I think that all movements have "trigger points", something that galvanizes, in a moment, actions, feelings and tamped-down energies that have been bubbling under the surface for years waiting for release. Look at how the actions of one Tunisian fruit vendor, in a personal moment of unbridled frustration, triggered the actions which have been sweeping the Arab world. The underlying problems had festered for years before his actions created the outlet for resistance. On a lesser, but no less meaningful scale, Stonewall was a culmination of years of harassment and repression - it was not a reaction to just one night of police brutality. So yes, I believe that, had it not been Stonewall per se, there would eventually have been a "Stonewall" moment at some point that focused LGBT people and unified them in a common purpose. Remember, activists had worked quietly for years behind the scenes to undo discriminatory laws. The movement did not suddenly spring to life one evening in New York. What did spring to life that night was a recognition of commonality among an under-organized movement.

I also don't underestimate the AIDS crisis as a galvanizing force in the political awakening of the LGBT community. So yes, Stonewall or not, there would have come a time when we would be celebrating where we have come as a movement.

http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/

The site above will help you find the best route from your exact address to the area you want to get to, and will also help you prioritize routes (least walking distance, fastest route, fewest transfers) so that you can pick the one that seems most reasonable. It will also factor in issues that you can't figure out from basic bus schedules (like if the routes have been changed or the schedules adjusted to allow for parade traffic). I hope you make it and have fun!

Take a 510 to downtown Seattle. Then transfer to a 10 to get to the hill or an 18 to get to the center.

That stripper shop on Broadway has *Awesome* slutgear.

Babeland!

The Crypt!

Metro!

Marriage Equality is probably 2 to 5 years down the line, but that is only if the LGBT community and our progressive partners start a concerted effort on an outreach/educational campaign towards the rest of the state. We cannot rely on polling data which seems to indicate a growing majority-support for marriage - we must reach out and solidify that support proactively. This includes media campaigns, public speaking, community meetings, getting out of Seattle and talking with our neighbors. We should look closely at what Basic Rights Oregon is doing in that state. They have a very clear 5 year plan to lay the groundwork for an initiative before considering putting it on the ballot. We must lay this groundwork here in WA. Otherwise, there is currently no clear reason to believe we could win at the polls, in the legislature, or through the courts. But believe me, my partner Michael and I have been together for 20 years - we're as tired of waiting as anyone!

I have an add-on question...the Gay/Pride Flag.

This was traditionally called the Rainbow Flag and was inclusive of any and all "groups" (as in Rainbow Coalition) not just G or LG or LGBT.

Is that no longer the case?

Reading the conversations on here, I think you have a genuine question and raise a good point: a lot of people use the overt sexuality and in-your-face-ness of Pride to dismiss gay people and gay rights.

It fits very well into the narrative that those people buy into that gay people are nothing but promiscuous people trying to force their sexuality on the world.

But what you forget is that those people are going to dismiss gay people and gay rights already. They have the agenda first, and use things like Pride to support it. It is not the other way around.

Simply put, anyone who has a basic understanding of the issues or the people involved would never be turned away by Pride. And those that oppose it do so already, and will continue to do so no matter what gay people do and the parade has no influence on that.

You can't help, really, any more than you can help a heart to unbreak--and trying too hard gets just annoying (i've been on both sides of this coin), no matter what your sexual orientation. Just listen and be sympathetic. ride it out. Those are the duties of a friend. Good luck.

Any woman who isn't some kind of teenaged whore princess is perceived as a drudge, and the strerotype dyke is always butch.

Conversely, the stereotype fag *is* some kind of teenaged whore princess, and so their fabulocity is assured.

My hope for Pride is that we can all of us be ourselves, and fuck what anyone else perceives.

From within! I always have more fun marching.

Barring that, though, try to find a friend with a balcony overlooking the route.

Last year I watched from the sidewalk right in front of Cinerama, and was able to have a perfect, unobstructed view. The folks with the lawn chairs who arrived early were the real winners, though.

You're setting up a false dichotomy in your question. It may be neither of these things. I don't think that Pride is about the legal fight for rights- that's what petitions and proposed laws and interviews on TV and court battles are for. I'm straight, but everything I know about Pride is that it's about supporting each other, about proclaiming to an often hostile society that they're not winning in their efforts to dehumanize LGBTQ people, about providing a safe, welcoming, and joyful space to be who you are without fear or recrimination. It's also a time when it becomes easy for allies to openly say, "I support you. I support your community. I support your rights." It also gives a visible example of gay people living happy, healthy, joyful and unafraid lives to all those kids who are starting to discover their sexual identities. People who are turned off enough by Pride's extravagances to use it as a justification to continue to deny basic civil rights to gay people is clearly already extremely prejudiced. No one uses Mardi Gras celebrations, college keggers, or bad reality TV dating shows to justify denying rights to straight people. Pride should be in the same category. It's a party. It's a celebration that happens once a year. Using it to judge the "merits" of the case for gay rights or the worthiness of gay people is just as ludicrous and insulting as using Mardi Gras to judge the merits of "straight rights."

This comes up every year. "Omigawd, John and Jane Doe from East Armpit might see a guy in a lime-green thong and glitter platforms and suddenly change their stance on marriage equality!"

No. It's a fucking party. It's once a year. Anyone who thinks that's all there is to the LGBTQ community is looking for excuses to be judgmental and condemnatory.

