In most places other than Vancouver, this past weekend was Pride Weekend. I know some people who went to Seattle for the weekend or at least for the parade on Sunday. I know what Pride is like here, and Seattle is a great city, so I'm sure it was a big, fun celebration. I have another friend who lives in San Francisco, and you know Pride is a big deal there!
I marched in a couple of Pride parades a few years back. I was doing volunteer work at Qmunity. It was fun to be out, helping to carry a banner, showing everyone who we were. I have enjoyed watching Pride parades, and I have enjoyed being in Pride parades.
There was a feature in Fashionista.com about Pride in New York City. As usual, as has been the case for decades now, it was all about dressing wild and crazy. Nora Crotty wrote: "With topless ladies, tiny pasties, sky high glitter platforms, intricate feather headdresses, and more banana hammocks than you could count, it was street style at its absolute most fabulous; self expression at its most fearless."
Well, OK. I will say that Debbie Harry looked wonderful!
Vancouver Pride is at the beinning of August, when we're more likely to have a rain-free weekend. It's also a long weekend. I've been invited to a queer party that Sunday night. This is how it's advertised:
I understand wild costumes and showing skin—for Halloween, for Mardi Gras, for Carnivale. And for Pride, still. I get it. But is it really self-expression at its most fearless? Are people in costume being their true selves? Do people normally hide their true selves?
It's a curious thing. I feel kind of bad for people if they can't be themselves at other times, in other garb. I'm always my true self. This is me, baby! Sure, I can go for costumes. Sweetie and I are thinking of going to Mardi Gras next year, and there's no way we would do that without costumes. I might even do something wilder for a gig sometime (although our singer is the focus, as she should be).
But really, I'm my true self in business clothes, in jeans and a T-shirt, in a cocktail dress, in a mini and tights, and everything in between and more. For me, that's all self-expression. Sometimes maybe even fearless! No one dresses me. I dress myself. And I always dress to communicate who I am. Showing skin or dressing as a unicorn might be fun, but it wouldn't be more "me."
Now, if I ever got invited to anything that would require an evening gown, that really would be fabulous!
I marched in a couple of Pride parades a few years back. I was doing volunteer work at Qmunity. It was fun to be out, helping to carry a banner, showing everyone who we were. I have enjoyed watching Pride parades, and I have enjoyed being in Pride parades.
There was a feature in Fashionista.com about Pride in New York City. As usual, as has been the case for decades now, it was all about dressing wild and crazy. Nora Crotty wrote: "With topless ladies, tiny pasties, sky high glitter platforms, intricate feather headdresses, and more banana hammocks than you could count, it was street style at its absolute most fabulous; self expression at its most fearless."
Well, OK. I will say that Debbie Harry looked wonderful!
Vancouver Pride is at the beinning of August, when we're more likely to have a rain-free weekend. It's also a long weekend. I've been invited to a queer party that Sunday night. This is how it's advertised:
COME AS THE BEAUTIFUL CREATURE YOU WERE BORN TO BE!!!
BE CREATIVE! BE STUNNING! BE YOUR TRUE SELF & BE BEAUTIFUL!!!
I understand wild costumes and showing skin—for Halloween, for Mardi Gras, for Carnivale. And for Pride, still. I get it. But is it really self-expression at its most fearless? Are people in costume being their true selves? Do people normally hide their true selves?
It's a curious thing. I feel kind of bad for people if they can't be themselves at other times, in other garb. I'm always my true self. This is me, baby! Sure, I can go for costumes. Sweetie and I are thinking of going to Mardi Gras next year, and there's no way we would do that without costumes. I might even do something wilder for a gig sometime (although our singer is the focus, as she should be).
But really, I'm my true self in business clothes, in jeans and a T-shirt, in a cocktail dress, in a mini and tights, and everything in between and more. For me, that's all self-expression. Sometimes maybe even fearless! No one dresses me. I dress myself. And I always dress to communicate who I am. Showing skin or dressing as a unicorn might be fun, but it wouldn't be more "me."
Now, if I ever got invited to anything that would require an evening gown, that really would be fabulous!
1 comment:
This is a well-written article, Veronique. I agree with you. People should celebrate their uniqueness all throughout their lives and not just in certain times of the year. Life is too precious to waste.....
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