The first and final gay pride march

Next year you'll probably find me marching at the Heritage of Pride march down 5th Avenue in Manhattan. Perhaps with the Queer New York Bloggers contingent. I keep getting invited and turning them down because I'm never around for pride weekend in New York. At least during the last couple of years.  Then again, I might have marched in my last gay pride march ever.

Truth be told, I've felt a bit prided out the last few years.  I see a rainbow flag and I cringe.  The thought of hours and hours of commercially sponsored floats carrying a seemingly inexhaustible number of go-go boys and drag queens dancing to the same Lady Gaga song doesn't seem as fresh to me as when go-go boys and drag queens were dancing to Madonna way back.  And watching some of the Latino groups spend all that money on the glorious feathered costumes and elaborate floats breaks my heart when I know how hard they work for the money, if only to blow it on a couple of hours in the sun.

Don't get me wrong! Some of my best friends are go-go boys and drag queens! They are also from Latin America! It's just that when the New York City Department of Health does a float promoting crystal-meth addiction awareness and sees the need to put 20 go-go boys dancing around the float to call attention to the message, well, there is something really wrong with the world.

In other words, I have turned into an old gay geezer.

So when I tell you that I marched at a gay pride march a week ago Sunday and that it was an incredibly moving experience don't just take it with a grain of salt. It was a revelation...



I mean, it wasn't just ANY gay pride. It was the 13th annual gay pride in the city where I was born: Medellín, Colombia... and the first time I ever participated in it.

I mean, this is the city I left in the late 1990's when I didn't think it was possible to live an openly gay life. It wasn't that there weren't any gay people in Medellín at the time. I remember summer romances with two Colombian soldiers, one of whom offered me one of his hollow-point rifle bullets as a keepsake when he found out I was leaving (I refused it, thinking it would explode halfway through the trip back to the United States).

I mean, I was 20 at the time.

I mean, that's Calle 13's "Fiesta de Locos" blasting out of the speakers ---- and every single person singing it!

I mean...



OMG! Never in a million years would I have expected all this 'Glee'ness to happen in Medellín. I was enthralled.

The march was actually one of two gay pride marches in the city that day. This particular one was pulled together by Edisón Arboleda of the LGBT-rights organization Corporación El Otro.  It got off to a slow start and it took ages to make our way downtown, amidst huge sudden downpours and a loss of marchers.

But, as marchers made it over the Colombia Street bridge and into the mostly empty industrial area of downtown Medellín, the march truly turned into one huge party.



I know it might seem like any pride march anywhere in the world to you  but it sent chills down my spine.  It still does as I watch these clips.

A few things I noticed: Only a couple of commercial floats, police turning away a number of drunk soccer hooligans shouting homophobic slurs as a few drag queens watched them being taken away, a march where participants and spectators were allowed free movement instead of penning people in as they do in New York, young queer folk everywhere, a cute photographer from El Tiempo and, yes, Lady Gaga.

I also took a few photos (and so did my brother).  And that was my gay pride this year. How was yours?

Related: 

• La Dany - The Movie
• Medellin gay pride parade (flickr)

Gay Pride in Latin America: Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, Chile & Colombia

July 1, 2007: In Bogota, Colombia, the gay community mourned the death of 11 deputies that had been held in captivity by the FARC guerrilla for more than five years. The black banners and shirts also were meant to show the community's anger at the Senators that used a legislative procedure to derail a same-sex partnership bill at the last possible minute back in June (image from El Tiempo)

You might have seen coverage of pride marches in Spain and Brazil elsewhere so we'll skip those (just Google both and see what comes up or, better yet, browse GayNewsWatch.com for related stories).

We have already written about last week's rally in the Dominican Republic. Here is a look at other pride marches and events in Latin America that took place over the weekend that might have received less attention in these latitudes.

Cochabamba, Bolivia: Santa Cruz and the capital city of La Paz might have observed gay pride events in previous years but this year it was the Andean city of Cochabamba to launch their first pride event ever (abuove-right press conference image taken from Los Tiempos).

