Meaning of Pride festivities holds true for young and young at heart

Hard News Online
by John Roberts, Staff Writer
http://www.hnokc.com/mainpage.aspx?pageid=69&articleid=29993124320060628175450

For Andi Hicks, going to Pride just seemed like the most logical thing to do. Having just come out to her parents a few months before, the eager young Hicks stood with a friend outside a grocery store at NW 39 and Pennsylvania Avenue on Sunday waiting to see her first parade.

"This is my first Pride parade, and to be honest, I have no idea what to expect, but I am totally excited," she said. "As long as I am in Oklahoma, I will be here every year for this."

Hicks and thousands of others just like her from every walk of life filled Memorial Park and the Strip last weekend for Oklahoma City's 19th annual Pride Parade and Festival. Some attendees visited the festivities for the first time, while others have made an appearance every June.

Felix Arrieta is a Texas resident who spent several years working in Oklahoma City. This was also his first Pride.

"I am so impressed," he said. "The atmosphere is great, and the crowd is very diverse. Since I used to live in Oklahoma, I know that people here need to be educated on our community and what we are fighting for."

Arrieta, who retired from the Air Force after 20 years, was visiting OKC's Pride representing the Military Equality Alliance, an organization fighting to repeal the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Pepe Johnson, who was discharged from the Army for being gay, worked with Arrieta at the booth gathering signatures and distributing stickers, pins and information.

"We come to these events because this is our base. This is where we have to lay our foundation, and we have gotten a lot of signatures and hopefully a lot of local interest and leadership."

Organizations as well as local business and political candidates made their presence well known during the weekend at the more than 25 vendor booths scattered around the park.

"We come here every year, but this year we wanted to have a booth and let people know about our business," said Nina Bourland of Skittlzs Photography. "We let people be themselves, and we want people to feel comfortable having photographs taken with who they want and who they love."

David Jester, who has attended Pride for eight years, said that the booths and vendors make the festival different every year.

"It seems like there are more and more booths every year," he said. "It just seems to get bigger and bigger every year. I never miss it."

Thomas McDonald, who was part of the very first Pride celebration 19 years ago, agrees.

"We really were not sure if we would pull it off," he said. "To be honest, we didn't expect that many people to show up but we ended up marching with a group of 500. It certainly has grown over the years."

McDonald said the message behind the event remains the same.

"We come here to show solidarity and to educate anyone out there who may have not decided if they are gay friendly or not," he said. "We are such a broad community. We are not just drag queens or leather daddies. We are human beings just trying to live our lives just like everyone else."

The annual festival is certainly not without its more campy and unique moments, drag queens and leather daddies included.

Running across a strapping young cowboy wearing a satin sash adorned with several pounds of jeweled broaches and pins is certainly not out of the question.

"I like to see the huge number of people that can get together and have a good time," said Travis Parker as he shifted his heavy First Runner-up to Mr. OGRA sash to one side. "It is a huge show of unity in our community. It also shows people that we are not completely left out of society. Every group has celebrations; this festival and parade are ours. This is our time."

TO TOP