What a day. It will be difficult to write about an experience of this magnitude concisely but I’ll do my best.

I’d thankfully slept until about 6:45am after going to bed at 1am. It was enough. But not too much to not be able to get the blog up around 9am before I had to leave. There was a bagel breakfast meetup close to the start of the parade so I made my over there on subway.

[6/25/21 note: There’s a problem with the captions being visible right now so I’m copying them to the regular text until that gets fixed. So if you’re seeing double it’s been fixed and I don’t know it yet!]
23rd St & Madison Ave when I got off the subway, with the Empire State Building in the background
23rd St & Madison Ave when I got off the subway

23rd St & Madison Ave when I got off the subway

A woman with a sign that reads LGBTQIA Pride Hugs
There were a lot of these along the parade route

There were a lot of these along the parade route

I’ll make a point to say here I may keep much of this to photos and captions. And it will still be a lot!

From the top of our empty bus as we get it ready
Our position on 26th Street, between 5th Ave and Broadway

Our position on 26th Street, between 5th Ave and Broadway

My last service commitment started at 10am, to help get the bus ready, which consisted mostly of taping rainbow flags all over.

Huge Gay & Sober banner in rainbow colors on the side of the bus running the full length
Just about ready! The bus that is. This was before 11am. We wouldn’t step of until after 5:30pm. (We were told 3pm…)

Just about ready! The bus that is. This was before 11am. We wouldn’t step of until after 5:30pm. (We were told 3pm…)

One of the parade staff stopped cold when she saw this. “Wait a minute, let me get my head around this. What do you mean by ‘sober’? Do you mean no alcohol??” We assured her we did. “I’m going to have to think about this one. I’m going to be gay today but I am NOT going to be sober!” Well alrighty then, you now know there’s another way!

A sign on the street indicating all of the companies whose floats were staged on 26th, including Chipotle, Google, Indeed, Salesforce, and Uber
The long list of companies staged on 26th Street

The long list of companies staged on 26th Street

Delta Airlines bus
Delta was across the street from us

Delta was across the street from us

Street sign at 26th St & 5th Ave with a huge balloon arrangement up front, and vehicles participating as grand marshal behind it
The intersection of 26th St and 5th Ave, with Madison Square Park in the background. This is essentially where I stood for 5.5 hours.

The intersection of 26th St and 5th Ave, with Madison Square Park in the background. This is essentially where I stood for 5.5 hours.

It was so great that we were staged on 26th, because that’s where the parade started, so we got to see it from the very beginning.

First float: Grand Marshal, Gay Liberation Front
First float: Grand Marshal, Gay Liberation Front

First float: Grand Marshal, Gay Liberation Front

The parade started just after 12:00pm.

My toenails painted blue
I got these done last Saturday just for the occasion. First time I’ve ever had my toenails painted (or anything else for that matter).

I got these done last Saturday just for the occasion. First time I’ve ever had my toenails painted (or anything else for that matter).

The U shape of the parade route: step off from 26th & 5th, downtown to 8th St, right over to Christopher St and Stoneway, then back up 7th Ave to 23rd.
A group from Orlando
That banner says “Keep Dancing Orlando.”

That banner says “Keep Dancing Orlando.”

I teared up again when I saw these guys.

lots of "I heart NY" balloons, all black with white lettering
This was the state of NY group, led by Governor Cuomo. It was huge, with smaller groups like AARP joining it. It was practically a parade all by itself.

This was the state of NY group, led by Governor Cuomo. It was huge, with smaller groups like AARP joining it. It was practically a parade all by itself.

This group was across 5th Ave from us on 26th St. They were followed by lots of other political types, including Senator Chuck Schumer and AOC.

Sign reads Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Charlene McCray Celebrate World Pride & Stonewall 50.
I loved that this was on a sanitation bus! Trash in this city is epic.

I loved that this was on a sanitation bus! Trash in this city is epic.

A banner with a schedule overlaying a map, to show what step off times were supposed to be for those waiting on the side streets
This gives you an idea of the logistics, which I always find fascinating.

This gives you an idea of the logistics, which I always find fascinating.

This shows the staging happening on either side of 5th Ave all the way up to 33rd St. The rest of our group that was marching was gathering on 31st. They would leave first and we would join them when they reached 26th.

The Sage Bus
Sage is a group that does advocacy for LGBT elders. Joe who you met from the previous blog entry was on this bus. They were staged on the same street at us but were the first ones out, early on the in the parade.

Sage is a group that does advocacy for LGBT elders. Joe who you met from the previous blog entry was on this bus. They were staged on the same street at us but were the first ones out, early on the in the parade.

