Pride 101

[ErieBear]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm thinking of going to the Pride March/Fest in Pittsburgh in a couple of weeks.

 

I'm just now coming out and I'm not out to all of my family yet, let alone friends and business associates. But Pittsburgh is 2 1/2 hours from me and I think I should be safe.

 

Anyway, I've never been to a pride event before. Can anyone tell me what I should expect and plan for? Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

EB

[Rapaz]

Bring comfortable shoes, a gay flag and a festive dildo. Everything else will fall into place.

[bigvalboy]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm thinking of going to the Pride March/Fest in Pittsburgh in a couple of weeks.

 

I'm just now coming out and I'm not out to all of my family yet, let alone friends and business associates. But Pittsburgh is 2 1/2 hours from me and I think I should be safe.

 

Anyway, I've never been to a pride event before. Can anyone tell me what I should expect and plan for? Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

EB

 

Hey Erie, since I feel that I know you better than some here, I think it is amazing that you want to go. Most Pride events are very crowded and most likely you will just blend in with the crowd. I would plan on being amazed at the connection that everyone feels. Plan on just relaxing and being yourself. Put all those preconceived notions you might have on the back burner, open your eyes, mind and heart and enjoy. I almost wish I could join you to guide you through the bar scene...lol...

 

You might want to reach out to a Forum member and see if anyone in Pittsburgh PA wants to join you for a drink or dinner, and perhaps a mini-tour of sorts. This Pride event might be a game changer for you. If nothing else it will help to empower you. It did me the first time I went. Every now and again in life you just have to say to yourself, "fuck it" and go for it...

 

Sincerely best of luck...

[ErieBear]

Hey Erie, since I feel that I know you better than some here, I think it is amazing that you want to go. Most Pride events are very crowded and most likely you will just blend in with the crowd. I would plan on being amazed at the connection that everyone feels. Plan on just relaxing and being yourself. Put all those preconceived notions you might have on the back burner, open your eyes, mind and heart and enjoy. I almost wish I could join you to guide you through the bar scene...lol...

 

You might reach out to a Forum member and see if anyone in Pittsburgh PA wants to join you for a drink or dinner, and perhaps a mini-tour of sorts. I think it could be a game-changer of sorts for you. If nothing else it will help to empower you.

 

Sincerely best of luck...

 

Thanks BVB. If you only knew how much has changed in the last year since we met, lol. Hell, for that matter, how much has changed in the last 6 weeks!

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

I've never been to a pride event before. Can anyone tell me what I should expect and plan for? Any other suggestions?

 

EB - I visited the Message Board tonight to ask the same question. Thanks for getting the conversation started. (I'm thinking about the Columbus Pride event the next weekend.)

 

Sam

[+ purplekow]

Go and enjoy the event. i was a bit saddened by your fear of not being safe from discovery by friends and family. You are going to a public event which supports Gay and Lesbians and which is taking place 2.5 hours from your home. These events gather support from people from all walks of life, gay and straight. It made me think that you must have had a very arduous trip to get as far as you have gotten and the fear is made up of the scars inflicted upon you in that journey. No one can know the pain of others, but I encourage you to go. I believe you will be able to breath freely, maybe for the first time. Congratulations the journey is reaching the end of this leg. If you are going in the right direction, you will find a pleasant reward at the end of the leg. Take a deep breath in and enjoy it.

[+ Gar1eth]

Pride can do an awful lot of good- publicizing organizations and informing people. But many of them also showcase a certain licentious type of behavior. Now I like to look at scantily clad good looking guys as much as the next guy on the Forum. And I realize that it was a method of asserting that We were here and are here in the face of prejudice and we aren't going away. But the question is do certain parts of Pride and do circuit parties parties contribute to negative stereotypes. I mean if that is the only view of gay people that Mr and Mrs Smith see of us in Podunk, USA- well it's no wonder they don't want us leading their Scout Troops or thinking we are immoral. I mean yes straight people do have some similar festivals-Mardi Gras and Carnival come to mind. But ours seem to happen a whole lot more.

 

Also I'm glad ErieBear is feeling more open about things. But I must be the exception that 'tests' the rule. I have to remind people that coming out doesn't always solve everything and in many cases can cause more problems. People act as if everything is sweetness and light after coming out. Well not always.

 

Gman

[whipped guy]

What is amazing is the breadth and depth of participants at these events... The first time I experienced the parade in NYC I did so as a curious bystander and was surprised at the number of religious organizations who sponsored floats... not to mention the diversity of groups represented... from Dykes on Bikes to only the sky is the limit. There was also an enthusiasm expressed from the onlookers as well... not to mention the participants. Of course when one views the "news at eleven"... it is only the outlandish stuff that is usually shown, and as Gman states, footage that seems to focus on the "negative stereotypes". Still, it is no more immoral than Mardi Gras and other such events. While, I have never actively marched in such a parade... actually parades per say are not my thing... I have gone to street fair events and there is always the "fear" of ending up on the "news at eleven"...and being outed... but that is part of the mystique and excitement of attending such an event... I think that Erie will be just fine... and hopefully as there is in NYC... there is a post-pride bash at a local BDSM club... I think that would be the proverbial icing on the cake for him...

[uwsman2]

I've gone to observe or marched in most of the NYC Gay Pride marches over the past 35 years! It's always fun and there are always amazing things to see. I don't know how Pittsburgh matches up for this but the NYC parade draws out lots of politicians and other "straight" supporters of Gay Rights, and the observers along the street include a mix of gay and straight folks (lots of tourists who come upon the parade and stop to look). So I wouldn't worry about being "outed" to relatives and friends should a stray TV camera panning the scene pick you up. After all, what they are going to broadcast will be focused on the marchers and the people they interview.

 

The NYC parade draw lots of religious groups because there are lots of gay religious groups in NYC, and many churches and synagogues that are no gay-focused have affinity groups and support groups for their LGBT members and also straight supporters of gay rights. There will also be student groups, occupational groups, LGBT affinity groups from companies, law firms, hospitals, etc. The gay police will be out in uniform marching together, and the gay military veterans. There will be floats from various gay bars, theatrical productions, and publications.... Always a festive event.