So, why Pride? Hasn’t the LGBT community come so far that “Gay Pride” is unnecessary? Granted, the achievements made in the struggle for civil rights have been breathtaking as of late, especially, of course, in the push for same-sex marriage. But those accomplishments didn’t just happen. They were the result of decades of struggle by known and unknown individuals seeking a life without persecution based on who they were and demanding to be treated equally as any other citizen of this country. The fact that they achieved success is such a relatively short time is astounding. We celebrate Pride to celebrate them.
It is because of them that, in one lifetime, we went from this:
Undesirable Discharge from the military, given to thousands of gays and lesbians.
to this:
Welcome home!
In one lifetime, from this:
1965 march at the White House protesting treatment of homosexual federal employees.
to this:
Mid-America Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
In one lifetime, from this:
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, founders of the first lesbian advocacy group in the US. At their first meeting in 1955 they made sure that the curtains were drawn so they wouldn’t be seen from the outside.
to this:
Martin and Lyon at their first wedding ceremony in 2004 in San Francisco
That’s plenty to be proud of.
Happy Pride, Kansas City! Here’s to another 40 years!
