Did you attend a Pride Event this year (or do you plan on doing so)?

[Brian]

Curious minds want to know... did you attend a pride event (parade, rally, party, marketplace, etc) this year, or plan on doing so?

- Drew :paw:

[grizzle45]

I did not attend. I planned on attending but no one I knew wanted to go with me, I was exhausted after a hard days work in the restaurant etc. etc.
I wasn't sure what I expected to gain by going. I really want to connect with "community", but as I'm not even sure what that means or would look like, I'm reasonable certain I wouldn't find it. Still, there's the question of Pride, of having it and showing it and celebrating it. I'm not sure what that looks like, really, either. I think that had I gone it might have helped me figure it all out, but alas...

[arana]

I didn't attend one as they were all quite a distance and I don't want to go alone.

[bornintoit]

I am planning on attending the Brighton Pride (Brighton being well known for its thriving gay community). I have also been too nervous and scared to go before because I know some of the hatred that can be directed towards bisexuals from the gay community.

This time however I am going with a group of people, one bisexual who is my friend and comes from Brighton, 2 lesbians one who loves me very much as an individual and her ex girlfriend and another girl whose sexuality I am unsure of. As I won't be alone I am plucking up the courage to go along for the week long festival.

Hopefully I can get the time off work.

If anyone else lives near or in Brighton and wants to send me a PM, I would be very happy to hear from you!!

Dee Dee x

[glantern954]

My gay friends backed out last minute so I ended up being there alone, but I did go.

I wore a visi BI lity tshirt. I felt like people were looking at me like I was a unicorn.

[bornintoit]

My gay friends backed out last minute so I ended up being there alone, but I did go.

I wore a visi BI lity tshirt. I felt like people were looking at me like I was a unicorn.


That is amazing. You have no idea how I admire you for doing that. I'm just sorry that you felt out of place, but if more people will stand up for who they are hopefully the discrimination will in time fade away....

Dee Dee x

:female:

[JohnnyV]

I was at the local pride fair for about 25 minutes, toward the end. I brought baby and was walking around with a very effeminate-looking, hot blond straight friend. Everyone, I think, assumed that wewere a couple. Fine with me -- a blond guy would really hit the spot right now!

I know lots of people in the community. I don't think they looked down at me for being bi, but it was more me -- lately I feel weird and out of place at gay events. Maybe it has to do with the baby I'm carrying around and the wife at home, waiting for me -- ya think?

J

[Avocado]

I doubt I'll be that much out to anyone by the end of 2006 and wouldn't get involved with stuff unless I was, maybe not even unless my parents knew. I'm at the stage where I'll tell people (not my family although of course it could get back to them if enough people knew) if they ask and that's it. If I did go I'd really want to go to a bi pride festival.

[softfruit]

Looks like I'll be running a bi awareness stall at my local (Manchester UK) Pride festival at the end of August... though I'll be at oodles of pride events this year if things like BiCon (http://www.bicon.org.uk/) and BiFest (http://www.bifest.org/) count!

Anyone else using their Pride as an opportunity to recruit more bi's as well as join in the general banner-waving?

[membrain]

I'm going to the last two days of the Montreal one this August! :rainbow:

I'm excited.

[bigulfcpl]

We have not attended one yet, but, we are planning on getting to one in the near future. Scheduling is a bitch! LOL

[glantern954]

Thank you for the warm fuzzy!


That is amazing. You have no idea how I admire you for doing that. I'm just sorry that you felt out of place, but if more people will stand up for who they are hopefully the discrimination will in time fade away....

Dee Dee x

:female:

[bornintoit]

Thank you for the warm fuzzy!


You are welcome! I assume by fuzzy you mean nice comments and not pussy like how I see it as lol. What can I say I grew up with my private part being called a fuzzy wuzzy lol.

Omg now i'm coming across as some sort of weirdo lol.

Dee Dee x

:female: :flag1:

[glantern954]

HaHa! Yeah Nice comments. Unless I blacked out for a bit and don't remember everything that happened this afternoon.

[tink1978]

I was thinking of going to the one in Seattle but i do not want to go alone. Any one want to join me and 2 kids?

