The Bo Show

Be Proud to Be Gay

June is Gay Pride Month. Happy Pride guys and gals. I have to be honest; I once didn’t understand the importance of Gay Pride Month. I always thought it was enough to just be yourself and gay at the same time… if that makes sense.

But, it wasn’t until last year, when I went to a speaking engagement at New York City’s The Center, where speakers of the first Pride March spoke of their experience. They spoke about the very first time anyone walked up Sixth Avenue in NYC to demonstrate solidarity in the gay community. I guess this is a case of, “you have to know your past, so you can understand your present.”

The original March was a far cry from the huge stage productions, or make that floats, that appear in the Gay Pride Parade that descends down Fifth Avenue and comes to an amazing end in Sheridan Square today. In fact, those who marched in the original called it, “The First Run,” because they walked it so fast to finish before any violence really took place. They feared for their safety.

It was at this speaking engagement in NYC last year when I saw lost footage of the very first Pride March. I recall seeing guys who reminded me of my friends. These men and women, our older brothers and sisters, have made it easier for us to live as “out” gay men and women today. These men and women showed me how timeless being gay really is. We’re all truly the same. Whether it be 1970 or 2009, we all just want to be accepted for who we are… men and women who are attracted to and love other men and woman. It was because of this video I attended my first NYC Gay Pride last year. I was never more touched… literally and figuratively

You can hear and read about my first experience: The BO Show

I realize how our actions today, will ensure the safety and equality of our younger gay brothers and sisters tomorrow. We must unify now, more than ever to receive equal rights at work with Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), everyday safety with the Matthew Shepard Act and what’s currently dominating the headlines, same-sex marriage.

Watch clips of the original Gay Pride March in NYC in 1970: