So I went to my first Pride yesterday
Jul. 18th, 2010 12:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
huggeroftreesFound out at the last minute that my sis, her man and her fag-hagee (i.e. she's his fag-hag - not that he's some kind of weird alien) were going to Newcastle Pride and invited myself along as I've never been and it's something you've got to do at least ONCE in your life, right?
So yeah - dragged myself out of bed, fell onto a train with a very large coffee (whaddayaknow - crosscountry/ex-virgin trains are empty that time in the morning. Still smell of poo though).
We watched the march past and then cut across town to join up with the front (my sis was very supportive in her pink attire). Much marching etc. Ended up in a very very nice park where we strolled around the stalls and grabbed some food (I kept my sis's man away from the vegan tent thinking he might go into shock if anything like that found it's way into his bloodstream). Then as there was sun between the small showers we settled into a grassy corner of the park and set out to enjoy the free music/entertainment. With regular visits to the nearest Bar-trailer-thing.
Impressions (apologies - some of these might seem really ignorant but I am exceedingly willing to be educated):
IT WAS AWESOME.... but really... kinda... focussed? There were tables and stalls and that but I dunno - you'd think with all this equality around there'd be more "everyone is all the same as the everyone else so here is a music stall and a film stall and a jewellery stall that isn't completely rainbow and ya know... stuff?"
There was just "we're government departments - housing, social work etc. look as us being all accepting and diverse..." and a MASSIVE tent of "eat less fat and more veg" and "how much alcohol is bad for you?" Cos the LGBT community doesn't watch TV and get all the same messages everyone else does? You wouldn't get that at comic con (where you might think it was more needed). If people are individuals, why treat them as a lump? It seemed a little patronising.
But Saturday afternoons sat in the sun are always to be treasured, no matter what the instigating factor. Laughter, rambling conversation with friends and family with occasionally filthy quips and generous amounts of cider. A good time was definitely had by all. So yeah. Pride: tick that.
TL:DR - Not enough geeky stuff. But the cider and the music and the juggling things to play with and sitting in the sunshine were good.
And I went to Spamalot on Friday night. Marcus Brigstocke scat singing. Nothing will EVER be the same again.
So yeah - dragged myself out of bed, fell onto a train with a very large coffee (whaddayaknow - crosscountry/ex-virgin trains are empty that time in the morning. Still smell of poo though).
We watched the march past and then cut across town to join up with the front (my sis was very supportive in her pink attire). Much marching etc. Ended up in a very very nice park where we strolled around the stalls and grabbed some food (I kept my sis's man away from the vegan tent thinking he might go into shock if anything like that found it's way into his bloodstream). Then as there was sun between the small showers we settled into a grassy corner of the park and set out to enjoy the free music/entertainment. With regular visits to the nearest Bar-trailer-thing.
Impressions (apologies - some of these might seem really ignorant but I am exceedingly willing to be educated):
IT WAS AWESOME.... but really... kinda... focussed? There were tables and stalls and that but I dunno - you'd think with all this equality around there'd be more "everyone is all the same as the everyone else so here is a music stall and a film stall and a jewellery stall that isn't completely rainbow and ya know... stuff?"
There was just "we're government departments - housing, social work etc. look as us being all accepting and diverse..." and a MASSIVE tent of "eat less fat and more veg" and "how much alcohol is bad for you?" Cos the LGBT community doesn't watch TV and get all the same messages everyone else does? You wouldn't get that at comic con (where you might think it was more needed). If people are individuals, why treat them as a lump? It seemed a little patronising.
But Saturday afternoons sat in the sun are always to be treasured, no matter what the instigating factor. Laughter, rambling conversation with friends and family with occasionally filthy quips and generous amounts of cider. A good time was definitely had by all. So yeah. Pride: tick that.
TL:DR - Not enough geeky stuff. But the cider and the music and the juggling things to play with and sitting in the sunshine were good.
And I went to Spamalot on Friday night. Marcus Brigstocke scat singing. Nothing will EVER be the same again.
no subject
on 2010-07-19 11:46 am (UTC)no subject
on 2010-07-20 05:22 pm (UTC)Mardi Gras eh? Expensive is it?
no subject
on 2010-07-21 12:27 am (UTC)no subject
on 2010-07-21 07:32 pm (UTC)