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July 13, 2018 - Ain't Too Proud to Parade by Stacey Fearheiley

Pride Parade

 

Ain’t Too Proud to Parade!

I had a happy Pride Month! Interestingly enough, as a cis white girl, I'm really feeling it this year. I suppose it's not too hard to understand why.

It's like that Spartacus movie...."I am Spartacus. I am Spartacus. I am Spartacus." I am LGBTQ. I am an immigrant. I am black. I am Muslim. I am Mexican. That's where I am right now.

And being all these things, if only as an ally, I am also really, really scared and sad. I guess what would encompass all that would be, "I am an American." And I'm not as proud of that as I used to be.

This year, I went to the Capital Pride Parade in Washington, D.C. It was wonderful. And for a while...a short several hours...I was able to feel that pride in being in this country that I love so much.

I've been to the St. Patrick's Day parade. (Fun with green and beer!)

I've been to the Cherry Blossom Parade. (So many blossoms, so little understanding of how to make them grow.)

I've been to numerous Labor Day and Independence Day parades. (Or should they be called the Marches of the Political Candidates?)

Parades, in general, are fun. Especially when they are about purely American stuff—like freedom, celebrating the working man, and the idea that my vote matters. But this year, at the Pride Parade, it felt different. It felt more. At this parade, I felt joy.

Now, I don't bandy that word about very much. It gets shouted and sung from the rooftops all throughout December and frankly, I rarely feel a bit of it. It seems trite, hackneyed, and tired. So, understand, I use that word in its truest definition.

I stood there with my rainbow EVERYTHING, and waved my rainbow flag and bantered with other goers. I watched as float after float, and group after group, marched by singing and dancing, throwing swag, or high-fiving the sidelines.

My feet hurt, my arms were tired, the sun was hot, I was getting elbowed, and...it all didn't matter. I didn't want to leave, because in the midst of all the people, parade, discomfort, crowd, and noise, everyone was happy. There was this beautiful—probably rainbow-colored—bubble that seemed to encase us all. It was surreal. But it was joyful. That was the word.

And as I looked around at a crazy diverse crowd of people—all there to enjoy the moment and each other and to celebrate everyone's right to parade—I felt like we were all Spartacus. We were all Pride. We were all Joyful.

Wish it could last all year. ▼

Stacey Fearheiley is a frequent Rehoboth visitor, an actress who has appeared onstage many times in Rehoboth, and half of the duo producing the Poperation podcast.

‹ July 13, 2018 - Out & Proud by Stefani Deoul up July 13, 2018 - Volunteer Spotlight - Debra Doricchi ›

Past Issues

Issues Index

  • November 16, 2018 - Issue Index
  • October 19, 2018 - Issue Index
  • September 21, 2018 - Issue Index
  • August 24, 2018 - Issue Index
  • August 10, 2018 - Issue Index
  • July 27, 2018 - Issue Index
  • July 13, 2018 - Issue Index
    • July 13, 2018 - Cover-to-cover with ISSUU
    • July 13, 2018 - The Way I See It by Murray Archibald
    • July 13, 2018 - Speak Out
    • July 13, 2018 - In Brief
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMPmatters by Murray Archibald
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMP Out by Fay Jacobs
    • July 13, 2018 - It's My Life by Michael Thomas Ford
    • July 13, 2018 - The Delaware Botanical Gardens by Brent Baker
    • July 13, 2018 - President's View by Chris Beagle
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMP Stories by Rich Barnett
    • July 13, 2018 - Millennial Times by James Adams Smith
    • July 13, 2018 - Sundance 2018 by Glen Pruitt
    • July 13, 2018 - The Real Dirt by Eric W. Wahl
    • July 13, 2018 - Around Town with Lisa Schlosser by Fay Jacobs
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMP Feature - The Last Straw by Stefani Deoul
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMP Cheers!
    • July 13, 2018 - Out & Proud by Stefani Deoul
    • July 13, 2018 - Ain't Too Proud to Parade by Stacey Fearheiley
    • July 13, 2018 - Volunteer Spotlight - Debra Doricchi
    • July 13, 2018 - Volunteer Thank You
    • July 13, 2018 - ParentGood by Brent Mundt
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMP Critters
    • July 13, 2018 - View Point by Richard Rosendall
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMPshots Gallery 1
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMPshots Gallery 2
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMPshots Gallery 3
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMPshots Gallery 4
    • July 13, 2018 - Deep Inside Hollywood by Romeo San Vicente
    • July 13, 2018 - Out & About by Eric C. Peterson
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMP Arts by Doug Yetter
    • July 13, 2018 - Booked Solid by Terri Schlichenmeyer
    • July 13, 2018 - CAMP Dates - July 13 - July 29
  • June 29, 2018 - Issue Index
  • June 15, 2018 - Issue Index
  • June 1, 2018 - Issue Index
  • May 18, 2018 - Issue Index
  • May 4, 2018 - Issue Index
  • April 6, 2018 - Issue Index
  • March 9, 2018 - Issue Index
  • January 26, 2018 - Issue Index

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