On Sunday, Los Tiempos reported that the previous day's gathering at the city's main plaza was attended by thousands of individuals who "danced with transsexuals, gays and lesbians."

"I didn't know Miss Cochabamba was so tall!" said an older woman as she posed for a photo with the Queen of the Gays, stated the reporter.

The paper took note of the visible trans presence and the lack of confrontations or disruptions that have marred pride events in other Bolivian cities.

Guayaquil, Ecuador. El Comercio reports that 300 people showed up for an afternoon of artistic shows at an outdoor plaza on Thursday, June 28th. The event, which began last year, was organized by the Friends for Life Foundation under the theme of "The problem is not homosexuality... The problem is homophobia." The Foundation has posted images of the event over on their blog here and here.

Panama City, Panama. The Association of New Men and Women of Panama (AHMN), observed pride by releasing their first ever "Top Ten Most Homophobic Panamanians" list which included television personalities, religious leaders and politicians.

At least one of the nominees expressed surprise at being nominated: Critica Libre columnist Julio Cesar Caicedo told the AFP "I am not a homophobe."

San Salvador, El Salvador. EFE reports that hundreds of people, including representatives from half a dozen HIV prevention and gay rights organizations participated in a gay pride march through the streets of San Salvador. Under the theme of "Diversity in Action" well-known gay-right activist William Hernandez stated that there was a lack of funding and institutionalized support for anti-homophobia trainings or campaigns or for HIV prevention campaigns specifically targeting the gay community.

Santiago de Chile, Chile. Last week the Chilean arm of Amnesty International said that two leading gay rights organizations, MUMS and MOVILH, had received anonymous threatening messages through the internet in advance of Sunday's pride fair. In June MOVILH's website had also been hacked twice also by unknown put self-proclaimed skinheads who posted offensive messages and images instead of the usual content.

Fortunately MOVILH's portal is back in MOVILH's hands and they report no incidents of violence at Sunday's cultural fair which celebrated both LGBT pride as well as the organization's 16th anniversary. They also have a photo gallery of the day's proceedings here (if people seem a bit bundled, keep in mind that it's currently winter down in Chile).

La Nacion had perviously reported that, parallel to the day's events there would also be a second annual "kiss-a-thon" organized by MUMS in a show of support for anti-discrimination legislation.

Bogota, Colombia. Organizers of Bogota's pride march also denounced internet-based threats from anonymous self-described "skinheads" on the eve of Sunday's event. Fortunately, the march drew an estimated 10,000 participants despite cold rainy weather and there were no reports of any disruptions or clashes although a group of pro-gay skinheads did participate.

Organizers of the event, led by the Colombian LGBT rights advocacy organization Colombia Diversa, had planned to wear black shirts in protest of last month's 12th hour defeat of a landmark bill that would have given same-sex couples in Colombia some partnership rights. But on Sunday the black banners and shirts also served as a powerful symbol that the LGBT community in Colombia stood together with the rest of the country in mourning the death of 11 councilmembers who had been held in captivity for five years by the FARC guerilla organization (the FARC say that the kidnapped men died in a confrontation with armed forces while the Colombian government has categorically denied any rescue mission or military activity against the FARC in the area).

In addition to those visible expressions of sadness, Fabian David, a young man who marched along with his boyfriend, noticed another key difference from marches in years past: "The majority of are not wearing masks," he told El Tiempo, "This is because there is a sense of increased comfortability with the issue."

El Tiempo has a gallery of images here.

Former Latino gay bar sites in Los Angeles tagged with guerilla landmark designations

The Pocho Research Society has designated the following four Echo Park, Silver Lake and downton Los Angeles sites - all former Latino gay bars - as landmarks:

• Le Barcito, currently the Cha Cha 2375 Glendale Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90039
• Klub Fantasy / Club Fire at the Nayarit aka The Echo 1822 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026
• The Score 107 W. 4th St, Downtown Los Angeles, currently Bar 107

But if you want to see the memorial plaques placed on each site you better run because they might be gone by the time you read this.

