Sometimes Kickin' Azz Makes History

The people in this photo are Bronx writers who each contributed a slice of memoir to 

the Bronx Memoir Project vol. III.  I’m behind the woman in the red blouse (center, back).

If you’d like your very own copy of the anthology or one to give as a gift, 

click here:  https://www.bronxarts.org/programs/the-bronx-memoir-project/

Your purchase supports the project, so the Bronx Council on the Arts can do it again. 

At the end of June, my long-time friend Judy and I went to the Pride 

Parade.  Unlike years ago, we were spectators.  When we first started going to the parade in the late 70s/early 80s, it was mainly to support a couple of friends.  It was different then.  We were some of the marchers.  You didn’t have to be part of a contingent.  Sometimes I wore a sign, sometimes I didn’t.  When I did, it said, “Another straight for gays’ human rights” and the other side said, “Another straight for lesbians’ human rights.”  When I wore it, so many people would come over to thank me throughout the day.  There would be hugs.  It was a warm human experience.  On years when I didn’t feel like wearing or holding a sign, if I ran into anyone I knew, they’d act like they just discovered my secret.  I once tried to explain that I was there to support friends, and the person “yeah, yeah, yeah”-ed me.  I realized it was making everything worse, so I just decided to let people believe whatever they are going to anyway.  It doesn’t really matter.  These days, I ain’t fuckin’ anyone anyway.

Back then it was rare to see a corporation.  It was more like “Gay Doctors 

and Nurses,” “Gay Teachers,” “Gay and Lesbian Police Officers,” and that sort of thing.  It felt like getting to know the community.  People had boom boxes and played, “Gloria” and “I’m Coming Out” and other popular songs of the time.  The parade typically ended in under five hours and then there’d be partying down Christopher Street.  Dancing on floats, in the streets, and on fire escapes.  Now it lasts over ten hours and it is a lot of commercial advertising – cell phone companies, credit card companies, all kinds of stuff like that.  And those of us who used to be able to march in it are now on the sidewalks behind barricades. 

Judy and I went mainly because of it being the 50^th anniversary of the 

Stonewall patrons fighting back.  That really took balls to fight the police.  I can relate to the fed-up-ness.

In general, gay people tend to make things colorful and pretty, and Judy 

took some good shots.

   

Chuck Schumer partook.

Bill DeBlasio partook.

Judy managed to take pics of none of the corporate stuff.  :-)

Sunday, July 14, at 8:30, comedy show at Jazz on the Park Hostel.  It is 

Randy Epley’s Comedy Dungeon show.  I’m on the line-up.  The show is FREE.  You are welcome to BYOB (& cup), food, etc.  36 West 106 Street near Central Park West. 

Love to CGG-M