Tink

[RebekaLee]

i missed tulsa pride...i don't know if i've missed okc pride yet...and i'll have to check if there is one in wichita...i'd lvoe to go to pride again...so i'm gonna answer yes on this poll! and then go check into dates :flag1:

[bigregory]

If and i hope i can get to the pride paraded this weekend in toronto im going to have a bi flag to wave around. not that sissy gay one lol
:bipride:

[Biboz49]

We are going to the pride parade in Toronto this weekend and will be going to some pubs and things during pride week as well. We were at the bi conference dinner/dance and had a great time last weekend. :bipride:

[twodelta]

Answering Yes because I'm hoping to get to the Bi-Men getaway in Plam Springs in October. Can anyone direct me to a website that may have a comprehensive list of such events? I would love to get out to more of them and meet new people. It never hurts to broaden ones network. Would also be cool to have a Bisexual.com members weekend sometime! Anyone have the time and energy to organize such an event??? :three: - Dave

[softfruit]

Answering Yes because I'm hoping to get to the Bi-Men getaway in Plam Springs in October. Can anyone direct me to a website that may have a comprehensive list of such events?

Fair play now, our own Drew here does his best with the events pages of this site! There are just only so many such events, alas.

Otherwise bisexual.org (http://www.bisexual.org/) for the US and Bi Community News (http://www.bicommunitynews.co.uk/) in the UK do good jobs of highlighting upcoming bi events from one-day things to sprawling week-long affairs. I'm sure places like Denmark and Germany have similar sites, I just wouldn't have a clue what the web pages said :/


I would love to get out to more of them and meet new people. It never hurts to broaden ones network. Would also be cool to have a Bisexual.com members weekend sometime! Anyone have the time and energy to organize such an event??? :three: - Dave

*grin* as this is a Canadian website with people from all over the globe taking part, we'd all have to arm-wrestle first about which continent, never mind which country or city! Perhaps better just for peer pressure on here to encourage more bisexual.com folk to go to the events that are already out there?

[CherryBlossom74]

Been to two so far....going to another next month in San Diego. We always go wearing Bi colors. They stare and seem distrustful, but they don't complain. :bibounce:bibounce:

[BI BOYTOY]

hey their,i had to work. but my wife and kids went they had so much fun.next year i plan on getting the day off . he he he :three: :three: :three:

[CountryLover]

I didn't know about the Gay Pride parade until I read about it in the Sunday paper. There wasn't any kind of article, just a single color picture on the front page of the Society section.

However, I have volunteered with the Alamo City Men's Choral for the past 3 years, selling tickets and helping with concert setup/breakdowns. They're throwing a marvelous party at the Bonham Exchange in downtown San Antonio this coming Saturday. I'll be there with both my lovers.

I'm not much of a flag waver :flag2: I'm more of a "this is who I am, who I love, deal with it" kinda person.

I can't tell you how good it's been to find the community here. Other than my girlfriend and now my honey, I have almost no contact with other bi's. Some days I feel reallllllly alone.

[open2both]

Yep, West Hollywood ever year, baby! :flag3: :flag3: :flag3:

[Polybear]

Yes, indeed. I spent two hours working at the information table for the Toronto Bisexual Network and tomorrow I'll be planning to march in the Toronto pride parade for the 15th time in the bisexual contingent.

[MikeW]

Yes, indeed. I spent two hours working at the information table for the Toronto Bisexual Network and tomorrow I'll be planning to march in the Toronto pride parade for the 15th time in the bisexual contingent.

I hope to be able to join you next year.

[keg1966]

No, I don't plan on going to any where I live. Hopefully, I'll attend in the future when I move to Virginia.

Kevin

[xtremeprincess]

Darn straight I went... that's an oxymoron if I ever heard one. PRIDE is the best party in town full of feel good atmosphere! It's saying you can be who you want, gay, straight, bi, as long as you have an open mind and heart.

:bipride: :flag3:

[Azrael]

I wanted to, but was hospitalized when the St. Pete event happened :(

[Brian]

An interesting thing about this poll... The numbers have been gradually changing with time, with the "No"s steadily climbing and the "Yes"es dropping. After the first 50 people it was about 60/40 Yes/No, and now well you can see the latest results above.

