TransLondon backs out of Pride celebration
Filed by: Alex Blaze
May 28, 2009 5:30 PM
http://www.bilerico.com/2009/05/translondon_backs_out_of_pride_celebrati.php (http://www.bilerico.com/2009/05/translondon_backs_out_of_pride_celebrati.php)
TransLondon, the largest trans org in London, voted a week ago to boycott Pride in that city. Apparently, the pride organization thought this would be a good way to have a trans float in the parade:
The 2009 pride participation is, so we are told, to consist of a float at the very back of the parade which would pander to the most tired and inaccurate media stereotypes of trans people. Trans women would, in Pride's vision, be dressed in sequins, high heels and fairy wings and, apparently as an afterthought, a few trans men would be invited to pose in football strips. The Pride representative explained that the trans float would complement a float at the front of the march with members of the cast of the West End musical, "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". In her vision, onlookers would be delighted to see "Priscilla at the front and Priscilla at the back". As a coup de grace, a visible cordon of security stewards would surround the trans float, ostensibly "for our own protection".
Maybe it is good that they boycotted it. After all, I'm sick of how everything has to be "dumbed down" which is something I see a lot of in the U.S. that I wouldn't expect to see as much of in the U.K. but anything is possible. I've gone to Pride here in Arizona, U.S. and it certainly is an event designed to be "out and proud" and entertaining. However, entertainment does not need to stoop to the level of mockery.
Yeah, that's one thing that really saddens me about a lot of pride events. They so often become a mockery of themselves, promoting stereotypes and giving the hate mongers more ammunition to use against the community. There's a fine line between a pride parade and a freak parade. :icon_no: