Celebrate with Pride (Page 1 of 2)

C’mon celebrate! June is Gay and Lesbian Pride month, established by gay and lesbian people across the United States to honor and celebrate the significance of the Stonewall Riots June 27, 1969. Following an all-too-common raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village, lesbians, gay men and drag queens alike fought back against the police, one of the community’s first public battles for equal rights and recognition.

President Bill Clinton made this designation official in a proclamation on June 2, 2000: “Gay and lesbian Americans have made important and lasting contributions to our nation in every field of endeavor. Too often, however, gays and lesbians face prejudice and discrimination; too many have had to hide or deny their sexual orientation in order to keep their jobs or to live safely in their communities.

“I encourage all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities that celebrate our diversity and recognize the gay and lesbian Americans whose many and varied contributions have enriched our national life.”

By the time you read this I will have attended the gay pride parade in Charleston, W.Va., and will be on my way to Atlanta for Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Tour part deux. I plan to have stories to share from each of these experiences and will write them in upcoming columns. Due to a drought, Atlanta has moved their Pride events back to the Fourth of July. This year the event, themed “Your Vote, Your Rights, Your Future,” will be held at the Atlanta Civic Center, rather than in Piedmont Park.

If gas prices have you down and prevent your attendance at this annual celebration, perhaps you can create your own stories by attending a Pride event in our own “scruffy little city.” Knoxville will celebrate pride this year June 21 with events throughout the week leading up to the main event. The Metropolitan Community Church, Rainbow Club West, ReelKnox Film Festival and the Knoxville Pride committee are working together to make Pride the best Knoxville has seen in years (possibly ever?). Come out, come out wherever you are, and join us at any or all of the following events:
 
Sunday,  June 15: Pride Picnic at Metropolitan Community Church Lawn, 7820 Redeemer Lane, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
MCCK will provide the hot grills, drinks and ice! You bring: meat to grill, picnic foods to share with everyone (casseroles, watermelon, salads, desserts, chips and dips, condiments, lettuce and tomatoes, pickles, etc.)
 This is a GREEN EVENT! Bring your own glasses, plates and tableware. Clean up after yourself and take your tableware home with you.

Bring lawn chairs, outdoor games to play and share, blankets, etc. Got a guitar? Can you sing? Let’s have a sing-a-long!

Kids Activities: The children’s ministry is planning to set up some fun activites for the kids. The church will have volunteers to bring a bounce house for some of the smaller children and a basketball goal and badminton set for some of the older kids.

Spend the afternoon with MCC and stay around for the film screening of For the Bible Tells Me So at 6 p.m.
 
Sunday, June 15: Pride film screening at MCC, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Visit www.forthebibletellsmeso.org for more information on this film. Bring cookies to share during an informal discussion following the film.

Wednesday, June 18: Pride film screening of The Celluloid Closet at World Grotto, 7 p.m.
Presented by the ReelKnox Film Festival

Thursday, June 19: Pride Night at Sundown in the City Concert, 6 p.m.
Wear red shirts to Market Square while enjoying the music of  Marc Broussard .

Thursday, June 19: Pride Benefit Night at Rainbow Club West, 10 p.m.
 
Saturday, June 21: PRIDEFEST 2008 on Market Square, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Food, music, speakers, LGBT organization booths and more.
For more information, call Todd Cramer at (865) 406-6232

Saturday Night, June 21: Pride After-Party at Rainbow Club West, 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.
 
Sunday, June 22: Music Concert “Celebrating Our Religious Diversity” on Market Square, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
MCCK music and worship in downtown Knoxville. Featuring the musical talents of Justin Ryan, Karen Reynolds, the MCC Chorus and others. Several churches participating. This is a kid-friendly event.