I originally posted this three years ago [2010], but I think it bears repeating as this year's Pride March in Seattle is the closest it's been to the actual date [June 29, 1969] of The Stonewll Riots than I think it's ever been ... and today I think that, given recent legal events, I might just be a little closer to being "Just One Of The Guys" [Go, Mariners!] :
Every year, cities across this nation have a celebration of the gay community. These celebrations were given their birth in the fires of social unrest in the late 1960's. Back then, it was common practice for the NYPD to head off to The [Greenwich] Village and round up a bunch of queers for 'breaking the law', maybe crack a few heads while they were at it. On one such June Friday in 1969, At The Stonewall Inn, we didn't just roll over and take this abuse while the rest of the world just looked the other way.
We Fought Back.
For Six Days.
The following year, on June 28, 1970, the first Gay Pride March in the U.S was held covering 51 city blocks from Christopher Street to Central Park. 41 years later, I am dismayed, at times, by how little many of my contemporaries know of this important event in our history and indeed that of the rest of the world. Every year I encounter someone who asks: Why do they hold it in June? It also seems like every year I hear of some U.S. community holding their festival in late July or August or sometimes September.
This Year, Warsaw hosted its first Gay Pride Festival, the first Pride Festival was held in The Philippines, a member of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup appeared in the Chicago Pride Parade and The Seattle Pride celebration featured the first ever 20' x 40' Rainbow Flag atop the Space Needle.
Images From 2010:
David Kopay - Former Pro Football Player and University of Washington Alumnus, came out of the closet in 1975 - The first NFL athlete to do so.
Images From 2011:
Images From 2012:
Images From 2013.
2013 Grand Marshals Jane Abbott Lighty & Pete-e Petersen.
Just moments after Midnight on December 5, 2012 Jane Abbott Lighty and Pete-e Petersen, became the first same sex couple in the history of Washington State to be granted a wedding license, The West Seattle residents had been together for 36 years before having the right to marry.
Cowboy Riding A Burrito - You got yourself a deal.
" ... uhhh, what ... ?"
Bad Dog
Some of Seattle's Gays In Blue.
13 Years of Gay Goth in Seattle.
Parade was very loud this year.
Lots of Bride's Veils this year.
Our Gay Candidate for Mayor: Ed Murray.
Daleks ... !?!
The Men that Got Away.
The Seattle Quake rugby team is in here somewhere, but it was so hot [about 90] I think they all fell out of their jerseys.
There's that Equality Flag again.
We've come a long way but, where we are still needs to bear reminders of where we're from. We Need To Erect Monuments And Maintain Them Vigilantly.
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