Proud moments

I spent the weekend in Chicago celebrating one of my favorite holiday weekends of the year. Forget about the Fourth of July or New Year's -- Pride Weekend is the best celebration.\nEach summer, the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities, and supporting allies, come together in cities across the country to celebrate individuality, love and acceptance. \nIn Chicago, the weekend is filled with street festivals, an enormous parade, the "Proud to Run" 5K and 10K race sponsored by Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago (a GLBT running/walking organization) -- and, this year, George Takei (Sulu of "Star Trek" fame), who recently came out publicly, led the parade.\nFor me the highlight of the weekend is the parade: gay-friendly businesses and politicians; drag kings and queens; the most glitzy, glamorous, fabulous floats imaginable; gay-friendly churches and synagogues ... The groups of proud families carrying signs like "I love my gay son," or "I love my gay mom," make me a little teary-eyed every year.\nI realize that, for some, the concept of a "Pride Weekend" is hard to understand. I've had people ask, "Why do you have to flaunt it so much? Why do you need to call attention to difference if you're trying to fit in?" Even some gay folks have a hard time with the celebration of every cross-section of queer culture. Internalized fear or prejudice makes them critical of the more marginal individuals in the community; they claim some groups "give the gay community a bad image."\nBut Pride is about celebrating everyone who is part of the community. It's about recognizing and reveling in the richness of all who fit under the queer umbrella.\nWhy "flaunt" it? Because every other day of the year, we live in a world where heterosexuality is the presumed default for what is "normal" ... because seemingly 99% of the love stories, from Disney films like "Cinderella" to Jennifer Aniston's "The Break Up," celebrate the "norm" of straight couples ... because our identities and relationships are not recognized, nor accepted by the government or the military ... because I can't watch ten minutes of television, or flip through the first few pages of any major magazine without messages tailored to straight consumers.\nIt's wonderful to have at least one weekend a year to immerse myself in a celebration of humanity that empowers rather than excludes; that gives a proud voice to those who are still frequently silenced; that recognizes all the gifts, talents and successes of a community whose abilities are often rejected because of fear and intolerance.\nHere's to another summer filled with Pride.