Church and Pride Proud -- Some Do Accept and Love

[VickySGV]

One VERY tired, sore, and sunburned, Episcopalian Trans* girl here right now. I have to get out of my chair and take a shower, but I am too darn tired to do it.

The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles LGBT ministry group puts a parade unit in the LA PRIDE / Christopher Street West parade each year, and this was my second year to go with them. Our Diocesan Bishop celebrated Holy Communion with the group in a parking lot in the parade assembly area at 9AM, and then we had a two and a half hour delay until it was time for our group to pound the pavement. The Bishop and his wife rode in a convertible in front of us, and in between us was a Bagpipe Band that uses one of our churches for it's practice sessions. I had not remembered the group having a Trans* Pride flag last year, so I brought mine along, and begorra we had a Trans* banner among the church flag and GLB flags. From my point of view it greatly improved the looks of the group. (snark)

There were two of us in the group who were out Trans* out of another 30 or 40 people (excluding the Pipe Band) who are actually wonderful people who I am getting to know. I traded off carrying the Trans*Pride flag with the other girl at about the halfway point. We did have a breeze coming in off the ocean which made the flags look good but hard to hold. Along the parade route was one H8 religious group making their yearly show-off stand. To me they seemed actually pathetic and childlike in their thing this time, but I do not think they even figured out from looking that we were a church group too.

I had parked my car at the end of the parade route and walked to our Communion site, and our lineup site. I might still be plodding back to the car if I had not done it that way.

[Guest Raya]

Sounds like a great day, thanks for sharing. And watch that sun, it's murder on your skin!

[Charlize]

Sounds like a wonderful experience Vicky! I'm sure you didn't wear heels! You even made it back to our meeting and it was great to see you there.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest suden]

What a great day! Central Iowa just finished pride this weekend (Capital city pride) in des moinse The parade had five church groups. Lots of family's. people in Iowa a getting feed up with bullies. Nice to see.

glade you had a wonderful time thanks Eden

[VickySGV]

You bring up one interesting image Megan -- why is it that the H8 groups use those tinny sounding Bull Horns and not some good noise amps? That is going to be bothering me as a question for a bit.

If I were not happy with my Church Home, I would highly consider the UCC as a group to be happy and proud of. Neither you nor they poisoned each other by being together and it sounds like you had a great time for sure.