Pride at Last

Special Thanks to Crunchy for helping me change Toaster Oven into a Gay Pride site for the rest of the month! He really is the best.

A year ago at this time, I had one close gay friend (The Handsome Prince). I know that sounds crazy. It's even hard for me to believe.

CT and I cloistered ourselves away from other gay men for the whole time we were together. Our relationship was not accepted by the gay men we hung out with in Dallas, Texas where we lived. They were pissed off that CT left his partner and started seeing me. I was "the homewrecker" (which wasn't true) and we both become pariahs.

So, we moved to Oregon and kept to ourselves. Last year was my first time EVER being single during PRIDE. I celebrated in style and made so many new friends. I can't believe the number of gay friends I have made in only a year.

Last year The Handsome Prince took me to a party where the Yum Yum Brotherhood began. The whole weekend was so packed with activity and great memories. One of my favorite memories was watching the parade with my heterosexual roommate Juju, who stood on the sidewalk screaming, "WE WANT A GAY COMMUNITY CENTER! WE WANT A GAY COMMUNITY CENTER!" as the float campaigning for that facility passed. She is like my PFLAG mom, and I love that girl.

My eyes actually fill with tears as I type this post. I don't have the support of my family, and that hurts and can be so lonely. When I became suddenly single two years ago, I had one gay friend.

Now I am surrounded and protected by gay, lesbian and straight but not narrow friends. At last I have a family that insists I be PROUD of who I am.

And I am so very proud.
Happy Pride Everybody!