Trans Pride Parades? Count Me Out…

[Constance]

The reason why "Pride" is called "Pride" is because it's a response to a cultural "shaming" of people for belonging to a gender or sexuality minority.

I am allowed to be proud of myself.
I'm allowed to be trans without feeling ashamed of being trans.
Being trans doesn't make me less of a man.
I'm allowed to feel proud that I had the gall to get up and transition in the face of all the shaming and the hate that we who are trans or transition face.
Just like I'm allowed to be proud of my relationship with my partners, same as any heterosexual and/or monogamous person is proud of their relationship.

That's what "pride" is about.

It's not about pretending that our gender or sexuality is "better" than anyone else's, but that we're allowed to take pride in our own lives, and that we shouldn't be bloody well shamed for being who we are, who we've always been.

This pretty much sums up my thoughts on the matter, from an MTF POV of course, and is also why I went to the Trans Pride gathering before the Trans March in San Francisco last Friday.

People in all forms of gender expression and presentation were there, and many allies, too. I had a blast.

[Padma]

dammit, I can't go to sparkle after all, as I was waiting for a friend to get back to me about meeting on the way, and now the travel will cost over £100 .

[tekla]

Well Shades did the trans march, and I watched the Parade from a safe distance, and the trans representation in the parade and the crowd was huge.

[Constance]

I know I'm not the only trans person out here. I've met several at the Trans Parents group, the Mid Peninsula support group, and even at church. But the sheer number I saw in SF as well as folks who turned out in support of transpeople was really comforting. I got a really good feel for just how un-alone I am.

[V M]

There isn't any stuff like parades and such where I live and I wish there was    I often feel vary alone 

I think that if you have parades and so forth where you live and are able to go, you should... Just my two bits

[tekla]

It's a good time every few years.  You really want to go to the one that is on a hot sunny day.  For sure on that.

[kate durcal]

Ever notice the man in black taking pictures of the attendants. Rumor is they work for Edgard Hoover.

Kate D

[tekla]

Rumor is they work for Edgard Hoover was a big old crossdresser. 

[Nygeel]

I went to Trans March which was more about showing visibility of trans people, and demanding justice/equality. After that was the Drag March (a friend of mine who is a trans guy dressed in drag for that) which was more for fun.

I enjoyed both in different ways.