That they will occur?

Pride means many different things to different people. For many there are social aspects for others ecstatic aspects. For some it is a show of political strength. For others a show of drug-addled ego. For one perhaps their first recognition of self-hood connected to a larger reality than the self. For others a critical assessment of laughing and gawking at just how extreme other people can be.

Being qweer for me is more about what I do with my heart than with my dick. Although bearing or flaunting either in a crowd of thousands can lead to entanglements. Persunally Im not that inspired by large social contexts to affirm or solidify my sense of pride or of spiritual connection to others. My soul feels more easily connected with a few other souls in smaller more intimate settings.

I suppose wherever you go there you are, including environments where there is a larger diversity around. If a persun can be themself then where they are and with who shouldnt matter to who they think they are. Identity can exist apart from social constructs.

Of notable exception would be the San Francisco pridefests of recent years. The Radical Faeries who help co-created the Faerie Freedom Village are skilled with their spectacle of mystery and mayhem. Kinda like a faerie gathering at one of the sanctuaries only with a more pronounced quantum effect of observation by a larger qweer community. Imagine a spiritual reunion of wacky artists & psychopomp shamans mixed with tourists and cameras on the periphery watching and wondering. Ive enjoyed going to the San Fran Pride because there is something about the Freedom Village that transcends divisions of age, gender, status, that is so typical of mainstream Hollyweird versions of consumer gayness. Of course no two faeries are alike and there is perenial discussion over what IS a faerie. Then to compound matters some use faerie and gay interchangeably as though they were reclaiming faggothood.

General consensus about gay pride ... seems like it would be tricky to find in a group of alternative gay people.

... But it would be interesting to hear how other people ponder pride.

i never been to one, it's really not my scene or my style
but i am supporting its existence

I avoid them like the plague! It's commercialized, politicized, and it's the same shit every year. I do admit though that my first one was a pretty great experience. I was amazed at how many other gay people there are and I did take a comfort in knowing that. After a couple years of coming out most normal people should be grown out of the parade thing. It is a good experience that people(anyone) should have at least once.

The pride parade is just like most issues that I have with the gay community...it's a love/hate thing. So many positives but so many negatives too.

last year the international parade was supposed to be in Jerusalem, but the religious fuckers in here prevent its existance, and even threatened us with hard core violence, naming those who will succeed to hurt us "heroes".
thats why we all SHOULD participate in these parades. to show them we are here and that were not going anywhere. and to hurt the fucker wholl try to hurt one of us of course.

And because I feel bad for hi-jacking your thread seankelly....

I like pride parades, they serve a purpose to young queers, who are not yet comfortable within their sexuality to be surrounded by people who are comfortable with many MANY non main stream ideas. I imagine that I will get tired of them after years of attending, or when I am more practiced and more polished at how to be out, but even then I will feel the need to contribute to the parades, even if all it is for is one young queer man or woman, who I help to be comfortable in their own skin for a day. I must say every year they help me become more comfortable with some part of my sexuality.

If you are coming to SF's Pride Festival, come to the Shadowplay Stage-- it's one of SF Pride's alternative spaces. Here's the description:

This Sunday, June 24, celebrate Pride at the Shadowplay Stage, the SF Pride Festival's indie dance oasis. The Stage is on Hyde St, just inside the festival gates from Market St, from noon to 6:30pm. Meet up with friends, hang out, and dance in the streets. The festival is free, though a donation to Pride, which goes to local non-profits, is encouraged.

From noon to 3pm, the Stage will feature the best of Shadowplay: indie, electro, discopunk, plus punk, new wave, post-punk, riot grrrl, and glam classics. DJs are Donimo (Shadowplay, Lucky Pierre, Substance), Candy (Now Hear This!), and DJ6 (Shadowplay, Lucky Pierre, Now Hear This!).

From 3pm-6:30pm, we'll feature Lucky Pierre at the Shadowplay Stage. Coco Canal (Miss Trannyshack 2005) will host, and we'll have strip poker and go go dancers, and more of the mad excess for which Lucky Pierre has become notorious. DJ Donimo and DJ6 will spin the latest electro burners.

If you'd like to dance up on the risers, please come to the Stage to sign a release first. If you'd like to volunteer to help, please contact us at shadowplaysf@yahoo.com or via the Lucky Pierre MySpace.

This is the fifth year for the Shadowplay Stage. Check out pics from prior years at shadowplaysf.com/stage.html

Check out shadowplaysf.com and myspace.com/clubluckypierre for schedule and other details.