When is gay pride month? The answer is: any time! What is Gay Pride exactly? Gay Pride is the umbrella term for a group or movement for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered (gay) people.
Gay Pride Month is celebrated annually when the state of New York celebrates its 50th anniversary of being admitted into the union with the States of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The celebratory occasion is organized by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to raise funds for local organizations that serve gay and lesbian people. The theme this year is “It’s Our Time!” The gay sex symbol parade will start in Manhattan’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral with the March for Privacy. Then the world will know when is gay pride month.
What’s all the fuss about? The first thing to know is that New York is not like many other cities. While most gay bars and restaurants exist in a bustling downtown, gay nightlife exists mainly in Lower Manhattan and the Upper West Side of Brooklyn. Gay pride parades are relatively rare and far between. There is not a whole lot of gay bars and pubs in between the coffee shops, night clubs, bistros and small dance clubs that call themselves gay bars, pubs or lounges.
So, what is it about New York’s gay scene? Well, according to one guy who goes to gay bars almost every week, “I think it’s the fact that there are not as many boy boys around. Boy boys are kind of gross. They’re like throw-away kids.”
But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some real cute, fun, lovable boy boys. And as a matter of fact, if you’ve been to one of those little girl’s clubs recently, you’ll probably agree that they have more fun than the boys you might otherwise think. “There are not a lot of boy gay go-go boys around anymore, just girls. It’s totally a girl thing,” explains Joanna Martine, owner of Joanna’s Cabaret. “We were getting requests for months before we started getting girls. It’s really a happy time for me.”
Joanna and her employees understand the importance of visibility. “When you’re out here having fun with your friends, you’re not trying to hide from anybody. People are just naturally drawn to each other. It’s a joyous occasion,” she says.
Not everybody attending the pride festivities will be a boy gay. There are lots of rainbow flags and symbols flying overhead and the crowd is diverse. There are also transgendered folks in the crowd. They’re part of Joanna’s customer service staff, who help everyone stay happy – or happy enough.
But Joanna understands the attraction for the boy gay go-go guy better than most do. “He’s just a kid. He loves skateboarding. We used to go to these parks that had slides and everything. I was always the best skater. And he loves that.”
When it comes to the topic of being in a gay bar, Joanna’s opinion is well received. “You shouldn’t have to be judged by what others think of you. That’s just ridiculous. No one should ask whether you’re in a gay bar because they’ve never been there. Being in a gay bar is about friendship and love.”
While it’s a known fact that the world over, most people associate the world’s gay and lesbian community with the outrageous strip clubs, and male strip clubs, Joanna would rather focus on the positive things about gay life. “I like to sit in the grass and talk to the kids. Sometimes it’s hard to find someone to talk to. But when you’re in the company of good people, you feel much better.”
When it comes to the world’s view of queers, it seems that there are some areas that are still struggling. According to Joanna, “When you talk to the boy gay go-go dancers, they’re very sweet and genuinely funny. They bring so much joy into my life. I just feel so lucky to know them.” The message that she wishes to get across, is that love is not only okay, but it is absolutely necessary to achieve a happy and fulfilled existence.
In her own words, Joanna sums up her views of when is Gay Pride Month by saying, “When is Gay Pride Month? Because I deserve to be appreciated for who I am, and who I’m beautiful inside. I want to celebrate my beautiful feminine, my uniqueness as a woman, and my joy for sharing my sexuality with the world. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the sauna, in the club, in the bedroom, or out walking the streets. When is Gay Pride Month for me?”