Axing Jacquelynn

Here we go again at the Maricopa County health department. Why can't the Board of Supervisors get its act together?

A A A Comments By Robrt L. Pela Thursday, Mar 30 2006

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No, really, don't get The Bird started on the stupidity of taking pride in one's sexuality, as if it were some kind of accomplishment. And don't ask this faux falcon to comment on how "pride" is not the opposite of shame. But go ahead: Ask this puffed-up pigeon how it feels about folks from the local Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival being too spineless to include the words "lesbian" and "gay" in the name of their event. Go on, ask.

For starters, gay and lesbian pride events are meant to commemorate the Stonewall riots of June 28, 1969. On that day, a group of homos who'd just returned from Judy Garland's funeral (no, The Bird's not cracking wise; ask your hairdresser!) responded to a routine raid of the Stonewall Inn, a Greenwich Village gay bar, by fighting back. The riots have since been considered the beginning of the modern gay movement, which in Phoenix generally means hanging out in bars and attending drag shows.

What could this ad possibly be hawking? Honey, nobody would buy into anything based on this!

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Which is pretty much what this none-too-proud pride event is shaping up to be. Because while the words gay and lesbian are nowhere to be seen (they don't appear on the organization's Web site, www.phoenixpride.org, until page 3), the event's drinks menu appears way up at the top of the page.

But hey, isn't that what being gay all about? Getting loaded?

And can someone please explain why this shame-filled organization's hosting its "pride" event in April? Stonewall happened in June, folks. And "It's too hot in June" is not a good enough excuse to hold this event earlier. Do you guys see Iowans holding Christmas in August because it's too cold in December?

"I don't know," was the quick, witty response of organization president Linda Hoffmanwhen The Bird asked why the words gay and lesbian don't appear in the group's name. "I don't know if that's ever been addressed before."

What is this, the Brokeback Mountain era? It doesn't seem that homos in Phoenix are prideful about their sexuality when they can't even say the words. How, The Bird wonders, do the organizers of this event plan to "advance the movement" when they're not willing to publicly admit they're queer?

If you're too ashamed to use the words, then you're not prideful. You're ashamed. Not to mention chickenshit. About which The Bird says: You're here, you're queer, so why not say so, for Liza's sake?!

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