Gay Pride

Else and I have been talking about organizing Gay Pride Parade in Beijing (and making first steps too). This idea has been ruminating for 5 years in my mind. I have expressed it before but nothing really happened apart from suspicious comments how crazy that would be.

If I move beyond learned helplessness and storm through the closed doors of assumption that China is ready for something like this, I wonder if some day soon Gay Pride Parade will have Beijing on its calendar list.

Dare to see it!

I could hardly keep my camera still - so much excitement and fun

K in front of the float with various Asian countries flags (including Chinese)
Montreal Gay Pride 2006

This year on the list:
A

Albuquerque, NM (Albuquerque Pride 2007)
June 8 - 9

Amsterdam, NL (Amsterdam Pride 2007) see pics
Aug 2 - Aug 5

Anchorage, AK (Anchorage Pridefest 2007)
June 16 - 24

Asbury Park, NJ (New Jersey Pride)
June 3

Atlanta, GA (Atlanta Pride Festival 2007)
June 22 - 24

Austin, TX (Austin Pride Parade 2007)
June 2

B

Baltimore, MD (Baltimore Pride 2007)
June 16 - 17

Bangkok, Thailand (Bangkok Together 2007)
Nov 3 - Nov 11

Bergen, Norway (Bergen Pride 2007)
May 6 - 14

Berlin, Germany (Christopher Street Day Berlin)
June 23

Birmingham, AL (Central Alabama Pride 2007)
June 1 - 11

Boise, ID (Boise Idaho Pride)
June 3 - 10

Boston, MA (Boston Pride 2007)
June 1 - 10

Brussels, Belgium (Belgian Lesbian and Gay Pride 2007)
May 12

C

Cardiff, Wales (Cardiff-Wales Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras 2007)
September 1

Carlsbad, CA (North County San Diego Pride)
December 3

Cedar Rapids, IA (Cedar Rapids PrideFest 2007)
June 7

Charlotte, NC (Pride Charlotte 2007)
Aug 25

Chicago, IL (Chicago Pride 2007)
June 24

Cleveland, OH (Cleveland Pride 2007) see pics
June 16

Cologne, Germany (ColognePride 2007)
July 8

Columbus, OH (Columbus Stonewall Pride 2007)
June 23

Copenhagen, Denmark (Copenhagen Pride 2007)
August 18 - 26

D

Dallas, TX (Dallas Pride 2007)
Sept 16

Denver, CO (Denver Pridefest 2007)
June 23 - 24

Detroit,MI (Motor City Pride)
June 3

Dublin, Ireland (Dublin Pride 2007) see pics
June 23

Durham, NC (North Carolina Pride 2007)
Sept 29

E

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (2007 Pride Week)
June 15 - 16

EuroPride 07 (in Madrid, Spain)
June 22 - July 1

F

Flagstaff, AZ (Flagstaff Pride in the Pines 2007)
June 8 - 10

Frankfurt, Germany (Christopher Street Day 2007)
July 20 - 22

G

Gainesville, FL (Gainesville Pride 2007)
Oct 12 - 21

Glasgow, Scotland (Glasgay! 2007 Festival)
Oct 12 - Nov 11

H

Hamburg, Germany (Christopher Street Day Hamburg)
Aug 3 - 5

Harrisburg, PA (Harrisburg PrideFest 2007)
July 28

Hartford, CT (2007 Connecticut LGBTI Pride Festival)
TBD

Honolulu, HI (Honolulu Pride 2007)
May 27 - June 2

Houston, TX (Houston Pride Festival 2007)
June 23

I

Iowa City, IA (Iowa City LGBT Pride)
June 16

J

Jersey City, NJ (Jersey City Pride 2007)
Aug 25

K

Kansas City, MO (Kansas City Gay Pride 2007)
June 1 - 3

L

Lisbon, Portugal (Porto Pride 2007)
June 23

London, England (Pride London)
June 30

Long Beach, CA (Long Beach Pride)
May 19 - 20

Los Angeles, CA (LA Pride 2007)
June 8 - 10

Louisville, KY (Kentuckiana Pride Festival 2007)
June 15 - 16

M

Madrid, Spain (Europride 07)
June 22 - July 1

Manchester, England (Manchester Pride 2007)
Aug 17 - 27

Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee PrideFest 2007)
June 8 - 10

Minneapolis, MN (Twin Cities Pride 2007)
June 23 - 24

Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Divers/Cite)
Aug 1 - 5

Moscow, Russia (Moscow Pride Festival '08)
May 31

Munich, Germany (CSD 2007)
Aug 11 - 12

N

Nashville, TN (Nashville Pride Fest 2007)
June 2

New Hope, PA (New Hope Celebrates 2007)
May 18 - 20 (Event Review)