What that tells me is that the more often you visit bisexual.com the more likely you are to attend a pride event - not earth-shatteringly surprising, but interesting nonetheless.

- Drew :paw:

[jedinudist]

I had an opportunity to, but it was before I came out so I declined.

I'm not sure what I could gain by attending one anyway. A good friend of mine who is gay and is heavily involved in the Pride events is keen on me to come to one, but admits there really isn't allot of Bisexually oriented stuff going on.

Maybe mrs.jedi and I will go to one with him next year. I'd rather go to a Bisxual oriented event like the Bi conference.

[chillywilly]

xxx :bipride: I attended Pride in Seattle and Tacoma pride as well. The Seattle event was larger but Tacoma was more intimate and ppl seemed to know one another more. I have been to the pride parades in West Hollywood (L.A.) and those are just huge. You get lost in those crowds. Tacoma was laid-back and friendly and there were a large number of cute and sassy younger bisexual women in attendance. I was heartened because they were definitely self-identified as bi and not trying to appease the slightly older but still numerous lesbian contingent. This was a small city event which has come of age. Most ppl stayed all day and enjoyed the sunshine, the beautiful park, and the campy, mostly lipsynch entertainers from local drag clubs. Several bands played and one 'mostly gay' band held a contest to see who could spot the 'straight' guy in the band :cool: There were groups from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (St. Joan Abbey) to the local female roller derby team with a kissing booth (kiss a derby dame) thanks for those free and very phallic popsicles, sisters :) And there were plenty of food booths. Every GLBT group in the greater Seattle area was represented and plenty of info was distributed as were condoms :) All in all an afternoon well-spent and many new ppl met. ChillyWilly :flag4:

[his wife]

Haven't gone or planning anything for the year, but we have been to the gay parade down in New Orleans while he was on leave (navy). It wasn't planned to go for the parade as New Orleans is hubby's home town. It marveled me to see so many people dress for the occasion (drag, leather, etc.), but basically it was just one big party event as is common down there. In any case it was a blast.

[Mimi]

I wore a visi BI lity tshirt. I felt like people were looking at me like I was a unicorn.

Yay!!! Good for you glantern!!! I usually wear some bi jewelry when I go to Pride events. If people ask me what the pink, purple, and blue mean, then that gives me a chance to come out to them and educate them. I went to West Hollywood this year. I had some lesbian friends in the dykes on bikes part. I was actually in the LA 1999 parade with the UCLA/USC contingent and in the LA 2005 parade on the 'Ohana House/Asian Pacific Islanders for Human Rights float. The only bi contingent I've seen is in San Diego. I really hope to see one in LA sometime in the next 5 years.

Mimi :flag1:

[wanderingrichard]

sorry to say i was in honolulu for pride week, the parade went right by the hotel... and i had to work, 30 miles away, that day.

i'm not going to say i won't, i will say if given the chance, yes i probably will...

[WindsorMartha]

You bet I am--actually I'm on the local Pride committee! LOL

I've found that being out and involved builds bridges. We're trying to get the community together more (the bears, the bar crowd, the professionals, the older lesbians, the bikers--you know, all the little splinter groups the GLBT community can break up into) to work together. We really do have some common goals, and this is such a small community that the only way we can get anything for anybody is by working together. I've been here about a year and a half and form what I've seen so far, bis are more accepted here than in other places.

[Herbwoman39]

Yes and I LOVED it! Hubby and I went to two Pride events as part of Equality Florida to collect signatures for the FMA petition. One event was in Daytona and the other one was in Port St. Lucie. We also went to the Magic Kingdom for Gay Days.

You've never SEEN so many red shirts in once place in your entire life! It was incredible!!

I wore my "Bisexual Blues" t-shirt just to make a point. It reads " :( Bisexual Blues: We love everybody but nobody loves us :( "

I even had a few people read it and say "Awww...WE love you!" It was fantastic :bigrin:

I can't wait til Gay Days NEXT year!

[taz67156]

wish I could go to atleast on of them but I'm to far away and don't have any way that I can travel but it would be nice cause of who all I might get to meet there one of these times.

taz67156

[RainbowBright]

I attended the Calgary, Alberta pride parade. Amazing enough there was no Bi pride shown at all!!! Hubby and i have decided to be in the parade next year, complete with the kids, flags and all the friends that we have.. it should be a hoot.

