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Northampton Pride




Don't feel fully recovered yet from busy April, and seems that Marvin has taken over the blog (see below) but I did get to Northampton, MA to check out their amazing pride festival.

This was unlike any Pride I experienced--a real family affair. (Much less feathers and leather than say NYC Pride).

Lots of lesbian moms and gay dads with their strollers and children (and dogs--loads of dogs). The most amazing gathering of trans folks, genderqueers individuals and gender-liberated people I have ever seen. And young people--loads of high school and college students represented their GSAs. And the whole thing was over and cleaned up by 6:00 PM. Guess everyone had to put the kids to bed.

I got to see some great folks from Bennington, VT (hey Aaron, Ashley, Anne, Sadelle, Elvis, Anja and the rest!) and a great trans teen I had met at True Colors in March (hey Elliot) and a new friend from Boston who joined me for the day (hey Max!). Also, I got to see the power couple Cale and Jenessa and to see Girlyman perform.

I bought a really cool jacket/shirt and cap from DITC (Dykes in the City). Somehow I once again avoided buying anything with a rainbow on it.

This is the sort of Pride event that anti-gay Christians and political leaders do NOT want their followers (and voters) to see. It messes up the sordid picture they like to paint of us queer folk. It was a display of love, of family, of freedom, of new life, of community, of health, of beauty--things to be proud of.

Here are some photos of the day. (Click to enlarge)

Comments

Diana_CT said…
I missed seeing you, I was hanging out at the uniTy table.
If I ever move, I think it would be to Northampton. I love it up there.
9:37 PM
Christine Bakke said…
Wow - looks like a great time. The Denver pride here is so huge and sooooo corporate-sponsored its ridiculous. I kinda miss the smaller prides we had in Santa Cruz...

So glad you had a good time and got to hang with cool people.

Thanks for photos.
10:41 PM
Anonymous said…
I agree w/christine. It's nice to see small-town glbt pride, instead of big-city-corporate sponsored glbt (etc., etc.) pride for a change. Although here in Hartford, the CT Pride always seems a bit confused... It's small-city pride, held in September (?!!?), so as not to conflict with Boston or NYC or Noho Pride? Or is it to take advantage of the foliage? Or when everyone returns from their summer houses? What?
12:14 AM
Peterson Toscano said…
Tina, Hartford Pride in September because UCONN women are not playing that month.

Diana, I so agree. Northampton is lovely (except for thee over abundance of ice cream places with a dearth of soy products).

Christine, I love me some Santa Cruz.
12:35 AM
Anonymous said…
Hey, thanks for the mention, Peterson.

You rock, mi amigo. ;) For no reason in particular, even. You just rock. And so does NoHo Pride.
6:27 AM
Anonymous said…
Great pic of Girlyman, by the way!
6:37 AM
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