Usually.
But this year, Ed and I are marching. We will be with Ed's Tennis group. This year, after Orlando, I think it is important to stand up and tell everyone not to fuck with us. We aren't going away or hiding.
I worked for 7+ years at a gay bar. It was fun, sexy and I made friends that I cherish to this day.
But, I never forgot what The Revolver was for some patrons. A haven, a small corner that was theirs.
I used to work Christmas Eve and Thanksgiving and I loved it. I loved it because men and women would come in, sad - often rejected by their families and alone. And we, me - the other bartenders and the customers, we would make them part of a family. For a few hours they weren't alone and rejected, they were part of a group that was having fun, sharing experiences and supporting each other. For a night or a few hours or even a few minutes, they were family.
And those people, we made it through AIDS, and votes to take away our rights, and hate. I was lucky and had family and friends to help me through that. But for some people, we in the Gay Clubs became their family and friends.
The shooting in Orlando tried to take that away. And so here I am. Marching in a Gay Pride event at 57 years old, my super non-6pack, with my husband and my comfortable family. And I am marching to say you can't take that away from us. Fuck you.