On Thursday, KPCC radio (89.3) tagged along with "semi-anonymous" performance artist Sandra as she pasted the plaques outside each bar as part of the ongoing Operation Invisible Monument, which seeks to "commemorate moments in Los Angeles history that have not been officially recognized" and, in this instance, highlight the effect of gentrification in some areas of the city.

For more on all this check out the above hyper links, the project's main website or Sandra's blog.

El Diario La Prensa and Latino Gay Pride

Today's editorial from the Spanish-language newspaper El Diario La Prensa is all about gay pride and Latino LGBT activism ("Honoring Gay Pride"). It follows Spanish-language only articles published yesterday and today taking a look at different aspects of the Latino LGBT community which include:

Yesterday's paper:

• "The presence of Hispanics in Stonewall"
• "The forgotten in immigration reform: Same-sex partners" on difficulties faced by bi-national same-sex couples (an English language translation is posted on Canadian Hope, the blog of one of the featured couples - and good friends - Tom and Emilio).
  
• An OpEd by Pedro Julio Serrano: "Targetted by violence: Latino gays and lesbians"

Today's paper:

• "They also want to be recognized" on the fight for same-sex marriage rights in New York State
• "Civil unions: More social security" on gains in New Jersey for same-sex couples
• "Homes for gay youths in New York" on Sylvia's Place, a homeless shelter for LGBT youth named in honor of transgender activist Sylvia Rivera
• "Proud of my truth" - a Latina woman from New Jersey describes what makes her proud of being a lesbian.
• Video of today's parade
  

In the meantime, as we shared a few days ago, we did some research here at Blabbeando for images that El Diario might be able to use (and provided a few contacts for their reporting). If you want to look through some of those images, here's a handy summary as well:

• 1997: The Latino Caucus of ACT UP and Latino LGBT activism in the 1980's and 90's
• 1998: The first ever Bronx LGBT Pride parade
• 1999: LGBT contingents at the non-gay Puerto Rican Pride parade
• 2002: The annual Dominican LGBT picnic under the George Washington Bridge
• 2003: COLEGA waltzes for same-sex partnership rights in Colombia at Queens Pride
• 2004: Confronting religious homophobia in the Bronx and marching down 5th Avenue
• 2006: Latino LGBT precence at the immigration rights rallies

Latino LGBT Pride in NYC: 2006

Finalizing (for now) our look at Latino LGBT organizing in New York through some of the photos I've taken through the years...

copyrighted photos - to post, please ask for permission: blabbeando@gmail.com

Immigration rights march, March 10, 2006: Bronx-based Hombres Latinos de Ambiente (H.O.L.A.) are among the organizations that participated in last year's massive immigration rights rallies here in New York.

Latino LGBT Pride in NYC: 2004

Continuing our look at Latino LGBT organizing in New York through some of the photos I've taken through the years...

copyrighted photos - to post, please ask for permission: blabbeando@gmail.com

Above - Taking a stand outside the Bronx Courthouse, Sunday, March 14, 2004: When conservative Latino religious organizations throughout the northeast asked parishioners to show up in big numbers at a rally in support of President Bush's constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, more than 5,000 people showed up. A few of us also showed up to counter their message and that of the homophobic State Senator (and Reverend) Ruben Diaz, Sr. Full story here.

Below - Heritage of Pride march, June 27, 2004: Venezuelan Gays United in full feather regalia perform before the judge's stand. I was a judge that year and I believe they were nominated for a couple of awards though I swear I tried to be as impartial as possible. They were pretty good though. Rumor says that this year they'll be back in feathers although the colors might change.

Latino LGBT pride in NYC: 2003

Continuing our look at Latino LGBT organizing in New York through some of the photos I've taken through the years...

copyrighted photo - to post, please ask for permission: blabbeando@gmail.com

Queens pride parade, June 1, 2003: This week's great news that my home country of Colombia is set to become the first Latin American nation to grant some partnership rights to same-sex couples on a national level (other Latin American cities such as Buenos Aires and municipalities had done so before on a local level) came after several attempts to pass such a bill.

