www.ambiente.us MAY | MAYO 2010
OPEd | My FIRST Gay Pride
by Alenette Acuesta Opena
Consider me a late-bloomer: discovered my love for women at 20; joined the
community and founded my own grassroots movement at 27; and after being out and
proud for seven years now, I must confess that I just celebrated my first Miami-Beach
Gay Pride on April 17th. And I had a blast. I guess timing is everything. As I joined the
thousands of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgenders and their family, friends
and supporters, I felt an intense sense of community and passion for what I believe in
and it is a simple belief: human beings should live in a more equitable world
regardless of color, religion, disability, nationality, and especially sexual preference. My
first Pride cemented that belief. Beyond the flare and flamboyance, beyond the utter
display of sexuality, beyond the booze, the barebacks and the boobs was a sense of
community and activism. And that is what these events offer us: a venue to express our
pride as homosexuals who are otherwise socialized to suppress our love and live in
self-hate and self-pity. Well, for newbies, late-bloomers, and veterans- Gay Pride is
where we ought to celebrate our beautiful selves, our triumph and acknowledge our
challenges ahead.
After Pride, hangover, after the celebration subsides, we face the reality of a gay
bashings, of military service members being muffled and
dishonorably discharged, of LGBT couples being denied the right
to adopt, covert and overt homophobia are still everywhere
and we have a long way to go. Not a single event of Gay Pride
can change that. What can change that is a grassroots
movement of students, advocates, and progressives bonding
OPEd | My FIRST Gay Pride
by Alenette Acuesta Opena
Consider me a late-bloomer: discovered my love for women at 20; joined the
community and founded my own grassroots movement at 27; and after being out and
proud for seven years now, I must confess that I just celebrated my first Miami-Beach
Gay Pride on April 17th. And I had a blast. I guess timing is everything. As I joined the
thousands of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgenders and their family, friends
and supporters, I felt an intense sense of community and passion for what I believe in
and it is a simple belief: human beings should live in a more equitable world
regardless of color, religion, disability, nationality, and especially sexual preference. My
first Pride cemented that belief. Beyond the flare and flamboyance, beyond the utter
display of sexuality, beyond the booze, the barebacks and the boobs was a sense of
community and activism. And that is what these events offer us: a venue to express our
pride as homosexuals who are otherwise socialized to suppress our love and live in
self-hate and self-pity. Well, for newbies, late-bloomers, and veterans- Gay Pride is
where we ought to celebrate our beautiful selves, our triumph and acknowledge our
challenges ahead.
After Pride, hangover, after the celebration subsides, we face the reality of a gay
bashings, of military service members being muffled and
dishonorably discharged, of LGBT couples being denied the right
to adopt, covert and overt homophobia are still everywhere
and we have a long way to go. Not a single event of Gay Pride
can change that. What can change that is a grassroots
movement of students, advocates, and progressives bonding
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together to shake off this deep-seated fear against homosexuals. So what I have bequeathed
upon myself is this mission to provide a safe forum for LGBT minority. I founded Asian-American
Rainbow Koalisyon to encourage everyone to speak. If you are gay, speak and tell us your story. If it
is the first time, then so be it. Yes, it takes courage to confront your self and admit that your love is
not that kind that your parents traditionally share; it is not the kind of love that this predominantly
straight world depicts; but it is love nonetheless. It is the kind of love that transcends and redefines
tradition. It is the kind of love that, if well-grounded and well-founded, can overcome anything. If you
are a progressive, speak and tell us that we have your support. It makes us LGBT feel less alone.
If you are homophobic, let’s talk and tell us why? If you are parent of a gay child, tell us why you feel
inclined to love your child less simply because he or she is gay? He is still your son! She is still
your daughter! If you are an imam, a priest, or a pastor and you feel anxious because you feel this
anxiety inside you, perhaps it is time to redefine your religious understanding of humanity, faith,
and congregation. In fact, perhaps it is time to reread God’s teachings so we can reconcile Heaven
and Earth.
I, as a late-bloomer, am no longer ashamed to admit that I went to my FIRST Gay Pride. I think
because I have done more than most people in their lifetime have ever done, I actually showed up.
And as sore, exhausted and hangover as I am, I will never forget my first Gay Pride.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source
upon myself is this mission to provide a safe forum for LGBT minority. I founded Asian-American
Rainbow Koalisyon to encourage everyone to speak. If you are gay, speak and tell us your story. If it
is the first time, then so be it. Yes, it takes courage to confront your self and admit that your love is
not that kind that your parents traditionally share; it is not the kind of love that this predominantly
straight world depicts; but it is love nonetheless. It is the kind of love that transcends and redefines
tradition. It is the kind of love that, if well-grounded and well-founded, can overcome anything. If you
are a progressive, speak and tell us that we have your support. It makes us LGBT feel less alone.
If you are homophobic, let’s talk and tell us why? If you are parent of a gay child, tell us why you feel
inclined to love your child less simply because he or she is gay? He is still your son! She is still
your daughter! If you are an imam, a priest, or a pastor and you feel anxious because you feel this
anxiety inside you, perhaps it is time to redefine your religious understanding of humanity, faith,
and congregation. In fact, perhaps it is time to reread God’s teachings so we can reconcile Heaven
and Earth.
I, as a late-bloomer, am no longer ashamed to admit that I went to my FIRST Gay Pride. I think
because I have done more than most people in their lifetime have ever done, I actually showed up.
And as sore, exhausted and hangover as I am, I will never forget my first Gay Pride.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source
