BATTLE for PRIDE
BATTLE for PRIDE
Hi All,
A battle is looming over the rights to Pride. The origins of Pride are deeply rooted in the Stonewall riots. Stonewall was about a community celebrating their lives and standing up for their rights, under extreme oppression by the New York City police. Stonewall is widely recognized as giving birth to gay liberation. It truly was a riot!
Gay and Lesbian liberation, Stonewall and Pride share similar concepts/themes. All these movements have been owned by the people and actions are undertaken on behalf of the people for the greater good. Locally, in Vancouver, the Pride society is attempting to trademark the name Pride and this is being met by opposition. See www.xtra.ca for the full story. You will need to click on Xtrawest.
This same Pride board with a few different members, attempted last year to significantly change the community's Pride. Two leaders in the community, Jim Deva and this blogwriter organized a community meeting in opposition to the changes the Pride oversight committee was attempting to implement. We were victorious in saving our traditional Pride parade route.
Now a bigger battle is looming on the Vancouver horizon.
Will Pride remain in the hands of the people or will it be turned over to a select group of people who desire to control Pride?
Once again, Jim Deva and myself are being thrust into leadership roles on this issue. Plans are being laid to keep Pride in the community's hands. We as a grassroots group will be fighting a select group who have the resources and finances to steamroll us. But what we have is spirit and buckets of it and this is what the original movers and shakers of liberation movements also had. So I will be contacting many of you in the next while to enlist your support in fighting the corporatization of our Pride.
Its important to get our message out and we do not have much time to organize since Pride occurs Sunday August 6.
Please get in touch with me at tricia_foxx@yahoo.com to offer your support!
Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com
posted by Jamie Lee Hamilton @ 12:59 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I whole heartedly support your fight for the freedom in the use of the word 'pride'. It is my hope that you will win this fight as I feel this would advance not only our T comunity, but the greater GLBT comunity as a whole.
Unfortunatly I feel much of what ever ground you gain in this fight will be mitigated by your unfortunate event title.
Your decion to use the word 'tranny' in the title of one of your planned events makes me uneasy. I fully support those TS individuals that wish to use and own that word, but to many others that word is still a very, very, hurtful one. It is my fear that by using it in the title of an organized event will legitimize it to the public. That, in my opinion, would be unfortunate.
That word is used to mock and belittle us. While I hope you win the fight for "pride", I also hope you'll understand my point of veiw concerning the title you've chosen.
Hi Ellipw,
I'm sorry you feel the way you do. The word Tranny is a term like Queer which has been reclaimed and presented so oppressors cannot use it in a bad way.
For those of us who honour and celebrate our difference in society, its not a derogatory term.
Usually when a person is completely comfortable within themselves, these terms are not demeaning.
Honour yourself every day of the year. Who cares what others think! Love yourself for who you are and not what you are.
Toolman says:
Ms. JL
i support your fight for 'PRIDE' it is in the dictionary for everyone to use as they 'feel' it. it's tough sometime in society to express your pride and who you really are. but it is people (trannys) like you and the loud and proud queers that pave the way & open some doors for others who are hiding, but wanting those rights. PRIDE & JOY .. for everyone.
;-) you're a good woman
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