Dim Rainbow....

When the weekend started, I was apprehensive about attending any of the 2010 Pride events. I know I am gay, my friends know I am gay, my family knows I am gay, almost everyone I come into contact with that has some meaning in my life knows I am gay. Did I really need to be in the crowds and to make a public display that I take pride in my sexual orientation? (I won't go into details here, but I don't believe in a sexual orientation. I just believe that everyone should accept that we are sexual creatures and it doesn't matter if we prefer one gender over another.)

I decided to go ahead and go out to two of the main events and see some of my friends. The first was Pink Saturday. It wasn't unusually busier than in years past. The crowd seemed pretty low-keyed and not too crazy. Everyone was laughing and talking, there was a good vibe in the air. I visited with Fred, Donovan, Giorgio, Ken, John, Michael, Joshua, David & Cole, and several others. I patiently waited for Shando to get off work, this was the first time since we have been together that he was getting off and not having to close the bar. It was great to be able to spend some time with him and not have to do the party alone. All in all it was a good night. It was sad to later learn that there was a shooting in front of the Cafe between two men. Come to find out, they were gang members out of the Bayview district. Again, a party meant to celebrate the freedoms that we as gay men and women have here in San Francisco, a party in OUR neighborhood, was disturbed with violence from those that seek to only perpetuate their own selfish agendas. I was saddened that violence had found it's way back into the Castro on a night that is ours! Halloween was and has been the scenes of violence for years now. And it is sad that this comes in from individuals that don't live in or even close to the Castro and many times they live in other cities far beyond the borders of San Francisco County. Very sad.

The next day though, Shando and I decided that we weren't going to let the act of a couple of ignorant and immature children ruin the remainder of the weekend for us. We ventured out to the festivities in Civic Center and met up with Monistat at her party behind Temple Bar. It was a good time. There were not too many people there, which made for an intimate gathering. We listened to some great electro-clash tunes. I drank a few too many Redbulls. And Shando got some great pictures of everyone. Then I walked with Shando to the BART station, he got on MUNI and went to work at 440 and I got on BART and headed home. It was a good day. I was able to deal with my introvert personality and deal with the crowds OK. I really enjoyed this year. I should have been a little more out with my alter side, but I think she is going to be ready to come out for Up Your Alley Fair and definitely for Castro Street Fair. She still needs a name.........