I’m thinking about the femmes of color and trans women who started the tradition of resistance, and pride. I’m thinking about butches like Stormé DeLarverie who is credited with starting the riot that became Stonewall. I’m thinking about the politics of pride: who belongs there? Who looks ‘queer enough’? What if someone is in a sexual minority like asexual, polyamorous, trans, which doesn’t necessarily “look queer” from the outside? Who profits from queer pain? Are corporate sponsors a good idea? What is it like to have a police presence at pride, when police are responsible for the ongoing deaths of young black men in particular?
I’m thinking about my own experiences with pride parades, mostly being too hot too loud too claustrophobic with too many bodies pressed against me and unable to move. I’m thinking about the times I threw “introvert’s pride” with like five people at my house and we made white wine sangria and ordered take-out (that was great).
I saw this video youtube video recently and it blew my mind. Molly Crabapple is a phenomenal illustrator and I was just riveted. I’m grateful that these stories keep being unearthed, that we’re giving some credit, even if for the most part that history is full of cis white gay men taking visible credit. I invite you to watch it, and think about pride.
Love,
Zed
PS: The Stonewall riots were June 28th, 1969; on Thursday, I invite you to light a candle, direct some orgasmic energy, or do whatever you want to do to honor our queer lineage of kisses.