Fort Lauderdale’s Pride in the Sun
For a city with such a high percentage of gay people as Fort Lauderdale, it only makes sense that there would be two pride festivals. There's one in June, and then another that took place recently at Holiday Park.
The June Pride Weekend has a parade and parties while this one, entitled Pride in the Sun, is mostly a fair with vendors, a hypnotist, hot dogs, hamburgers, and a whole lot of sun tan lotion.
Set up almost like a block party, except with long rows of various organizations, Pride in the Sun tended to market goods as much as it promoted pride. For a community who has used its wealth and commercial appeal to such great lengths, it only makes sense for one half of its pride weekend to be more of a business venture than anything else.
"There's a bit more politicians and a bit less realtors," noted Carlos Galvez, a pride attendee, realizing that as the real estate market went down this year, the local gay political scene went frenzied, what with Mayor Naugle's recent homophobic rants. The various political candidates had much to say about that flap as well.
"I think that Naugle is wrong. His words were wrong, hateful, and I know him and I told him this right to his face," said Michael Carn, a candidate for State Senate for the 29 Senate District. "I came here today to celebrate pride and community. The gay community is a big part of my district, I wanted to reach out to the people who make my voting bloc."
Cindi Hutchinson, a candidate running against Mayor Naugle in next year's election had some strong words about his language as well.
"Well obviously I'm not happy with him," she said. "I will fight at the state level for (gay) rights in Tallahassee. I put forth the motion to end his messages in the community bulletins."
Commenting on her prospects as a better mayor, she explained, "It's important to have someone who embraces the Fort Lauderdale community. I have lived my entire life here and embrace all of the diversity of this city."
While not just being a political forum, Pride in the Sun was also a great place for networking of all types.
There were many different organizations aimed at procuring rights for the gay community in attendance, including the Transgender Equal Rights Initiative, the GLCC, Lambda Legal along with many others.
Some of it, though, seemed to verge on the frivolous, representing the more superficial aspects of gay culture, including two booths set up for sunglasses.
"The sunglasses booths were sort of ridiculous," Carlos thought. "There needs to be more booths with substance."
Michael Carn, on the other hand, disagreed, "There seems to be a lot of good information here: health, financial services, banking information."
On the main stage there were various performers, including Violla Mills, folk singer Richard Cortez, and hypnotist John Simon.
John Simon put members of the audience under hypnosis and then had them doing such crazy things as competing in a beauty pageant, or driving in a sweltering car.
Richard Cortez felt as if there were no better place to perform than at a Pridefest. "I had never played Pridefest before so it was a true pleasure. If it were up to me, the energy and the crowd, I'd be happy spending my career traveling, playing Pridefests for a few years."
Commenting on the controversy of the two sunglasses booths, Richard felt as though the many pros of Pridefest outweighed the cons.
"Gay people are a little spoiled, as they deserve to be after years and years of oppression. - but, I think with the organic construction of my set list, and the delivery, people forgot about brand names and high end whatevers."
The visuals of the weekend were certainly a treat for any gay man or woman, with some men walking around in underwear or leather chaps. Sunday's weather couldn't have been better although Saturday was hampered by a few moments of rain.
Perhaps the most poignant section of the venue was on the stage of the War Memorial Auditorium, the Names Project: a quilt project honoring men and women who have died from complications resulting from HIV/AIDS infection.
Beautiful, intricately designed fabrics representing various people are sewn together to create one huge memorializing quilt.
Pictures of scenes from the Wizard of Oz with rainbow flags and different pieces like Hershey candy wrappers representing each person gave the piece an emotional texture missing from some of the more commercial booths. Carlos stared at it, tiptoeing around each piece, and said, "Well, this is really something important."