Sunday, June 9, 2024

In Which We Are Gay

 



Every June I mention here how struck I am by the sudden appearance all up and down Market Street, the main street of San Francisco and the street on which I live, of these gay pride banners.  They go up overnight; one day they're not there, the next, boom, they're everywhere.  It's magic.  Fairy magic even.

Every year I also admit to my shameful plans to avoid the actual Pride Parade.  I am plenty old enough to realize fully how astonishing the evolution of public acceptance of gay people is, even if it is not as accepting as I would like.  I can only imagine how amazed my 20 year old self would have been at a modern parade.  Enormous corporations lining up to participate? Queer cops? "I'm Proud of My Gay Son"?  Drag queens on TV? None of those things would have seemed possible to a young me. And yet here we are, surrounded by them and instead of celebrating them, I am looking forward to staying home with my cat and scrolling through naked guy Tumblr.  But that's a kind of gay pride, right?

Jon, from over at the Give em the Old Razzle Dazzle blog, participates every year in the London version.  He is a Good Gay and I stand in awe of him.  But speaking of standing, the very idea of spending all afternoon on my feet at the ginormous celebration that follows the parade makes my back ache.  Over the years, I've watched plenty of parades, marched in parades, helped organize them, and now I'm ok with just staying out of the way and letting anybody else who wants to enjoy themselves.

I understand acceptance of gay people is under attack and fighting back is important.  I have led my adult life unabashedly out and I'm glad of it.  It's just that hanging out down wind of the ongoing grease fire that is a fajita stand and wondering why anything as meticulously planned as SF Pride doesn't have any goddam seating isn't the answer.  San Francisco has a population of less than 800,000 but the attendance at the whole pride shebang clocks in at over a million people.  Surely they won't miss me.

If these guys were going to be there, I might reconsider: 

Salute.


Whoever this guy is, he should certainly be proud of his buttchops.


The always adorable Valentin with his boyish charms.


Tanlines are always a fashionable accessory.


You know what else is always an effective accessory?  A great big whacker and a hairy pussy.


Don't fall off sweetie.


I like smooth boys and hairy daddies and everything in between.  That's my idea of gay pride.






I suppose I should clarify San Francisco Pride Parade isn't until June 30.  Let's celebrate.

13 comments:

  1. You could hang some Pride flags from those poles..!

    Everyone needs to experience Pride at least once in their life. No-one should pretend it's not important. However, you've done more than your fair share over the decades, so by now you should be considered a "war veteran" - surprised they haven't built a nice comfy float with an armchair and room for a cat, just for you! 🤣🤣🤣 Jx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If they did build that float I would swear faithfully that I would ride on it and then back out at the last minute. Cause I'm gay.

      Delete
  2. At 76 I am retired from showing up to be visible. Let the young’uns do it. Plus my feet and sciatic nerve are not real happy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I wonder what my younger self would have made of the changes? I'm another who doesn't like being in crowds - I'm too short to see anything!
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let me assure as a tall man who can see pretty much everything from up here, you're not missing anything.

      Delete
  4. Let me guess: Your sedan chair is in the shop. Otherwise, you would be riding in it as your houseboys carried you along the parade route. Or are you still worried they would drop you? (Octavia wants to go to the parade anyway. Something about tuna fajitas....)

    Anonymous, too

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think my gay status has evolved from "cocksucker extraordinaire" to "ally".

      Delete
  5. FirstNations here, sulking because Jon stole my 'flagpole' comment which was all witty and shit. I say we start a motorized wheelchair brigade and do precision June Taylor figures for the peoples. That way we're seated and we're still the center of attention.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I too am way beyond marching anywhere, but I think I could muster up some excitement if there was a Donald Trump is Dead Parade.

    I might even put on glittery heels.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was reading an article about some old slag Trump had fucked years ago and she described his cock as being all bloom and no stalk.

      Delete
  7. I haven't got the enthusiasm for it anymore, however, if any of the above boys want to coax me, I'll be powerless to resist.

    ReplyDelete

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