i managed to drag my still-getting-over-this-damn-cold self to the gay pride parage yesterday cause honey
you have to support gay pride
and proudly waved and hooted along with la matrix
her pal d, planet of course and my good pal H from vancouver
pride this year had more of an agenda than it has in some past years
it was yes, we are here to celebrate our pride
but it was also
a definate
IT IS NOW TIME FOR EQUAL RIGHTS
lots of politicians in the parade
Chuck Schumer
Governor Patterson
and more
i'm sure there were hundreds of thousands out cheering
don't know the actual count
but it was and is a huge day
one of the hugest days nyc has
so here's what pissed me the hell off
i get home
and turn on the news to watch highlights of the parade
cause you know when NYC has a parade there are always highlights
and there was maybe a 35 second mention in the news
honey this parade took over half of manhattan
thousands and thousands in the street
in the parade
cheering the parade
our mayor
our governor
our senator marching in the parade
and 35 seconds?
what's wrong with this picture?
honey i was well past pissed off
to have the annual new york gay pride parade barely mentioned
on the 40th anniversary of the stonewall riots?!
in all of the new york news stations
what's wrong with this picture?
is it all about michael jackson?
okay yeah michael jackson stole a whole lot of the thunder
not to mention just about all of farrah fawcett's thunder
hey kids
farrah died too ya know!!
but i don't think this was just about michael
so much as some unified
bull shit
about not giving proper coverage to gay pride
what do you think?
What a roller coaster day this has been
I woke up major league sick with the flu or a cold
Or the 12th plague of the pharaoh
And was not able to go to the hospital to be by the side of my dear friend la matrix
Who this morning did something beyond heroic
And gave her kidney to save the life of a total stranger
La matrix is fine, see linkie love list if you want to send her your best wishes
But I was guilt ridden about not being able to go
But to scared to give her my cold after her giving her kidney
So stayed home stoned on cold pills, guilt ridden and sneezing
My friends say I did the right thing
No one wants stitches and the flu
Then I find out on the news that Farrah Fawcett who has become a hero of mine
As you probably know lost her 3 year battle to cancer
Oh farrah
So brave
So beautiful
So proud
And so humble
A true loss
In the middle of the news comes a breaking report that Michael Jackson
Had been rushed to the hospital under cardiac arrest..
Later on I called la matrix and her good pal D ,told me
That not only had Nancy given her kidney today
Not only had farrah died
But Michael Jackson had died too!
Michael Jackson dead?
It boggles the mind
He was so young
And on the verge of his comeback
The comparisons to elvis are many
Both so isolated and dark in their last years
Both so iconic
Both so mis-understood
Both perhaps only truly loved
After it was too late
We will never know what really happened behind the child abuse allegations against Michael
We will never know why the many surgeries
We will never understand his demons
But what we do know is that Michael Jackson was a genius
And forever changed the music we listen to
So here I am
Drinking Nyquil
Feeling sad that I could not be with my heroic friend
Feeling sad that farrah lost her battle
And feeling shocked and sad that Michael Jackson after many of what were probably lonely years, on the verge of what would most likely have been a magnificent comeback
Suddenly is simply no more
Where were you the day elvis died?
Do you recall?
Well today you will remember where you were the day Michael died
So in the wake of all this shock and sadness
I choose instead to dwell on the life of my beloved pal La matrix
La matrix
My dear friend
Who woke up at 3:30 this morning
To get to the hospital at 5:30 am
To go under the knife at 7:30 am
To have her body opened and kidney removed
And given to a man that she only just met
To stay in recovery until 3:00 in the afternoon
And finally, exhausted to be taken to her room
Where she now rests deservedly
And that because of la matrix
While the world mourns one 50 year old man who died far too soon
A much lesser known but still loved 50-year-old man
Was given his life back
By my friend
The circle of life is spinning in full NEON for me today
Rest well la matrix you saved a life today
Farrah and Michael
Rest in peace
I attended an amazing event
Last night
With planet
On the urging of our pal
D.D.
It was a dinner fundraiser
For the Stonewall Community Foundation
Now for those not in the know
The Stonewall folks
Are the go to source
For a wide range of
Gay lesbian bisexual and transgender charities
More then 50 organizations are receiving training from Stonewall
And Stonewall also doles out scholarships
And of course mooolah mondo
So in short this group
Is the mommy and daddy
For a boat load of gay individuals, charities and groups
In need
But none of that was on my mind when I walked into the United Nations
Yes the U.N. !!
The Delegates dining room to be exact
last night
All I was thinking was….
Good lord
A huge room full of rich gay boys in fancy suits
And like only 5 babes
And me being the only non-corporate person in the joint!
EEKS
I felt like I stood out like a slab of cantaloupe in a bowl of raspberries
But by dinner
And one Cosmo
And two glasses of white wine
I was feeling rather chill
So I took a deep breath and started to open myself up to learning from a group of folks
I would not normally hang with
Ya know im more the arty downtown crowd
Then the corporate uptown crowd
NATCH
Met some fabulous folks
Especially the lovely N, new partner of the lovely D.D.
And was settling in
To enjoy my meal
And steal taters from planet
That’s when the honoring portion of the evening started
People like Mitchell Gold
An uber wealthy furniture storeowner
Who decided to dole out a huge chunk of his time and money
To fund and help gay groups in need
I liked the guy and felt moved by his story of what it was like
Growing up scared and confused about his sexuality
Plus he was kinda cute
Note so sure how I felt about former governor Jim McGreevey
Introducing Mitchell
McGreevey is a bit of an odd role model
When you think about it
And I really tried not to
But I guess now that he’s been ousted
He is out loud and proud
So hey
Better late then never
But I have to say the most moving part of the evening for me
Was when Dustin Lance Black took the podium
Some of you may recall Dustin’s moving acceptance speech when he won the Oscar for writing the MILK original screenplay
Well this handsome charming man
Who is about 35 but looks 17
Was pure motivation
I mean the dude was on fire
As he recalled Harvey Milk’s legacy and demanded
That all 400 of us sitting in the room
Rise up loud and proud
And make some noise
To push gay rights forward!!
To help gay teens around the country
Many of whom are 9 times more likely to commit suicide
Then a non-gay teen with accepting parents
To help them
Guide them
Inspire them
And show them
That they are perfect
They
Are loved by god just the way they are
Sheesh
I started to tear up
Had to drink more wine
And eat an entire chocolate single serving cake
To feel better
So today
I feel moved
To be a bit more OUT
And a bit more LOUD
And a bit more PROUD
And bit more demanding
If that is possible
That we are ALL created EQUAL
And we all should be allowed to marry whoever the &@&*@*@())@ we want to!!!
Sorry to have been a bit passive of late
But no fear
THE BITCH IS BACK!
