how I spent my saturday

So I had the pleasure of traveling to iowa city today for the pride parade. I thought there would have been more to it, but I suppose the fact that Iowa even has a gay pride parade is reason to celebrate in itself. It was really cool to see all the people supporting gay rights, there were even a few seasoned gay rights supporters. 

After the parade there was a festival where vendors sell assorted goodies. I went with the one lesbian friend I have. We were just walking around and stuff, looking at the merchandise etc. But as I stood there, I found myself thinking how natural all the couples looked. They didn’t look like gay couples, they looked like couples. If more people could see what I saw, I believe minds could be changed. She was getting her face painted and I guess the lady had called her sexy or whatever, I was too distracted at the (straight) hottie playing guitar. When my friend paid she gave her an extra dollar and was like, “That’s for calling my sexy.” The face painter looked at me and said, “She’s not going to come back and beat me up is she?” I looked around for a good ten seconds before I realized she was referring to me. I had been mistaken as a lesbian! 

On our way back we saw a person with a rainbow heart sticker on their car. My friend commented about how she wanted one. I told her how I had previously owned a gay rights bumper sticker but it had fallen off. My friend then asked me a question, one that I suppose was well justified. Do you like girls? 

I understand why she might have been suspicious. Going to a gay pride parade, having a gay pride sticker, the evidence seemed to be piling up. But no, I do not like girls. The way I see it is that the gay plight is similar to the black plight in that both are unrepresented and have struggled to be accepted by mainstream society. Gay rights is something that I can connect with because of this. My personal beliefs support my friend’s lifestyle, and I heavily back any of my beliefs. 

I agree, it is one thing to support something, and quite another to display it. But why should I be concerned with displaying my support. True, I’m sure, like the face painter, that many people will assume I’m gay, but who cares? I know I’m not so it really isn’t important to me. I am comfortable enough with my sexuality to support others'. And perhaps those people shouldn’t be assuming anyway, I think we all are aware of what happens when one assumes. 

I believe that the only way to change other peoples’ minds is to open them up to the way in which your own mind works. That’s why I chose to display my support for gay rights. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, on the contrary it’s something to be proud of. By showing other people that it is indeed okay to support others, then perhaps they can better realize it themselves and do the same. And so the numbers grow. 

peace.