You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Parade.

Bosom friends!

Have you all recovered from Miami Gay Pride week?

This year I didn't attend the parade but I did keep myself informed by stalking the FaceBook walls of people involved or just attending the colorful display of pride.

After all I saw I couldn't help but wonder if any of this LGBT parade showcased  any substance at all.

There I said it.

First of all this year's Gran Marshal was Mario Lopez. Last year we had Gloria Estefan and Kenny Ortega. Gloria and Kenny's bathrooms are more iconic than Mario Lopez. He is a lovely boy with a lovely body but I feel like we went from two true stars serving as Marshals to a starlet with not much more substance than the parade itself. It's a matter of fact Estefan trumps Lopez. Despite his good looks Mario looked a bit uncomfortable and out of his comfort zone all together. A pretty fit fish out of water. What is his connection with the gay community? More so, what does make him relevant enough to be chosen to carry such honor? He is not even a gay icon. It would have been more credible if we had Charo as Grand Marshal dressed in all her sequined glory.

There is said it again.

Let's carry on, shall we?

During my brief encounters with the Miami and South Beach gay community I heard very often sentences like "it's about the legacy", "finally we have marriage equality", "we are a welcoming and open community", the community, community, community.

Community: a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists. 

Got it.

Now the gay community allegedly supports diversity and accepts and embraces all individuals sharing the fundamental requirement to be part of the club: being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

Fair enough.

While reflecting over this very progressive picture I begun to notice a few cracks in this whole pride conundrum.

It's wonderful to celebrate what ever your subculture may be. Go ahead and wear as little as possible, shake your toned ass for the world to see and party, party, parteeeee.
What shouldn't happen is mistaking a parade for a social movement.

The LGBT community has achieved marriage equality in many states not thanks to any gay pride parade, but thanks to hard working advocates who undertook the responsibility to make human rights for the gay community a reality.
People are becoming more open minded towards the LGBT community not because a bunch of us is wearing their new jock strap while parading down South Beach on a open roof car.
We are becoming less of a cliche because some of us are not defined by their sexual orientation but are recognized and valued for their talent, competence, intelligence, (even humor) and are committed in making a difference statement with their lives.

I am well aware you can be both (for instance a human rights lawyer and a go-go boy on a parade float) but what I saw during this last and past prides has been quite monotone.
Physical appearance first and foremost and nothing beyond that.
I understand that a parade can only be seen, it's very unlikely that the gays would be interested in a equal rights lecture during the Gay Pride celebrations.
What annoys me is the fact that the colorful display of pride associates itself with anything that has to do with the improvement of the perception that our community has achieved during the past years.

These gay parades seam like they celebrate only the very superficial part of the LGBT peeps. It's a feast for the eye but that's about it.
Especially when it comes to such a male gay community as the one in Miami South Beach. It's not about acceptance and equal rights. If you don't meet the good-looks requirements most of the time you are treated like your presence is not necessary. Actually you are not treated at all. 
After all is said and done it's pretty much all about a muscular body, preferably tanned, wearing (and thinking) as little as possible. 

I have lived in my own gay pride parade for 33 years now and managed to make a difference in a way that I wouldn't define as more effective but at least way more heart felt and substantial.

We all love a nice display of attractive half naked people. That's a given.

However the real fight has nothing to do with a parade.

Ciao for now.