Frankly I'd never identified much with the larger GLBT community. Especially the wild & crazy Pride Week, culminating in a famous parade through Chicago's north side. I could give you all kinds of intellectual reasons for my position about this, but at bottom, truthfully, it was just because I didn't really feel all that proud. I did what I had to, for my own sake, but felt little community with the millions of gay, lesbian, bisexual and even other trans persons who stood up on this occasion to celebrate who they are.
This year, that all changed. Completely.
Through my electrologist and pal Kelly I fortunately found the Chicago Gender Society. They needed another monitor to walk alongside their float, marching the entire route. I immediately said yes.
And here I am. A photographer happened to capture me ... copping some major attitude.
But I had my own camera running too. The four videos below track my progress throughout the day. They are a real in-your-face impression of the whole experience: getting there, soaking in the other parade people, starting the actual parade walk, and its aftermath.
These total 22 minutes. If you just want a quick taste of the excitement, jump down to Part 3.
Part 1 - Damen El stop, arrival at the CGS float, heading north on Halsted checking out the other parade peoples.
Part 2 - We are delayed. A golden opportunity to see more of the parade goers close up as we wonder why things haven't started.
Part 3 - We roll! Our float moves into position, and finally crosses Belmont Ave. to begin the parade. Contains my only actual footage in the parade itself -- sorry, got too carried away interacting with the crowd to be cameraman!
Part 4 - We reach the end near Lincoln Park. I become spectator, catching a bit of the parade and some crazy bystanders on my trek back to the Wellington Brown Line El stop.
Had the time of my life here. See ya next year!
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