One of the things I've noticed in the past 10 years is how corporate pride has become.
Ten years ago, we had small tables with flyers in front of the state capitol. We marched, we protested, we knew the issues. We were prepared to call the police if we got jumped by the anti-glbt protesters.
Now, it was pride sponsored by Bud Light, with booths from Subaru, Shaw's grocery stores, Blue Cross Blue Shield, some other large corporations, and six booths selling rainbow everything that was made in China. Instead of walking home with an armful of pamphlets and voter info, I could walk home with a shopping bag full of promotional freebies.
I kid you not-- on my way to pride this year, I passed a chain restaurant by the Providence Place Mall. Their staff was trying to figure out how to hang up a rainbow flag, and were actually asking each other which way the flag was supposed to hang (red on top? horizontal or vertical)? Yes it is nice that they were hanging the pride flag for pride. But it was to attract business.
I still think the events are relevant because there is still so much work to do and I know they do help people connect. I see pride events popping up in new communities all over the nation, especially in the south, and I am grateful for that. Pride is often a time for people who have no connection to the community to come out and get the visual reinforcement that no, you are not alone, and yes, there are a lot more of us that people think. I just wish for a little more "here's a list of all the candidates who are voting against gay marriage" versus "here's a commemorative rainbow (insert product here)."
And don't get me started on the news media that choose to focus on nothing but the more fringe members of the community.
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