Andy Cohen on the Bravo channel float
Andy Cohen on the Bravo channel float

Andy Cohen on the Bravo channel float

NYPD marching
NYPD

NYPD

Tarab NYC. Banner reads "A community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer & gender non-conforming Arab, Middle Eastern & North African people in NYC
Tarab NYC. Banner reads “A community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer & gender non-conforming Arab, Middle Eastern & North African people in NYC.”

Tarab NYC. Banner reads “A community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer & gender non-conforming Arab, Middle Eastern & North African people in NYC.”

By far the most interesting group I saw, and was so happy for them! Given they come from cultures that still kill you for being gay (literally), this has to be amazing for them.

The Chinese Rainbow Network float
The Chinese Rainbow Network float

The Chinese Rainbow Network float

Chinese woman carrying a sign that says "God is non binary"
This was part of the Chinese Rainbow Network. Might be my favorite sign of the day.

This was part of the Chinese Rainbow Network. Might be my favorite sign of the day.

A gorgeous guy wearing only a shiny silver jockstrap, platform boots probably 10 inches high, silver glitter all over his torso and biceps, a rainbow feather mohawk headdress with a unicorn horn sticking out the front
One of our conference attendees. He was in the front, of course, along with a couple of others who were dressed similarly.

One of our conference attendees. He was in the front, of course, along with a couple of others who were dressed similarly.

I don’t remember this guy’s name but he was on opening speaker at our Saturday night meeting at the Unishpere (without the costume!). He was asked to speak about why he wanted to come to this event and its importance to him. One of the things he talked about I agreed with. There’s been a lot of controversy this year about the corporate sponsorship of Pride. True believers are annoyed that others are capitalizing, and feel that it’s insincere if these organizations aren’t actively practicing the principles of diversity. Some groups are going as far as to have counter events without the corporate involvement. I agree we should be holding companies accountable where we can, but I also agree with what this guy said: if the visibility the sponsorship creates helps kids growing up who are gay learn that they are OK the way they are, then its worth it. I certainly had no such messages growing up, and was one of (the many) reasons I didn’t come out until I was 35. It took years to unravel all of the negative messages i’d received, so this new generation gets a whole different experience and I’m thrilled about that.

a guy on stilts with 6 flags sticking out of his bag in a peacock array, one for each of the rainbow colors
I would not want to have walked all day in this! Seems like those flags would have kept him toppling over. They must be pretty light. He was the front guy for the Delta float.

I would not want to have walked all day in this! Seems like those flags would have kept him toppling over. They must be pretty light. He was the front guy for the Delta float.

Rainbow flags draped from 2 windows on the 2nd floor of a building at the start, people watching from there
I don’t know how long these guys were there before I noticed them. Lots of people were viewing from their homes along the way.

I don’t know how long these guys were there before I noticed them. Lots of people were viewing from their homes along the way.

Bus from The Caribbean Equality Project
This was by far my most favorite entry: The Caribbean Equality Project. These people had amazing costumes and were off the chart joyous.

This was by far my most favorite entry: The Caribbean Equality Project. These people had amazing costumes and were off the chart joyous.

A black guy in an amazing and huge costume, a crosss between a dragon and giant insect due to the type of wings; all in black and red
This Guy. He was their lead of course!

This Guy. He was their lead of course!

Balck guy in a very colorful costume, with bright multi colored wings, gold glitter shorts, that's about it
One of many colorful costumes from this group.

One of many colorful costumes from this group.

One of many colorful costumes from this group.

More from Caribeean Equality, lots of dancing people
They were a raucous, dancing group and pretty big

They were a raucous, dancing group and pretty big

A red convertible with this sign: Mama Jean, Founder of Gay Pride March
This sign says “Mama Jean, Founder of Gay Pride March.”

This sign says “Mama Jean, Founder of Gay Pride March.”

A purple float: Lavender Light Gospel Choir
Lavender Light Gospel Choir. One of their signs said they were a person of color lesbian choir. Not sure how that explains the white guy in the middle!

Lavender Light Gospel Choir. One of their signs said they were a person of color lesbian choir. Not sure how that explains the white guy in the middle!

Me and Andrew, big smiles, in front of the bus just before we stepped off
Me and Andrew in front of the bus just before we stepped off

Me and Andrew in front of the bus just before we stepped off

Me and Andrew, big smiles, in front of the bus just before we stepped off
From this angle you can hardly see the bus; the reflection makes it look like those are buildings behind us!

From this angle you can hardly see the bus; the reflection makes it look like those are buildings behind us!

I'm finally on 5th Ave, looking back at the bus about to pull out of 26th St
Finally! We stepped off just after 5:30pm. This is the loaded bus about to pull out of 26th Street.

Finally! We stepped off just after 5:30pm. This is the loaded bus about to pull out of 26th Street.

Some of us had gotten here as early as 10am. We finally joined our group that was marching up from 31st around 5:40pm.

