Pride? I’m not a big fan of pride. Technically it’s a sin, a heartless thing. I am proud of my accomplishments, but I prefer humility and the awkwardness of being.
Pride can be applied to your life to enhance its function, but leave it to its own devices and it becomes egocentric, dull and repetitious.
Sound familiar?
Pride Fairday has emerged as a true family space. We have more than made do with what’s available to us and Russell Square has become fun. But I shall not rant at you with Pride’s lacklustre elsewhere. I know all the excuses. So do you.
They are the entropy excuses, the reasons for not even giving it a red hot go and bringing consistently top notch queer culture and art to our city. Everyone else gets all the funding… because they have the vision.
And yes, litigation has crushed the social space, making public gathering expensive. But that’s not the entire reason why we have had a consistently haphazard Pride Parade for far too long.
It’s more the fact that we have lost our vision. Yes, us: as a community. Not just the people running Pride, but every gay and lesbian and their dog has become complacent. Don’t deny it… it shows in our tired floats and the meagre outpouring on the streets. We’ve become dull, people – we are the dull of Dullsville.
We have lost our edge.
Well, I am not one to tear something down without offering an alternative. I say scrap the annual Pride Parade. Twenty one years ain’t bad innings. Parades are so… staged.
I say let us take it right back to its roots: let us protest people.
Surely I am not the only on incensed by Julia Gillard’s dogged denial of changing the constitution so marriage becomes an act that takes place between two people in love, regardless of age, race or sexual preference? Fuck conservatives – I want to have all my rights, like every other Australian citizen.
That includes the right to marry. No, civil union will not do. Change that law, Julia Gillard. Change the constitution.
So… here’s the solution. Two birds, one stone. Bloody obvious: let us put pride back into Pride WA and protest. Let us do it all the way up to Parliament if we can, but I would settle for Russell Square. Have your costumes, play your disco: but show people you will refuse to be a second class citizen.
Chant your slogan of indignation, and chant it loud and over and over.
Forget CHOGM. Forget our excuses. Forget our lack of vision. If they won’t let us protest, let us protest anyway. Let us use this mechanism, this voice in the street, and show the world we aren’t happy with how our government refuses to make all citizens of Australia equal.
Vision is for envisioning change. If you are happy having your basic human rights not fully realised by the constitution, then continue with that thing you call a Parade.
But if you want change, then let us make Perth the place where it happens. Let us step up and show Julia Gillard what we think of her constitutional defence. Let us step up and be rambunctious with rhetoric for one night.
Let us step up and protest and show the kids what we have been fighting for, what they should now be fighting for and vigilantly guard against. Let us not parade through the streets once again, like we always do.
Yawn.
No, instead let the blood rush to our head as we get our hearts pumping with pride once more. Let us make the heart of PrideWA pump like before. Let us protest the heart of the matter: let us be equal.
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
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