Episode 4 - Throwback Thursday - NYC Pride 2007
Episode 4 – Throwback Thursday – NYC Pride 2007
***Just a note, Throwback Thursday’s episodes may be notably
shorter or longer week to week since they are stories from my life***
Being out since 2004, I had always imagined myself walking
in the NYC Pride Parade. My fantasy revolved around images I had accumulated
from movies, books, and music videos. You know the ones-stereotypical
depictions of butch lesbians on motorcycles and scantily clad gay men waving
rainbow flags-I wanted to be in the thick of it!
Unfortunately,
I could not manage to scoop up any willing participants on this excursion, so
come Sunday morning (June 24th, 2007 age: 25), I headed to the New
Haven train station by my lonesome. Destination: Grand Central. En route to
NYC, I looked like a typical college student heading to The City for the day. I
was equipped with a bagel and coffee, very little money (in fact JUST enough
for my round trip train ticket and a $5 meal in New York), and a spunky
attitude!
Being cognizant of the mayhem that would soon ensue, I arrived VERY early. So
early, in fact, the volunteers were still setting up the event. That is when I
first noticed the traffic barricades blocking off the sidewalk...and when it
dawned on me that most people don't assume they can just show up to one of the
largest pride events in the world and expect to just simply MARCH with the
parade. But, then again, I'm not most people.
I casually usurped the barricades and starting walking up 7th Ave, in the
street. It took approximately 27 seconds before a very militant volunteer
approached me with a clipboard and asked if I needed help. In my youthful
arrogance I simply responded I was there to march in the parade. She scoffed
and asked if I was registered with a group. I slowly took a sip of coffee and
explained I was not registered with a group. She all but laughed at me and said
I could not march if I was not registered, before marching away herself. I
smiled and affirmed: I am marching in this parade.
I peered across 7th Ave and saw a group of 20-somethings in a vibrant and
excited huddle. Unlike most of the other groups that were forming, these
individuals were not dressed alike and, therefore, made it easier for me to
sneak in and pretend I was with them. In a matter of minutes, a woman shouted,
"Who wants to carry a sign?!"
I
thought, Here's my chance! If I'm carrying a sign, I can't be told I
can't march!
"I
do!" I exclaimed and hurried over. I cannot for the life of me remember
what my sign said and unfortunately it did not survive the many moves
I've had since 2007. But, that sign was my ticket to my very gay fantasy,
so I held on for dear life.
At precisely noon, we kicked off from 36th and 7th towards The Village and
the excitement pulsed immediately. I had no idea who I was marching with,
but I was overwhelmed by the proud energy pounding from the onlookers and
marchers alike.
We hadn't walked very far, when we stopped and I heard a man speak
from one row ahead of me. In a dizzying moment of realization, the
pieces start to connect and I realized who, exactly, I was marching with. I was
marching with the New York City Council and quite literally one person
separated me and Mayor Bloomberg!
My head was spinning. It was surreal to know I was actually participating in this event and I had done it with nearly no preparation. As the march continued, my casual attire became more "queer-a-fied" as I collected rainbow Mardi Gras beads, buttons, stickers, and flags. By the time we ended at Christopher Street, I was covered in rainbow goodness from head to toe-never mind my sign. Having spent hours marching in the heat, I was in need of a subway pronto. I stopped and asked a cop where I could find the nearest subway station and was informed that all participants of the parade got to ride for free!
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***please note, transcripts are word docs I write before I
record and may not match my words exactly if I make a change off the cuff!***
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