Pride

The Curie family (myself, Mister Curie, and le petite Curie) traveled to NYC this past Sunday to attend the Pride parade. While there, we met up with Horizons (c/o Moving Horizon) - another MoHo family member. My former understanding of Pride Day was heavily influenced by conservative society. I expected to see sex on floats, and anticipated everyone in the audience to be wearing Speedos. For those reasons, I was extremely hesitant about attending Pride myself a few weeks ago when it was in Philadelphia.

Before attending NYC Pride, MoHo Hawaii told us that the parade would be "...a little racier than you might be used to but wholesome in an odd way if you can wrap your mind around it." His description was poetic, and accurate. Yes, there were men in Speedos on parade (ewwwww), but the costumes were tasteful (for Speedos). Yes, the theme was one of sexuality, yet it wasn't erotic. It was more of a celebration of sexuality, than an enticement to sex. It was, in every sense of the word, a professional performance, and I was an audience member watching the play on stage.

The atmosphere was one of incredible tolerance. We were there as a heterosexual couple with child, but didn't feel at all out of place. I felt comfortable enough to strike up conversations with a lesbian couple to the right of me and with a male-to-female transexual behind me.

I was marginally worried that I would be freaked out by watching drag, but it was seriously just like watching the Philadelphia Mummers (see photo on the right). When you have been watching men parade in fancy dresses with parasols for New Years from time memorial, its hard to be too disturbed by gorgeous drag costumes. And it was mildly entertaining to see how big the implants could get. One guy was particularly, um, well-endowed. In fact, I would be willing to bet that his false breasts weighed more than he did.

I got checked out by an adorable girl, and checked out more than a few girls myself. I danced with a drag queen, and Petite Curie got candy and bubbles. Aside from the 100-degree heat, sunburn, crowds, and dehydration, it was a very fun day. I will go again. Happy Pride, my friends!