What was your first Pride experience like

[leigh.bess.toad]

Hi Guys -- next Saturday I will be attending my first Pride event in DC. As a newly out gay man, people tell me it could be quite emotional. Fortunately I get to attend and share it with an amazing man -- Nate Bruno. But I was wondering: what was your first Pride experience like? Was it emotional for you? What do you remember about that experience?

 

Thanks guys!

[uwsman2]

My first Pride experience was NYC in June 1978. I moved to NYC in August 1977 after law school. I had only been "out" in a limited way toward the end of law school, and while beginning my first legal job in NY was dipping my toe in the waters of gay bars and beginning some dating. Participating in that first Gay Pride March in 1978 was an overwhelming experience for me because of the sheer numbers, because of the sense of freedom stepping out on 6th Avenue (my best recollection is that then the march started in the Village and went up 6th Avenue to Central Park, where the rally was held). Because for a few hours it seem like gay people were an enormous force of fantastic diversity with everybody smiling and excited (not the nervous intensity of the gay bars where everybody's body-image fears and feeling of tentativeness and even furtiveness at that time was the predominant mood). It felt like we were a big deal and we were in charge - and it didn't hurt that there were some people lining the sidewalk watching and clapping and calling out encouragement as we walked by.

 

I still usually go to the NYC pride march and something of that old feeling comes creeping back in, even though I've been doing this now for more than 30 years. I envy you the experience of doing it for the first time. Enjoy!

[josephga]

Ive never been to one.

[+ Cash4Trash]

I participated in the 1st Pride Parade on June 28, 1970 here in New York. We marched from the Village up

Sixth Avenue into Central Park. We were in a narrow corridor shielded by blue police barricades from the traffic.

Started out small in number but many joined in along the route. A hell of a lot more watching from the sidewalk

than marching. Here's a little more info.

 

Diana Davies. Gay “Be-In,” Sheep Meadow, Central Park, New York, June 28, 1970.

 

The first LGBT pride marches were held on June 28, 1970. Originally called Christopher Street Liberation Day, marches were held in 1970 to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Craig Rodwell, activist and owner of the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookstore, obtained support for the march from ERCHO’s (Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations) November 1969 convention. Rodwell drew in support from New York City activists and organizations, such as Gay Liberation Front and Gay Activists Alliance, to create the Christopher Street Liberation Day Committee to plan the march. A sister march was planned and held in Los Angeles by their Gay Liberation Front. The march went from Washington Place in Greenwich Village uptown on Sixth Avenue to end with a ‘gay-in” in Central Park.

 

Many of the men and women who marched that day would forever remember that moment on top of the bluff. Before them lay a field of uncut grass, a blizzard of banners, dancing, pot-smoking, singing and music, a huge American flag, “gay pride” signs decorated with the Day-Glo hippie flower stickers, and men and women applauding each new arrival over the hill. And behind them—stretching out as far as they could see—was line after line after line of homosexuals and their supporters, at least fifteen blocks worth, by the count of the New York Times, which found the turnout notable enough to report it on the front page of the next day’s paper. No one had ever seen so many homosexuals in one place before. On top of the bluff, many of these men and women, who had grown up isolated and alone, stood in silence and cried.

From Out for Good: The Struggle to Build a Gay Rights Movement in America by Dudley Clendinen and Adam Nagourney.

 

More images of the early Christopher Street Liberation Day marches by Kay Tobin Lahusen and Richard Wandell are available in the Library’s Digital Gallery.

 

I also was there on the night of the Stonewall riots - just walking down the street with a friend when all hell broke loose.

 

Cash

[Diverdan]

My first one was in San Francisco, and I was standing with a bunch of straight guys and women who were part of my company's board of directors. That was some experience to try to watch the parade and watch their expressions at the same time. I think it was in the late 70s, but don't remember the exact date. However, the image that remains rooted in my mind was of twin blond boys, with marvelous physiques who were dressed as Indians, with only headress and loin cloths. What was most memorable was the fact that they wore nothing under the loin cloths and at times they would dance around to show everything! Ahh.... only in San Francisco!

