If you haven’t already heard, Portland Pride is June 13-14 this year.
That’s why you’re reading a special, late May issue of Just Out. We timed our Pride coverage to appear two weeks before the big event. We will be in print again for Pride weekend, with a June 12 issue. We’re then taking a lovely post-Pride week off and will return with a July 3 issue brimming with Pride photos and memories. We will be back on our regular first and third Friday schedule for the remainder of the year. Pride is a Thanksgiving Day kind of affair. It comes with preset conversations. Around the holiday table the topic invari&shyably turns to, “Uncle Burt, what are you thankful for this year” You don’t have to go far during Pride season to hear some&shyone ask one of two questions, “Do we still need Pride” followed by, “What does Pride mean to you” Being the thoughtful person that I am, I have gone ahead and taken care of this questioning task for you already. I’ve asked the questions about Pride I’ve got the answers. You may now use the time you would have spent on Pride introspection for more pressing topics such as, “Should Adam Lambert take the Queen gig, or hold out for a celebrity boxing match against that other second-place dude, Clay Aiken” So, what are the peeps thinking about Pride this year Here’s what one 23-year -old Portland State University student, Omar N’Gadi, had to say: “Gay Pride means a lot to me. It’s a place where Queers can come from all over to get together and simply be Queer. To some, that might not sound important, but if you aren’t out or you aren’t out to everyone, or if you feel that being Queer is impossible because you can’t be married, or that the religious right is holding you down, Gay Pride means everything. Gay Pride is your opportunity to embrace the authenticity of who you are in a world that wants you to be something you simply aren’t. Gay Pride is about being honest about who you are. It’s about having the oppor&shytunity to share a part of your authentic self with likeminded individuals. It’s a cultural icon and ‘melting pot,’ it’s where the Queer community meets and evolves, year after year. Gay Pride is about stand&shying up against all types of oppressions it’s about standing up and empowering those who may not be able to do so. Gay Pride is for everyone, by everyone who wants to participate. Civic service, integrity, char&shyity and authenticity are the pillars of the yearly event.” Beki Safar brings another perspec&shytive to the dialogue with, “For me it’s a celebration of community and who I am. It’s a chance to get out with others who have similar feelings. It’s no different than when I attend the Jewish festivals or the other celebrations relevant to me and my friends.”
My favorite grouchy Bear, Mark Brown, growls, “Pride is for visibility. A chance to see everyone. A reminder that we’re here and aren’t going to settle for anything less than equality. Remembering and honoring those brave homos who first fought back.”