that word offensive, some people do, but that's how i describe myself) i agree that it doesn't help break down any stereotypes to have guys in g-strings and drag, but where do you think those stereotypes came from? if that's all that are brave enough to go, then that's what people are going to think we're all about. i know tons of queer business people, and even a lot of republicans. not everyone is a drag queen. but if the guys and girls in normal clothes don't show up, all that anyone will have to remember the event will be the queens and kings.

I'm with Eli. It is not about man dressing as women, but about making the rest of society aware that gay people exist and they have rights too. And I think it is very fun too

I agree with Eli too. I'm not gay but my friends and I watch our Pride parade every year. It's a blast! For every float with dancing drag queens there is a float for a local business with normal-dressed people on it. Politicians and TV/radio stations are in it too. There are even parents of gay kids who march with their kids in support. I think our parade is the largest pride parade in the country, so we even have national sponsors like AT&T, Showtime & big Grocery store chains that are in it. It's more of a celebration than a demonstration. Everyone in the parade looks like they are having SO much fun. Good music too.

The question really is whether the Gay Pride parade is intended as a "show," or if it's intended to "show of unity." From what I gather, it's original intent was to show unity. If that's the case, it seems to have evolved into something far beyond what the organizers intended. Since the media only looks for "sensationalism" to broadcast, the majority of the world sees something that reminds them that they might not want to be too much of a liberal. If that's the message you want to send - be my guest. If it's a message that lifestyle preferences should be accepted by others, toning down the affair might make a lot of sense. In my opinion, that's exactly what Shawn was saying, and it makes a lot of sense.

Now, if going out and creating a three ring circus is your bag, be my guest. Just don't expect the majority of people to do little more than laugh at you, and say dumb things like, "What do you expect from a bunch of queers?" You're doing nothing more than creating that type of ammunition for bigots to use, and that's counterproductive to your mission.

Can you imagine if Christ and his Apostles found their way over roads with two members acting like circus clowns? They would have drawn a lot of attention, but people would have walked away laughing, saying they were a bunch of fools.

Wolf (Who's already indicated in another post, he don't like raining on anyone's parade.)

I have many gay friends and attending the pride parade shows my support for them. I enjoy the day and get a kick at all the floats. there is such a sense of community at our parade here in S.D.. ONe year some activists actually bombed the parade with tear gas and I was about 100 feet away! It was terrifying! I was outraged at the whole thing. But everyone wiped themselves off, and the parade went on! I think we were even more unified that day after the attack.
Anyway, I just wanted to comment that whatever your bag is, drag, leather chaps, Banana Republic uniform, every group in society has its subgroups. I'm Hispanic, but not a chola from the barrio, I don't get in their way, they don't get in mine. Know what I mean?
For what ever reason some prefer to parade around in amusing costumes, but if that is how they express themselves, then I say, let them have fun!

p.s. I think this topic is ripe for the new NON_SPAIN DISCUSSION BOARD.