WHAT IS PRIDE?
PERSONAL RIGHTS in DEFENSE and EDUCATION.
June is always the beginning of the PRIDE SEASON.
3 Presidents have officially declared the month of June as PRIDE MONTH.
Back in 1999 & 2000 President Bill Clinton first declared the month of June as the month. Following suit from 2009-2016 President Barak Obama also recognized US. Now thankfully with our new President Joe Biden also has given us RECOGNITION.
PRETTY INSANE THAT IT HAS ONLY BEEN THE PAST 21 YEARS. It has been decades that we have been marginalized by the ESTABLISHMENT.
The Pride organization was formed in Los Angeles California in 1966 by Steve Ginsburg.
1966 is the year that I was born.
Pride month occurs in the United Stated to commemorate the STONEWALL RIOTS which occured in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969-July 3, 1969
The riots were a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the GAY Community in response to a police raid that morning at THE STONEWELL INN in the Greenwich Village of Manhattan in NEW YORK CITY.
As a result, many PRIDE EVENTS are held during the month of June to recognize the impact the people in the community has had on the WORLD.
For over 50 years pride has been a CHAMPION of EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, & INCLUSION.
Grateful to be a part of this BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY filled with as many colors of THE RAINBOW & BEYOND.
Many of us, our roads were not EASY. Many very DIFFICULT for any number of reasons.
FEAR, FAMILY, SELF ACCEPTANCE, PERSECUTION, IGNORANCE & HATE.
My own journey is still PLAYING OUT. It has been a long one for sure.
At 55 years of age, I knew in order for me to SURVIVE, like most I needed to head to a big city and find my tribe. I do not think that my story is UNIQUE. I actually think it is quite COMMON.
I personally am not a fan of LABELS.
I am just JOE. I don't feel the need to introduce myself as Joe a GAY MAN.
Yes being a gay man is a part of who I am. I do not define myself by being Gay and I don't have interest in other people defining me in any way actually.
The beauty of us as HUMANS..........WE ARE MANY THINGS.
I feel like being labeled is more for others to make them COMFORTABLE or UNCOMFORTABLE.
I do understand the importance of being a part of a MOVEMENT.
I am so GRATEFUL to know and be in a community who has fought so hard to just be who we are and to LOVE.
The compassionate, accepting and loving people that I have know through the years in the community or those who are EVOLVED enough to be LOVING ALLIES IS NOTHING SHORT OF AWESOME.
There are many that have only journeyed with me for a bit, THANK YOU.
There are those who are still journeying with me STILL. THANK YOU.
It is important for each and everyone of us to find our tribe. I am grateful for all those who have come before me and have made my journey a bit easier. THANK YOU.
Your sacrifices were not in vane. I hope one day any marginalized community that is fighting for BASIC RIGHTS IS A THING OF THE PAST.
This post is in MEMORY OF THE 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB MASSACRE THAT ROBBED 49 FAMILIES OF THEIR LOVED ONES DUE TO IGNORANCE & HATE WHICH HAPPENED ON JUNE 12, 2016.
WE HAVE FOUGHT LIKE HELL AND WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO ERADICATE THE HATE WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY.
LOVE WILL WIN.
LOVE IS LOVE.
I THINK ANYONE WHO FINDS SOMEONE TO LOVE AND BE LOVED BY IS THE ULTIMATE GIFT IN LIFE PERIOD.
NO ONE SHOULD BE DENIED THIS HUMAN BASIC RIGHT.
LIGHT, LOVE & PEACE.
ALSO THINKING OF THE ABBEY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ON THE MONTH OF LOSING MATT MOSCATO 16 YEARS AGO NOW PRIDE WEEKEND.
MISS YOUR BEAUTIFUL SMILE MATT.
