Diverse

I missed my second Pride in ten years yesterday. Ah, the weather was shite and I didn't fancy it. So shoot me. I religiously watched the news broadcast though and saw the same old stuff: some people you wouldn't notice in a crowd, leatherboys and a drag queen or two. Afterwards I saw the images of another Gay Pride, one in Russia. This one didn't have a big party, I doubt there was even a single drag queen (what a disgrace, a pride without a drag queen!), because it had been banned by the authorities. "Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said he had banned the march because he believed homosexuality was not natural and because the event would cause outrage in society". Charming. Some poofs and dykes that did take a stand and got out on the streets, were beaten up or arrested.
Two very different prides, on the very same day. It makes you think.
And the thing that struck me as I saw the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church on the news, with their big beards and fur hats, the first thing I thought was "I always knew there would be leatherboys in Russia". I actually thought they were the Pride parade, and the queers were the "normal" lot. It goes to show the biggest homophobes are secretly scared of their own sexuality.

|