Flaunt This!

What a way to end the month of June. This past weekend, Gay Pride was held in Seattle and it was a ton of fun. All weekend was spent with my local friends as we celebrated each other and our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.

I have heard on many an occasion this sort of backwards affirmation of tolerance for homosexuality: "I just don't get why they have to have a parade and flaunt it to everyone. It's not like we have a straight parade."

Well, listen up straighties - every day is your frickin' parade. To diminish the gay and lesbian community's one week of in-your-face, flaunted to the tenth power, unbelievably gay activities is akin to not understanding the reason for Black History Month or refusing to recognize the struggle of women's suffrage. To ask such a question truly displays an incredible amount of ignorance, which may or may not be your fault. For every commercial I have to watch starring two lovers of opposite sexes advertising jewelry, Pine Sol or dog food; for every couple I have to watch walking down the street with their hands clasped together without fear of judgment or violence; for every action movie hero's female love interest and every male politician's trophy wife; for every blurred same-sex kiss on television; for all of these reasons, I deserve one week where it becomes my turn to shove my flaming, homo-loving gayness in your face.

Thus, let us celebrate the weekend that was Pride with a few pretty gay photographs. Enjoy.