Bright :tong:

[kachiri]

I attended many events for Pride Week in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was a volunteer for many of the events also.

[trublonde]

we made the one in colorado springs, wanted to be supportive and deflate some of the protesters (very few of them this year) :rolleyes:

[Iowabiguy]

Pride in Des Moines was really great this year. I belong to Interweave (the GLBT group) at our Unitarian Universalist Church here and for the second year in a row we have organized a group from our church to march in the parade. Last year we had 75-80 people and this year we had a few short of 100. Our church turns out for the parade in really great numbers and we had straight, gay, straight families, mixed families and of course BI people in our contingency. I am the only person the I know of that is out as being bisexual in our church but I know a few "gay" people who have confessed to me that they are really bi but their partners don't like them to refer to themselves as bi.
Pride ran for the entire weekend in June and a friend of ours who is gay and shy asked me to take him down to the gay bars to show him around. I was honored to be asked but I really haven't cruised the gay bars here but I figured that I was outgoing and could at least show him where the bars were and hopefully we would drink at little and enjoy the music. Funny thing was that he hooked up with someone that night and I didn't and I think that they are still dating off and on so to speak.
I was somewhat confused by all of the people who have written here that they have not gone to a Pride event because they didn't have anyone to go with them. I understand that people can be shy and nervous in a new environment with people they don't know but come on... these are our people! Sure the gay community has a ways to go to accept us completely but they are sure more likely to accept you than some of the straight community. In fact, if we don't get out and make ourselves visible in the non-straight community then aren't we just saying that we are not an important factor to be dealt with by them.
Bottom line is Pride is about being yourself, your true self, and it is about showing the world that you are proud of your true self.

[Gothmom]

I've been wanting to go to the Denver Pride for the past few years, but I haven't been able to. I used to go to Pride events when I was single, and never had a problem with it. Maybe next year - by myself.

[RrrwArrwA]

Yo! I participated in my first Pride a few weeks ago in Lausanne where I live. There's one Pride that is hosted by a different city every year in Switzerland so I was lucky that it this year it was here. There was a really nice atmosphere at the village and it's too bad that gay and lesbian couples cannot be so carefree and visible all the time. The university conferences seemed to concern only the people who were organizing them and seemed accessible to only the insider people which got me really pissed as a queer student in social sciences. Luckily there were other conferences related to the Pride which took place in the town which were more interesting and friendly. The bi and trans were not visible at all too since these communities are still very weak. Maybe I'll start participating more actively in a few years...
I would've really loved to go to the Pride in Paris where my bestfriend lives with his amour but I didn't get to go (money money) - next year maybe!

[fdiaz]

I went to 2 pride events. Pride of the Lehigh Valley (http://www.prideglv.org/) and Pride in NYC (http://www.hopinc.org/home/).

[strawberry8302]

I went to the gay parade this year, it was great!!!! I've never seen so much ass and titties in one place, lol! It was just fun to see everybody all dressed up and having fun, waving their flags and beads. I felt at home.

[deletetacount123]

I probably won't go to any parades :-) Im not a fan of big crowds but if Im with people who want to go, then I'll go :-) I think thats another problem, I just hate going to big events alone lol

Tasha

[shadowsaffinity]

I live in NYC so there was lots to do for Pride. I went to the Pride Rally, I marched in the Pride March with MCC, I volunteered for Rapture on the River (a woman's dance) and I also volunteered for NewFest, an LGBT Film festival. :bipride:

[Hearts of Clear Lake]

I went to the HOUSTON PRIDE 2006 and it was just a matter of having fun. I'm bisexual, therefore, the mainstream gay culture doesn't affects me much.

The thing was having fun and hanging out with my friends.

[Celtiff2106]

Every year my school (University of Minnesota at Morris) has a huge pride celebration. I have always found it odd that a school in a middle of nowhere, uber-christian, right-wing town could have a campus that is so accepting of GLBT people. A couple of years ago we even had a gay male (friend of mine) elected home-coming queen. :flag4: