Happy PrideWeek.
'Tis a momentous week indeed to celebrate Pride as today at 5:01 PM local time will mark the first legal same sex marriages in California.
Here in Pittsburgh our civil rights successes are more modest, namely beating back an anti-gay marriage amendment and actually having legislation introduced on the state level to expand discrimination protections to the LGBTQ community. Still, I'm going to refrain from (once again) beating the drum about the entrenched social conservatism of local Dems (oopps!) and focus on Pride!
You can find a listing of events here. The PrideGuide is out and about. It is very shiny. You'll get the scoop on Pride events and some rather interesting advertisements. I expected to hate it, but its just a bigger version of previous Guides. I read it cover to cover.
I received an email about an interesting event AFTER PrideFest and sponsored by the Pittsburgh Black Pride Association. It is called Pride in Jazz - Blues Women of the 20th Century. That looks really cool.
With a wink, a nod, or a shake of their hips, the women of Blues weaves tales of life, love, tenderness, heartache, and hardship with their song. These five women, who are widely recognized for their eclectic and soulful approach to creating music, move their sound comfortably from mainstream jazz to R & B ballads, avant-garde to Brazilian funk. Their live performances are a joyful celebration.
Presented by the Pittsburgh Black Pride Association, this all-women group showcases all the great women of Blues with historical information and humor.
And don't forget the Dyke March on Saturday afternoon
The Pittsburgh Dyke March is June 21st!!!<------- DON'T SELL YOUR PRIDE!!!! *Pittsburgh's 3rd Annual Dyke march* WHEN: June 21st WHERE:March starts at Mellon Square Park (Downtown) TIME: Meet and greet 2:00 pm Keynote address: Betty Hill-2:40pm March kick off: Colelea-2:55pm
We will march down 5th ave, make a right on Liberty, right on William Penn Place, then head back around to Mellon Square park *Trans family welcome* *This march will be accessible, we will have a truck for those who would like to ride the march* After party At Donny's and Weezie's Brought to you by THE PINK PARTY PRODUCTIONS! With special performances by: Colelea Bekezela Joey Murphy Smells Like Gina Ya Lioness Homemade/Dyke made teeshirts and bags available Come on out! Let's make some noise and take up space! Visibility! Spread the word! Any questions, please message us at our myspace page The Pittsburgh Dyke March is personal, it's political. We are claiming celebratory feminist space for LBTQ (lesbian, bisexual, trans, queer) wimmin. Our realities and issues have been set to the side of the larger "inclusive" GLBT umbrella, and we've been told we must compromise. We've been told to assimilate to appropriation by corporate advertisers and sacrifice our interests to further the "greater good" of the gay community. As womyn loving womyn we are claiming this loving and political space, not only to celebrate the fierce radical spirit of the Stonewall Riots, but to remind ourselves that dykes are, and will continue to be, a revolutionary force to be reckoned with. How we organize and celebrate with one another matters, our love matters, our art matters, and dyke lives matter
Saturday night is the Joan Rivers concert to honor the 25th anniversary of Lambda. Sunday is the actual Pride festival and the PrideMarch. The Pittsburgh parade marshalls are an interesting choice -- Father Lynn Edwards and City Council President Doug Shields. Both are deserving, but I'm curious as to why the committee would select two allies in lieu of at least one LGBT individual. Maybe I'll find out on Sunday. There are some national marshalls, too, but that's not the same thing.
On a personal note, I'll be staffing a booth at PrideFest. I picked up my tent today. It seems very complicated so if you see a lesbian struggling to get something erected, please send help.
Happy PrideWeek!
