Saturday, July 7, 2012

I Wear my Rainbow Glasses

I recently attended my first parade in NYC—and what better parade to attend than the most colorful of all: 2012 Gay Pride Parade.


I cannot begin to tell you how much fun this event was, and much more moving than I had initially expected. Warm weather brings New Yorkers out of the wood works (concrete works?), but a parade brings them in swarms.












Case-in-point was the fact that it took my friends and I ten blocks to find a space in which we could actually see over the crowd. Specifically, I shamelessly broke the law and crawled up scaffolding in my mini dress just so that I could see everything happening.

Of course the overall parade is a sight to see. From the performers to the supporters, the entire event really represents how far the LGBT community has come over the decades. More importantly, it represents how far society, as a whole, has come.

I was amazed to see some of the various organizations that walked in the parade to support the gay community. The NYPD and FDNY joined in the festivities, synagogues and local businesses. Bystanders held signs that read in support of family and friends.

 










Best of all was the LGBT community. No one cared who or what you were, but the community just wanted to celebrate pride with everyone and have fun. I was doused in glitter from performers and danced on sidewalks with strangers.

If you’re ever in the City for the parade, it is a must-attend event. It restores the faith that sometimes the mass can come together in support of others, and learn to look beyond our differences, and simply have PRIDE in who we are.

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