The front of our group, carrying the Gay & Sober banner
I had started up here carrying the banner but there were so many people who wanted to be there it was getting crowded and I backed off. It was the right decision.

I had started up here carrying the banner but there were so many people who wanted to be there it was getting crowded and I backed off. It was the right decision.

Our bus pulling onto 5th Ave, still at an angle
Finally pulling into 5th Ave

Finally pulling into 5th Ave

Looking back at 5th Ave, the Empire State Building in the background, the Gay and Sober bus on the left foreground, and lots and lots of people on the right and in between
This might be my favorite photo. Ever.

This might be my favorite photo. Ever.

Two kids dancing in a 2nd story window
These guys were hilarious and having a ball dancing up there

These guys were hilarious and having a ball dancing up there

Andrew at Chip on the top of the bus
Andrew & Chip. They met at the first GSM conference in 2017.

Andrew & Chip. They met at the first GSM conference in 2017.

A beauiful woman with curly hair and her two beautiful children, and boy and girl, maybe 8 and 6. Unknown ethnicity but brown skin
I thought this was such a beautiful family I was compelled to take a photo. But the truth is, just one of many that I saw along the way.

I thought this was such a beautiful family I was compelled to take a photo. But the truth is, just one of many that I saw along the way.

Pulling away from carrying the banner was the right decision. Even once I’d first gotten up there, I was thinking “but then I won’t be able to see the people as well.” I’d been thinking I would walk alongside the spectators, so went back to that. I really wanted to be able to make eye contact with people. That was absolutely the right choice.

What I didn’t anticipate was how much they would want to interact with us. I couldn’t count the number of high fives, hand slapping, hand holding, hugs, kisses and “I love yous” that I encountered.

A boy, maybe 10, wearing makeup, his hair pulled back in a band, wearing a shirt that says "The world has bigger problems than boys who kiss boys and girls who kiss girls."
Amen.

Amen.

Of all of my interactions with the public there were three that stood out:

  • One guy motioned me over to hug him. I swear he had tears in his eyes as the said to me “I’m so glad you’re here.” Now, you can interpret that many ways. My preferred interpretation is it’s the “sober” that got to him, and we made a difference at least for that guy.
  • A woman yelled “23 years” as I high fived her.
  • The glare was too bad to see who was holding it, but at one point along 7th Ave just before 16th Street I looked up and there was a dancing Big Book in a window!
Street Sign that has all of the letters represented at the intersection: Christopher St in one direction, in the other going down is Gay St, Lesbian St, Bisexual St, Trans St, Queer St, Intersex St, Asexual St, Nonbinary St, Pansexual St, Two Spirit St, + St
This used to be just the intersection of Christopher St and Gay St

This used to be just the intersection of Christopher St and Gay St

The Stonewall Inn
The Stonewall Inn on Christopher St, where it all began

The Stonewall Inn on Christopher St, where it all began

We ended at 23rd Street just about 7:30pm. It was a nice walk back to the hotel on 43rd to wind down from that incredible experience, both exhilarating and exhausting. So Glad I Did it.

I got my phone charger and freshened up again before heading out. The last event of the conference was a river boat cruise on the Hudson.

Looking out onto the Hudson from Pier 83 at dush, with the lights of New Jersey in the background
The Hudson River at dusk, Pier 83 at the end of 43rd St

The Hudson River at dusk, Pier 83 at the end of 43rd St

Our boat just before loading
Our boat just before loading

Our boat just before loading

The Empire State Building from the Hudson River,
The Empire State Building as we were pulling away.

The Empire State Building as we were pulling away.

Midtown at night from the Hudson River
Midtown at night from the Hudson River

Midtown at night from the Hudson River

Dancing on the top level of the boat
Dancing on the top level of the boat

Dancing on the top level of the boat

Not all, but many of these guys also marched. I don’t know how they could still dance! Maybe they hadn’t been on their feet since 9am as I had.

Statue of Liberty at night
Statue of Liberty at night

Statue of Liberty at night

Remember the rocks from the Drop The Rock workshop the day before? We dropped them into the water here. Freedom.

Downtown NYC at night from the Hudson River
Downtown NYC at night from the Hudson River

Downtown NYC at night from the Hudson River

World Trade Center at night from the Hudson River
World Trade Center at night from the Hudson River

World Trade Center at night from the Hudson River

By the way, you notice there were no photos of food. That’s essentially because I didn’t eat a proper meal until about 10pm on the boat, and then it was a basic hot dog with potato salad, not very photo worthy. The bus was loaded with water, Gatorade and snacks like granola bars so that’s what I lived on.

I got back to my room about 12:45pm. I started culling the photos and finally went to bed around 1:15am.

The conference was amazing, and the March was impossible to describe. I’m so happy to have done it all and will have to figure out when to do some journaling on some of it.

That said, I’m also glad it’s over and am looking forward now to pure vacation!

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