This year I wanted a different perspective on Chicago’s 40th annual Pride parade and festivities. I traded in the endless mimosas at brunch, rainbow beads and the leisure of lawn chairs and laughter with friends along the parade route for – a pair of pom-pons?!
As a member of the Chicago Spirit Brigade’s dance team, I had an entry ticket to view Chicago’s lengthy – and glittered – street celebration as a parade participant. While I ended the parade with a light sun burn, sore muscles, and no pictures of eye candy in the parade, the experience blew me away! Beyond the more than 250 parade entries, including Chicago’s own Nettelhorst Elementary School (the first-ever school entry) located in Boystown, the streets were packed from before the step-off line to beyond the finish line. The sheer number of people that showed up to stand proud in their sexuality or express support for friends and family was moving. Local news media noted the continuing surge in attendees and supporters of our community.
Some other sightings that I saw from this new perspective included:
- The kids of Nettelhorst School, decked in hand-made rainbow gear or other diversity symbols, eagerly wanting to come take a picture and wave a rainbow flag with the cheer team.
- An older couple that noted their time together, and their time together as one of this country’s blessed California-married couple
- Chicagoans emptying their pockets – during a recession – to support LGBT-specific causes (Chicago Spirit Brigade raised more than $4,500 for local AIDS efforts)
- My favorite that made me tear up: An older woman with a simple white board that read: “God Blessed Me With a Gay Son That I Love. Amen.”
Amidst the jetes, jazz hands and largely positive communication this past weekend, there were two issues (one experienced, one read in the media) that showed there’s still progress to be made despite the thousands yelling and cheering along Halsted and Broadway streets.
In prepping and stretching before stepping off Sunday, there was discussion among the team and other parade entries about how to handle and react to conservative protestors along the parade route. While not supportive of hateful speech against LGBT individuals, I became disheartened by potential responses I overheard from others, which at times mocked or trivialized religious beliefs with the same disrespect they were trying to counteract from protestors.
A fellow dancer once noted communication is not about what you say and your message’s intent, but how your message is received and understood. I couldn’t agree more – and the above example was not communication. Rather, it was two sides, yelling offensive messages from a defensive stance that devalues the other side and ultimately begins an ugly cycle. I was happy with CSB’s own decision to simply walk by with its three lines in the “Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Say No Evil” poses, and then do a fun, spirited, positive performance just past the protestors for spectators.
For those sport fans, who'd rather watch baseball than dance under a disco ball, this weekend's Cross City Classic still didn't escape LGBT communication issues. Chicago Sun-Times' Richard Roeper penned a great column I found interesting on the unnecessary use of deragatory homophobic remarks (spoken and on merchandise) during the annual Cubs and Sox battle. Roeper exposed the unsettling dichotomy of nice, supportive individuals who are all for equal rights and fairness for the LGBT community who have no problem flinging around the word "gay" or "homo" in a negative tone.
It's not just a sports phenomenon. Everywhere you can find people who support gay rights and gay marriage, yet who use the words as an insult — people who would never think of using racial slurs or other defamation as a casual insult. Both this and my pre-parade experience are continuing evidence that there is still progress to be made. And the first step requires a personal analysis of our own communication and how it is received and affects others.
Take the first step (or the millionith) to move forward greater understanding of LGBT and all other communities. That's something to be proud of.
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An articulate, well thought out commentary, Bryan. However, I will digress to the mundane and say that I am proud that at least one person in my sphere knows that the correct spelling is “pom pons”!