In 2003, the Colombian Lesbian and Gay Association (COLEGA) decided to stage a wedding reception and dance in support of a bill that was being sponsored by Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba at the time. That we did it outdoors and at the Queens pride parade won us the "Simply the Best" award at that year's parade (yay!).

And, yes, before you ask that is the boyfriend (first guy on the left) dancing with another man.

Latino LGBT pride in NYC: 2002

Continuing our look at Latino LGBT organizing in New York through some of the photos I've taken through the years...

copyrighted photos - to post, please ask for permission: blabbeando@gmail.com

The annual LGBT Dominican/Latino George Washington Bridge Picnic/Health Fair, July 20, 2002: My, that was sure a mouthful. Still, from year to year this is still one of my favorite summer events. It might have been a bit foggy in 2002 but the grandiosity of the George Washington Bridge certainly gives this health fair a glorious background, fog or no fog.

Watching the drag queens make it down the steep trails to the park on their stilettoed high heels is always fun. Watching hot mamis dance merengue with other mamis and hot papis stroll by hand in hand is not something most New Yorkers expect to see in Washington Heights. There are also booths for organizations that want to provide information, warm food (usually arros y gandules or rice and beans, sometimes with fried sweet plantains). Even straight people with their kids.

As in past years, this year's picnic is being organized by the Gay and Lesbian Dominican Empowerment Organization (GALDE). Click on the link to find out more about this year's event (it's already on it's 17th year). They are also always happy to get sponsors or donations to help them with the costs. I'll probably do a reminder later but definitely save the date: Sunday, July 29th, 2007 from noon to 7pm (rain or shine and, of course, under the George Washington Bridge).

Latino LGBT pride in NYC: 1999

Continuing our look at Latino LGBT organizing in New York through some of the photos I've taken through the years...

copyrighted photo - to post, please ask for permission: blabbeando@gmail.com

Puerto Rican Day Parade, June 13, 1999: Organizations including Las Buenas Amigas, Latino Gay Men of New York and Primer Movimiento Peruano participate in the definitely non-gay Puerto Rican Day Parade.

I believe it's the biggest parade of the year in Manhattan and I remember being absolutely intimidated by the huge crowds. There were some plastic bottles thrown at us and a few middle fingers raised and insults hurled but there were also lots of Puerto Rican lesbians on the sidelines that jumped with joy when they saw us (at least that was my impression, maybe the gay Puerto Rican guys kept it on the down low).

I also remember that the transgender women in the groups put me to shame in actually walking into the crowds and handing out information with no fear - despite that they bore the brunt of most of the laughter and insults. I drew courage from them to say "fuck it" and just decided to enjoy the experience.

Participating in the city's gay pride marches and events might be fun and pretty and self-empowering but I always thought it is more important to be present and visible in events like these that are not necessarily as gay-friendly.

A couple of years later, I remember marching in a much smaller contingent (practically by myself and three other people from the Puerto Rican Initiative to Develop Empowerment) right in front of the Latin Kings who were dressed in yellow - their gang colors. Not sure if they realized we were a gay group but they certainly were really friendly and cheering us on.

This year the Latin Kings were banned from the parade for the first time ever and the police arrested more than two hundred people when they tried to break into the parade route anyway.

Latino LGBT Pride in NYC: 1998

Continuing our look at Latino LGBT organizing in New York through some of the photos I've taken through the years...

copyrighted photo - to post, please ask for permission: blabbeando@gmail.com

1st ever Bronx LGBT Pride Parade, July 10th, 1998: Yes, Virginia, there once was a pride march down the Grand Concourse Avenue in the Bronx.

Here we have the Puerto Rican Initiative to Develop Empowerment (P.R.I.D.E.) - which was founded in 1995 - joining other organizations on that fateful day. The march would not have been possible without the economic or political support of then-Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer (who would later be defeated in the mayoral race that led to the coronation of current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg). Alas, the pride march only lasted a couple of years.

