It's here

Pride in Ft Lauderdale/Wilton Manors is today and I'm going despite "sever thunderstorm warnings"

There's a street festival 'till 6 then the parade at 7pm. Why 7?  Due to the summer heat, organizers moved it back two years ago I was told.


As in my previous post, Pride to ME is more about overt satisfaction of being alive, living in a country where for the most part, being queer isn't a big issue.

It's how I'll show respect for those who fought with tears, blood & jail for us to be able to be open

It's knowing I can eventually meet one man and call it a recognized relationship in a few states and in my county

When I was outted at one job where I thought I had to keep private life private I realized I'd never keep my queerness locked up again

I'm out/proud/queer and Positive

Pride?

Late June is Gay Pride!!  A time to remember the drag queens who fought back in New York; A time to celebrate our uniqueness: A time to think about the strides taken over the years in 'These Puritanical United States"

We in the LGBTQi community mark Pride with parades, street festivals, bbq's and such.


With rainbow flags on each street pole, the City of San Fransisco was ready for Pride in May.

People  will gather or have already come together in cities from Houston to Key West. Seattle to Chicago and all  points  between.

Being a Florida guy, I'll be in Ft Lauderdale's  "Stonewall  Festival"

Proud to live openly queer, proud to live in a county with a decent 'civil rights' ordinance,

Proud to have the President speaking about my/our rights

I'm not proud of the divisions that politics and so called religious people who's ignorance feeds fear.

I'm not proud of a country that has more people locked  up for what's being called "HIV criminalization"

I'm not proud of Hersey  PA's school pulling a "Ryan White" on a student.

And though the article inside is well written, who is proud of this cover page?

This is about getting tested and the high prevalence of HIV in South East Florida,








Let's be proud together, to enjoy the communities that support us, shop at stores where I know my hard earned money goes.  And wear glitter, LOTS OF GLITTER!!!

 

UB2

While checking out a couple of dating sites and even Grindr (r) I see 'ddf and UB2"  or "clean"and some times the date of the persons last HIV test.  First, I am not a disease, just a man with one living in me.

HIV does not make me or anyone else with it "DIRTY" 

Hey I shower regularly, brush my teeth and wear deodorant and cologne when appropriate.




Back to living with a stigma can lead, for me at least, shame if I'm not in a "up" mood.

Today, thanks to a friend of a friend I came across the Stigma Project and thought WOW, how can I get involved and do I want to

Then a co worker pointed out the cover of South Florida Gay News and spread across the front page like a  National Enquirer headline is "Kill AIDS before it KILLS You"   Needless to say and before we read the article, it was in 100% bad taste & judgement. 

 We're living longer now, this is NOT the 80's & early 90's 

HAART saves, good judgement saves, condoms save

The article is pretty good INSIDE but this "Shock & Awe" cover is so wrong