San Francisco is famous for many things: free love in the 60’s, the Golden Gate Bridge, Trolley cars, Google, etc. San Francisco is also known for homosexuals. Every summer, San Francisco has PRIDE weekend where various activities are arranged around the city and a parade marches down Market Street on Sunday. This weekend is a time for all lifestyles to come together and show their pride in who they are.
This past weekend was PRIDE weekend. I had heard the PRIDE parade was an outrageous display of human sexuality. I was warned people would be naked, acting flamboyant and engaging in sexual activities on the street. This event was rumored to bring out the far extremes: everything from very showy homosexuals to the extremely conservative Christians who say things like, “god hates gays”.
I was curious as to what the PRIDE parade would actually look like. My friend Maggie and I decided to go and see what it was all about. What I discovered was far more beautiful than anything I had heard it would possibly be. The PRIDE parade was a display of a community who supported one another regardless of the life choice each member has chosen.
One particularly touching moment for me was when the San Francisco police department marched down the street. They came wearing their crisp black dress uniforms holding hands with each other. There were both heterosexual families marching and homosexual families. They all held hands together. I got goose bumps and teared-up at this display of acceptance and love. When I think of the police I tend to fall into the stereotypes of believing they are all a bunch of macho men who harass anything that is different than themselves. So this open display of pride and support was truly beautiful.
San Francisco is ever teaching me what peace, love and community are.
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