Larry Guzman

Too the Nines — 506 Main St.

"Remains of the Gay"
(pride parade)

I’ve believed for a while now that if you’ve seen one gay pride parade, you’ve seen them all. Dykes on Bikes, twinks and hunks on floats, scores of interest and community groups, and lots and lots of drag queens, you know the drill.

New York City’s Heritage of Pride parade — the first gay pride parade in the nation — has changed a bit since I attended last (maybe ten years ago). It now starts at Fifth Avenue and 36th Street nowadays, no longer on Central Park West like it did when I first went in 1984. When the gay pride parade started in 1970 on the first anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, it was essential a protest march. In the 70s became a celebration of sexual liberation and in the 80s it became a protest march again, this time against government inaction against the AIDS crisis. In the 90s it settle into partytime and in the first decade of the 21st century, ending the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and demanding equality in marriage became the main causes advocated by marchers.

A question that is often asked by both gay and straight people at Gay Pride time is “Do we need a Gay Pride parade anymore?” especially since gay people are gaining acceptance and social equality more every year. Parades in large cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco less important now as a means of gaining visibility, though they are still a good reason to have a party. Where we need gay pride parades is in small cities to show, if anything, that we are everywhere. Get used to it.

These photos in this series represent just a small part of the gay community, predominantly the younger part. The kids come to the parade to have fun, dance, hang out with their friends, and maybe hook up. Others come to let loose for a day, show a side of themselves that they have to keep hidden in their daily lives. A few are taking the first, cautious steps out of the closet, far enough away from home that no one will know them. All of them seem to be having a great time. I was glad to record it.

Larry Guzman is a photographer living in East Fishkill, NY, who hangs out in Beacon on occasion. His work consists primarily of urban and natural landscapes, and street photography.