It's D.C. Pride Week! All Experimentation Will Be Forgiven
If today's PETA protest left you wishing for more skin with your politics, then Universal Gear up for more. Whitman-Walker Clinic's yearly gay pride festival, Capital Pride, is back for another year, and—with all the new venues and expanded events—it is bulging at the seams.
While it actually kicked off last weekend with a contest for Mr. CapitalPride Leather and a panel on "Building Bridges without Destroying Identities," the festivities and other related events run all week. Tonight's Pride Week Interfaith Service and tomorrow's workshop entitled, "So, You Want to be a Parent," might not be the events you regularly think of when you think of gay pride celebrations, but it's all part of being an out and proud everyday LGBT citizen.
There's a lot of fun planned, though, including Saturday's parade through the Dupont and Logan Circle neighborhoods, Sunday's street festival and concert (featuring Thelma Houston, CeCe Peniston, American Idol contestant Kimberley Locke, and local chanteuse Rachel Panay) which always draws the thong-and-only-a-thong crowd, LGBT-themed film screenings, and even a sci-fi video and board gaming party. A full schedule of events is available at the Capital Pride website under "Schedule of Events" and "Affiliated Events."
If you're impressed by the breadth of the festival's offerings, you can laud the event's organizers for their impeccable timing, too. This week finds the U.S. Senate embroiled in a just-for-hate debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment. In case you haven't heard, it's an attempt to amend the U.S. Constitution to make sure that John and Fred who live down the street, go to your church, are active in their kids' school, involved in your neighborhood ANC, and are willing to watch your dog when you leave town don't get married because they are apparently bad for American families. Here's hoping that every single person who comes to town for CapitalPride drops by the offices of his or her senators and those of Rick Santorum (R-Penn.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) to refute that in person. Bring your kids.
Image from 2005 CapitalPride by Sam Felder.