On that first parade there were nearly no people watching on the sidewalks and it probably caught those who were walking-by by surprise. But it nevertheless was a victory for LGBT leaders in the Bronx (like Marisol Santiago, Lisa Winters and Crystal Paris) who wanted some visibility for the community in the neighborhood.

Last year Bronx Pride was reborn in a different guise. It is no longer a pride march, instead organizers have come up with a health fair / outing at a park kinda thingie.

As a matter of fact this year's event took place today! I hope it went well! I also hope that it was free of some of the controversies of last year involving the organizers and current (Evangelical) Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion (who is rumored to be a future mayoral contender once Mike Bloomberg is termed out of office).

Latino LGBT pride in NYC: 1997

The Spanish language newspaper El Diario La Prensa is publishing an LGBT pride supplement this year and I've been providing information to a few reporters on issues related to the history of Latino LGBT organizing in the city, challenges faced by bi-national same-sex couples and Latinos involved in the push for same-sex marriage in New York.

I have also been looking through images that I have that might help to illustrate the vibrancy of Latino LGBT life in New York over the last decade and have submitted some although I'm not sure they will be published.

In the next few posts I will share some of them and my recollections on where and when they were taken.

copyrighted photo - to post, please ask for permission: blabbeando@gmail.com

Let's start with ACT UP and members of the Latino Caucus: The back of the photo I scanned says April of 1997 so I'm not exactly sure on what exact day it was taken or what the protest was about (obviously access to treatments was a theme but considering the size of the crowd it must have been a reaction to something).

I do remember that I was marching with members of ACT-UP's Latino Caucus including Hector Seda, Carlos Maldonado, Popo and a few other people who I'd befriended and had shown me the ropes of activism. Not sure if Sam Larson or Jesus Aguais were there on that day. I was dating a great Peruvian guy, Fernando Mariscal, who was a photo enthusiast and must still have quite a collection of historic photos from those days.

I think by the time I met them, the caucus had folded but they still continued to participate in marches and hang out socially. I was in awe of their activism and wanted to grow up and be just like them (hehe).

While ACT UP is not a gay rights organization, the historical importance to Latino LGBT advocacy in New York is that some of the members of the ACT UP Latino Caucus were influential in launching a couple of gay Latino organizations. Jesus Aguais, who now directs Aid for AIDS, founded the now-defunct Venezuelan Gay and Lesbian Association (VGLA) which led also to the creation of the Colombian Lesbian and Gay Association (COLEGA) - Jesus was dating a Colombian guy and suggested that he bring some people together to launch a Colombian organization, which he did. I ended up being co-chair of COLEGA a couple of years later.

Gonzalo Aburto, who would later become editor of the Spanish-language version of POZ Magazine, also was among a few guys who launched HoMoVISIONES, another gay Latino organization that was unique in that it was not a social or a community service organization but focused on creating audiovisual material covering issues related to the Latino LGBT community. They had an incredible community access cable news show which, among other things, captured the only video I remember seeing of a NYPD officer mounted on a horse trampling through some activists at the massive Matthew Sheppard rally that took place in Manhattan on October 13 of 1998 (the police had penned in demostrators on side streets between avenues and were arresting people en masse). Gonzalo now produces the only 'Rock in Spanish' radio show in New York (La Nueva Alternativa) and writes for... El Diario La Prensa.

At the time there were already a number of Latino gay organizations, including Las Buenas Amigas and Latino Gay Men of New York (currently the longest existing surviving Latino gay organizations in the city) and Latinas y Latinos de Ambiente de Nueva York (LLANY) which still gets listed on gay directories even though I believe it's been more than a decade since it folded. These, in turn, were born out of earlier Latino LGBT organizing in the city and organizations such as HUGGL (sp?) which was gone by the time I moved to New York and, I believe, was founded as a direct result of the incredible rise of power of the Puerto Rican communities in New York in the 1980's and 1990's. I used to know some of this by heart but, unfortunately, time erases some memories and details.

There are still some people out there who have written about that part of Latino LGBT organizing history in New York, most notably Luis Aponte-Pares.