Need to know Who's Who?
Forty years ago this weekend the Stonewall riots happened. While it's not entirely clear what the precise cause of the riots was, what is clear that the gay community reached the end of its tether and refused to be harassed by the police, and the rest of society, for their sexuality.
There is a rumour that Judy Garland died at this time and that gays and drag queens in full regalia went to fifth avenue to pay respect to this huge gay icon. However, they were not allowed anywhere near the procession or her coffin and that was the spark for the ensuing riots.
I don't know whether that's true but forty years later two more icons have passed: Michael and Farrah. I would expect them to be celebrated and mourned in today's Pride events. I was never an obsessive MJ fan but whenever I listen to his music I am struck by his genius.
Who can know what it must have been like to be an abused child groomed for mega stardom from the age of five. We have had a glimpse from the outside. It occurred to me as I watched parts of the Martin Bashir documentary (how that man classifies himself as a journalist, with his inane questions and operating without insight or intelligence is beyond me) that MJ was simply living in a deluded universe, and was in fact the most famous person we will ever have the privilege of seeing who suffers from mental illness.
He absolutely insisted he had only had two nose jobs and the rest of his face had changed as a result of adolescence. What was sad about it was not that he was lying but that he absolutely believed what he was saying. Perhaps he was the most well known case of someone who lives on the fence of genius and madness?
Pride started on Friday with drinks after a an all day work meeting followed by karaoke, dancing, getting thrown out of a bar/club (well, it has been a while) sushi, receiving nasty text messages from a deranged admirer and fighting with Chicktoria Beckham.
Saturday, I went to the North Star Fund brunch with KrossKourt where there were excellent speeches from various organisations including Fierce. What's interesting about these types of meetings is that it reminds you of how New York is a city of communities that truly own and drive their own direction.
The evening was spent having dinner with Alpha Male. He and I met two years ago this weekend at a Pride party and became friends. At dinner we got into an argument about trust and I suggested that perhaps it was fitting our friendship would end two years to the date of when it started. Of course, I was overreacting.
We had drinks at Gym bar and them bumped into some friends who suggested we go line dancing. It didn't sound like something that would appeal but how could I refuse.
Actually it was a lot of fun and I bumped into an NYGMC member there who taught me how to two step. I cant' say I understood the outfits (ass less chaps, leather g strings, trannies in polka dotted bras and pants and all of them in cowboy boots, natch) but it was the essence of Pride in a way. Everyone enjoying themselves, whatever their style, looks, story without judgement.
And now I am off to another Pride brunch and then to fulfil my volunteering duties at the Pride Pier Dance with Yours Truly.
There is definitely a richer atmosphere in my neck of the woods - more people out and about, more fun, more humour, more acceptance. If only it could be Pride every day....
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