Gay Pride

This week is Gay Pride Week in Las Vegas.



Our Pride Parade starts tonight at 8:00 p.m. in downtown Las Vegas. It will even be broadcast live on one of the local cable channels. If you want to watch it live online, go to http://www.cox96.net/. It will be repeated throughout the month of May.



From what I understand, this parade is one of only a handful of Gay Pride parades in the world which is held at night. That makes it special I suppose. It doesn’t change the fact that the gay community in Las Vegas is rather invisible for the rest of the year. They mostly come together whenever there’s a party involved. Like a parade or a beer bust.



I don’t blame the people though. It’s this town. Las Vegas is too transient. Too many people come and go. And the majority of people whom actually decide to stay and trying to make a living here have impossible working hours. That, among other things, makes it hard to get to know people and form friendships. Which in turn also makes it extremely difficult to growing roots, helping to form a lasting foundation for creating a sense of community.



In any case, this is Pride Week. But what are we LGBT people proud of? I’m not particular proud to be gay, nor am I ashamed of it. I don’t advertise it but I don’t hide it either. How could I? You also won’t find me walking around and asking heterosexual people if they are straight. What difference does it make anyway? It’s what I am. I can’t change it. Sorry, but despite what all fanatic religious Republican nutcases claim, there is no switch or a button to turn my homosexuality on or off. If it is that easy, then why don’t heterosexuals try to be homosexuals for a minute or an hour? You know, just for the heck of it. To see what it feels like. Why don’t black people flick the switch to become Asian people?



Ooohh...ooohhh...wait! I really wanna be a Vulcan. That’s it! Where is that damn switch?



When I look at a beautiful woman I can admire her looks and appreciate her wits, but nothing else happens down there in the plumbing department. No switch there to “turn me on.” While all the straight guys may go all gaga over her boobs, I’d probably ask what her take on global warming may be.



On the other hand, if you’d put a man like Jason Statham or a younger Sam Elliott (hell, I take the older one too) in front of me, than it’s me who hears all the bells ringing. Hallejuja! Fireworks galore, if you know what I mean. Are my jeans getting tighter? Hot Dang!



But back to the whole Gay Pride thing. If people would actually believe in equality, the whole “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” thing and the United States Constitution, and be more understanding and tolerant, as Christianity is supposedly teaching us to be, then there would not be the need for a Gay Pride celebration. Or the need for a Black History Month. Or a Hispanic Heritage Week. We all would be equal. The same as everyone else. It wouldn’t matter if a man or a woman is straight, gay, black, jewish, disabled, of royal descent or a farm worker. We would all have the same rights.



No, let me rephrase that. We DO have the same rights. Yet, we are still fighting for these rights. And why the hell is this even disputed in this so-called “land of the free?”



Besides, why the fuck (excuse my fleeting expletives, FCC) would I voluntarily want to be a gay person, when a lot of people call me offensive names for this very fact. Or spit in my face. Or beat me to a pulp. Or basically crucify me to a fence and leave me to die. And no, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, Mathew Shepard’s death and the way he was killed was not a hoax!



Tell me, please. Why would I want all the hatred, abuse and threats to George’s and my life if all I would have to do is turn “it” off.



Because I can’t. It’s not possible.



I am gay!



Nothing to be done about it or proud or ashamed of.



But I am who I am. I like who I am. I like to laugh. I get hungry. I have dreams. I feel pain. I have a job. I pay taxes. I have the most loving and amazing man whom I share a wonderful life and a beautiful home with. And I love him with all my heart until the day I die.



And for that...I’m very proud indeed.



Happy Pride!