Toronto Pride, a gay celebration?

Ok so I got back last night late in the pm after spending 4 days in Toronto for Pride. This was not my first trip to Pride. I was there plenty of times when I lived there in the early 90’s and after a long absence was there last year.
Things have changed. Dramatically. Even since last year. Gone are the days of actual protests. No more marching for queer rights. Gone are the days of awkward police presence, the lack of media coverage and the people who used to go watch the parade for the sole purpose to “look at all the freaks”.
Today, Toronto Pride is world renown. Embraced by the city, promoted by stores, pride flags everywhere and it has become one big party. Or has it? Something that used to be celebrated from College and Church to Yonge up to Isabella and back down Church as morphed into something city wide.
I so don’t want to be disrespectful to the Toronto LGBTQT community but it is no longer a “gay” event. It has been taken over by corporations hungry to make money off the all mighty queer dollar. You see, businesses figured out a few years back that queers spent money and they were missing out. This is ever so present at The Bay (the flagship store on Queen St) with all the pride flags and logo’s of “Proud “everywhere. At first glance, people must think, “What a progressive city this is! The LGBTQT community is loved and embraced by everyone.” Regretfully what is loved and embraced is your money. What was different this year from the others is that everyone was selling something. From t-shirts, to mugs, wrist bands, flags, watches, pamphlets, tattoos, bandanas, dog collars and oh my! The list goes on. I felt like I was walking in the market district in Cuba with kids thrusting t-shirts and souvenirs in my face for a buck. I was appalled to see the RCMP asking people it they wanted a bracelet only to find out they do charged a small fee. All of the traditional info vendors had been pushed to the side streets off Church to make way for food vendors and money makers. The worst thing was the group of people holding up binders in your face asking you to help sick kids, for a price of course. What does a sick child have to do with Pride? They were clearly there for money making and that was beyond tasteless.
Not all was bad. I did walk through the village and saw some of my favourite vendors, chatted with friends I had not seen in a long time or guys I chat with on Bear411 and Bearforest. I did attend the Beef Ball. It hurt to pay $40 plus for tickets just to get in the door. But it was well worth it. No waiting in line and there was beer a plenty! The music was not my favourite choice but I still managed to move around. Funny thing was that I saw more bears and leather guys from everywhere else BUT Toronto. Have the bears given up on their own city? There is a huge rift in the community and I will not get into that right now. That’s for another time. I will say this. As Mr. Ottawa Bear I will not take sides with any particular part of the Bear community. I was invited to participate in a Bear event but was asked that if I did I could not go to the Beef Ball. So I opted out. I let this visit to Toronto be about embracing all aspects of Pride and I will not side with one particular group. Enough said about that for now. The shuttle service to and from the event was worth it as well. Beats taking a cab as the event is on Queen St East.
At the end of the day, my trip to Toronto was ok. It was not fantastic or amazing, it was ok. Maybe we don’t need parades and week-long celebrations to make claim as to who we are? Maybe we’ve accomplished all we set out to do with few barriers left to break down? I doubt it. No Pride celebrations would be as silly as no Canada Day. Whatever you decide to do for Pride celebrations remember those who made it possible. Remember those who fought for your rights to same sex benefits, legalized gay marriage, decriminalize homosexuality, to make it ok to hold your partners hand and to stand up for what you believe in.
I recently raised the pride flag at Bank of America for a community fair early in June. It was the first time in BoA corporate history that they flew the pride flag. I stood in the pouring rain hoisting the flag and thought about Gilbert Baker, one of Harvey Milk’s good friends, who created the pride flag. It occurred to me how proud they would be, these two great men from San Francisco that some 30 years down the road a Mr. Bear in an unofficial role would raise the flag that Gilbert Baker created. It was a moving moment. I understood the meaning of Gay Pride.
With respect to Toronto, maybe I needed to take off my jaded colored glasses and take a closer look at what Pride really had to offer?
Until next time, big warm bear hugs
MOB09