Editor,
Last Saturday, thousands of participants marched in Fayetteville for the Gay Pride Parade. Lesbians, gay men, trans people, young and old, Elder Tree, straight allies, dogs, one horse, Wal-Mart and Tyson, Omni, junior college students, drummers, dancers, U of A graduate students, socialists, Democrats, drag queens, children. All marching behind beautiful signs and flags in their gaudy, colorful outfits. Happy to be celebrating!
Thanks to Zeek and his husband, Dick, Eureka Springs had a new sign and a small contingent. The announcer honored Eureka Springs for our commitment to equality and being the first town to offer domestic partnerships. We stood at the upper end of Dickson and could not see the end of the parade because there were so many people marching and on the curbs cheering.
Zeek and I commented on how Pride has grown from when we were young and just coming out.
Marie, 84, and I, 82, represented the elders and were greeted by wellwishers on our longevity and endurance walking. One older woman came up to me and said, “I have stage four pancreatic cancer. My partner with whom I have lived for 45 years, sitting over there, had a stroke. It’s our first Gay Pride March.”
No matter how many times I march, protest, object to bigotry and speak up, I am glad to be an old lesbian and a progressive who will help get the bigots out of our government. Diversity and love are very good ideas.
Trella Laughlin