[orbital sander]

I am proud every day, I don't need a pageant, parade, circus, side show, protest, march, seminar, fair or gathering to display my pride, I just live a normal good life, and my friends, family and business associates see it. It has nothing to do with my sexual orientation, it is about me as a person...which is far more important to me.

[+ Charlie]

Like Cash4Trash, my first Pride parade was the original one in NYC on the first anniversary of Stonewall. It seemed to be an almost improvised affair, and I remember encountering it as I moved around Manhattan, trying to anticipate where it was going next. In 1976 (the Bicentennial year), I was talked into carrying the flag at the head of the Pride march in Philadelphia; somewhere among my memorabilia I have a newspaper photo of that. Generally speaking, however, I am not really into traditional celebrations--I don't usually do any thing special for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, St. Patrick's Day, etc.--so I rarely bother to attend Pride events.

[+ Axiom2001]

My first "Pride" experience took place on a Sunday in the late 70s in San Francisco at the edge of Golden Gate Park. The place has a distinctive historical name, but I cannot remember it. Because I was "not out" I was nervous throughout the entire time. Fortunately I was with a good friend of mine, so I leaned on him to keep me in control. The whole event was very low key as contrasted with what it is today.

 

Today the Pride Week in San Francisco is one of the largest ones in the States. After it shifted its venue--it has become a grand week long event. I have marched as well as stood at the side lines of the huge Parade. Since "I've been there and have done that" the events do not interest me any longer, but I can tacitly support!!!

 

Go and experience and make the better of it! It should be one that you'll long remember. <Sorry for a dearth of detail!>

[Guest thedolphinsofaugust]

I've never been to a big city pride but here in Pennsylvania we have a little GLBT pride fair. I don't like crowds so I don't think I'd enjoy a bigger pride. I like the idea though that we have a month of pride- June- and that it's our month and we have the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots- it's like our own holiday. In PA, we have our pride in August which doesn't make any sense- it's supposed to be in late June like everyone else.

 

Pride today is important because many people feel shame and humiliation because of who they are so I definitely agree with the theme that we should be proud, and not afraid.

[justaguy]

I'd have to say a let down. I expected it to be much more, bigger and more impressive. Of course back then I didn't know that the DC gay scene is fairly conservative. The parade was nothing to write home about, followed by what struck me as a picknick with mostly political booths. The night wasn't anything different from any other night clubbing.

[Rick Munroe]

It was the first time I ever pissed on anybody! It was kind of a tradition after the parade in NYC...

[+ cougar]

Pride Experience...

 

I am proud every day, I don't need a pageant, parade, circus, side show, protest, march, seminar, fair or gathering to display my pride, I just live a normal good life, and my friends, family and business associates see it. It has nothing to do with my sexual orientation, it is about me as a person...which is far more important to me.

 

I agree, however, I did go to the largest gay pride event & parade in Florida up in St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay) several years ago and knew - that was not my cup of tea! I was proud of the freedom to see this being done, but quietly understood that there is a larger gay community that is not there because they, like me are busy working with a career and just trying to mix and blend in with the larger world.

So happy pride month to all and even though I will not be there to celebrate, I acknowledge and give thanks for the courage and life of those who preceedeth me in securing our freedom to celebrate as we do today!

[+ sf westcoaster]

Have always been on the sidelines watching, but this year I will be in New York and intend to actively participate in the festiviites.

[edjames]

I came out in 1969 right at the time of the Stonewall riots. I attended the first Gay Pride parade as it made it's way up Sixth Avenue into Central Park. As a newly out gay guy at age 18, I was thrilled to be surrounded by others who shared my sexuality. We owe a lot to those who fought hard in the early days of our struggle to acheive equality. Still, the fight goes on!

Happy Gay Pride 2011.

 

ED