New Jersey(GLBTI Pride Celebration 2007)
June 3

New York City, NY (Heritage of Pride 2007) see pics
June 17 - 24

O

Oklahoma City, OK (Oklahoma City Pride 2007)
June 16 - 24

Omaha, Nebraska (Nebraska Pride Parade 2007)
June 8 - 10

Orlando, FL (Come Out With Pride)
Oct 11 - 14

P

Palm Springs, CA (Palm Springs Pride 2007)
November 3 - 4

Paris, France (Paris Pride 2007)
June 30

Pattaya, Thailand(Pattaya Gay Festival 2007)
Nov 29 - Dec 2

Philadelphia, PA (Philly Pride 2007)
June 10

Phoenix, AZ (Pheonix Pride 2007)
April 14 - 15 (see pride pics)

Phuket, Thailand (Phuket Pride)
March 29 - April 1

Pittsburgh, PA (Pittsburgh PrideFest 2007)
June 16

Portland, OR (Portland Pride 2007)
June 16 - 17

Porto, Portugal (Porto Pride 2007)
July 7

Providence, RI (Rhode Island Pride)
June 1 - 16

R

Rehoboth Beach, DE (Delaware Pride Festival)
Sept 15

Reno, NV (Power of Pride 2006)
Aug 17 - 19

Reykjavik, Iceland (Reykjavik Pride 2007)
Aug 9 - 12

Roanoke, VA (Roanoke Pride)
Sept 16

Rome, Italy (Roma Pride 2007)
June 16

S

Salt Lake City, UT (Utah Pride 2007)
June 1 - 3

San Diego, CA (San Diego LGBT Pride)
July 15 - 22

San Francisco, CA (San Francisco 2007)
June 23 - 24

Santa Fe, NM (Sante Fe Pride on the Plaza 2007)
June 23

Seattle, WA (Seattle Pride 2007)
June 24

St. Louis, MO (Pride St. Louis 2007)
June 23- 24

Stockholm, Sweden (Stockholm Pride)
July 30 - Aug 5

T

Toronto, Ont., Canada (Pride Toronto 2007)
June 15 - 24

Tucson, AZ (Tucson Pride 2007)
Oct 14

V

Vancouver, BC, Canada (Vancouver Pride 2007)
July 28 - Aug 5

W

Washington D.C (Capital Pride 2007)
June 2 - 10

Z

Zagreb, Croatia (Zagreb Pride 2007)
July 4 - 7

Zurich, Switzerland (Verein Gay Pride)
June 1 - 3

Inspiring

Tracing the Diary

It was few weeks ago, a friend mentioned that she had some photos, letters and a diary from my ex. She was decorating the house and getting rid of things but thought this one may be something I am interested to have. I immediately agreed. She has mentioned it before and I thought it would be a nice way to embrace forgiveness and fall in love with that part of myself that I have rejected for so long.

I haven't heard from my ex for a long time. In my mind I have dealt with it through my dreams, stories I shared with K, my desires, my learnings and my work. Near the time when I received the call I have interpreted my past as something I should and have to suffer for. I couldn't move past the judgment that I should've known better what to do at the time, that choices I made were wrong, that I was naive... My coach said I was a Tragic Heroine. That shook me out of Poor Me drama and I got my smile back, joy in my heart was letting me know that I choose life. Mind got the signal and was conquered for a bit but then I realized it was timid just for a while.

It was nice to see my friend. We've known each other since 1993, worked together, partied together. If you are ever in Beijing visit Bookworm (http://www.beijingbookworm.com/), for a good read, writing emails on your laptop, cup of coffee, interesting talk. You'll see her there doing her dream. Very inspiring.

Amidst the boxes and subtle chaos of the apartment she showed me a shoe box where everything was. On the top there was a big envelope with my name and ex's address on it. We lived together at the time. I glanced at the photos underneath and was amazed to dig out swerve of emotions. Neurons were shooting light arrows into places that I covered with darkness. One spark and here it goes - everything is back again. Images start moving, expanding blending into a movie and then STOP. I looked at the envelope wondering what would the first page of her diary say. What kind of message will be there? From the kitchen my friend was glancing at me while making coffee. I know she has seen all the photos and read parts of the diary too. I am shy for a bit and then skip to the blue book. It looks familiar but I still didn't get it.

I opened the first page. It says: '88. I feel this year started very well. MY HANDWRITING! "This is my diary!" I shout to my friend and she's as bewildered as I am.

This blue book, protected from dust by the envelope, gave me an insight: the journey that I buried in regret was actually a love story, the book of dreams and shy comments of internal world. It was in Serbian mostly, some letters in English, few photos, plane and theater tickets, book quotes... my adolescent life, 18 - the best year yet, the year to remember, the year to relive. And it says: I feel this year started very well.