And it's great, maybe even ESSENTIAL, that once a year, the community comes together to remind one another that "if we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately." E pluribus unum.

Yes, because it motivates people to come out, to celebrate who they are, and to be right in the face of the city saying "We're here!" It's a good annual reminder for the GLBT community that we've come a long way since the Stonewall Riots in 1969, but we're not done yet.

The point of Gay Pride Week is to re-energize the gay rights movement, to let ourselves off the leash and have some fun and re-invigorate a sense of community.

Does getting drunk and lighting fireworks off on the 4th of July foster patriotism? No, maybe not, but I'd like think there's a point to any community celebration.

When I'm celebrating the 4th of July, I'm not hoping my Canadian friends will look across the border and say "wow, I can RELATE to that." I'm hoping my American neighbors and I will have a good time together and remember that we're all in the same boat here.

It's the same with Gay Pride Week. It's not supposed to make us "relatable" to Farmer John in Pasco or Church Lady in Port Angeles. It's supposed to tell Farmer John's lesbian daughter or Church Lady's gay nephew that there's hope, that you're not the only one on this planet born with a natural attraction to people of the same gender.

And it's to remind us that we've come a long way since 1969 when two dudes holding hands at a gay bar was a crime. We're here, we're queer, and you should already be used to it, because in case you hadn't noticed, we sort of f***ing run this town anyway.

Gay Pride Week is there to re-energize the queer community so we can keep fighting the good fight. It's not designed to "sell" our movement to the haters. So yes, I think it does a hell of a lot to further the cause of gay rights.

Clothes are for closets.

PS - regarding your comment to goth jenny's answer, my first boyfriend was a cowboy from Pendelton, Oregon and I can say with authority that there is no such thing as non-ass-less chaps. All chaps, are by virtue of being chaps, ass-less.

The entire point of pride week is that we don't really give a fuck what you think. That is why we don't call it "shame week"

It's a long parade route, so anywhere you can find space to be in the front is perfectly awesome. However, for myself, I like to be nearer Seattle Center, as that way if a big huge fabulous party starts spontaneously in the fountain (as happened a couple of years back when it was really hot), you're right there with it. Plus it's easy to sneak over to the Center for a cup of coffee and to use the bathrooms.

How would it be a hindrance?

Legalization could also take place through the legislature; the current DOMA law in WA state is a law that the legislature could repeal if they wanted. After the WA Supreme Court ruling, as far as I understand it, the legislature is not required to recognize gay marriage, but is also not prohibited from recognizing it, as is the case in states that have DOMA constitutional amendments.

Having the legislature repeal the DOMA would likely trigger a referendum similar to R-71 if that happened.

With the way opinions are changing in this area - a majority of folks currently in favor - will be interesting to see which approach ends up happening first.

Fabulousness is totally in the eyes and ears of the beholder. If this opinion is spoken to you, please tell the speaker to open his or her eyes to all of the variations of people - one never really knows if a person is straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or asexual... so generalities and stereotypes simply do not hold any truth.

PFLAG Seattle Mom

I don't understand why this is any of your business. Does the cat enjoy his "spa day"? Does the Neighbor ask you to pay for it? Does the Neighbor enjoy how his cat looks and smells after a beauty treatment? Does it help curb the hair shedding issue for the Neighbor?

Why is this even in your thoughts?

And yes, I believe that your "input" would be hurtful and inappropriate.

PFLAG Seattle Mom

Thank you for being a good friend. I really do agree with the other response from David Schmader and I would like to reinforce the importance of "just" listening, sympathizing, etc. If this friend's heartbreak becomes despair or hopelessness, or if you are concerned for his safety, please help him make an appointment with Seattle Counseling Service, 206-323-1768.

There are so many social activities available, and there are numerous opportunities to volunteer time and energy. Perhaps you can help him figure out what kinds of skills he would like to share with organizations that need him.

He has to work his own way back to being happy; you nor he has to have all the answers right now.

PFLAG Seattle Mom

I have walked in the PRIDE Parade many times so have never really SEEN it.... A friend of mine has said that if you can find a place just after the Westlake beginning site, it gets better from there all the way to Broad Street. The crowd gets thinner and the parade contingents keep going until they get almost to Seattle Center. AND don't forget to go into Seattle Center for the PRIDE Fest!!! Lots of booths, a beer garden, lots of hugs and wonderful things to buy and many non-profits to which you can made a donation -- include PFLAG Seattle Chapter!!

See you at the booth!
PFLAG Seattle Mom

Two resources jump immediately to mind....

Seattle Counseling Service focuses on issues around sexuality and could possibly help your friend figure out why he "self medicates" to deal with his unhappiness and fear.

Depending on your friend's age, he (or you) could contact Gay City Health Project 206-860-6969 and find out if he is of an age that they can help, or if they have another resource they can recommend.

Of course there is Narcotics Anonymous of Seattle, 206-790-8888.

Dunshee House offers some services for drug abusers. 206-322-2437

Let me know if any of these are of help, or if you learn of others so I can add them to my list of resources.

Thank you for being such a good friend to your friend!

PFLAG Seattle

I think the rest of the answers are being overly simplistic. Obviously, it's neither a universally applicable nor particularly useful generalization, but it is somewhat of a general trend. Think of how gay boys and gay girls grow up and how they learn to relate to those around them and how that expresses itself later in life. Gay girls (most girls) are subject to the unwanted attention and agression by men throughout their life. Pushing off people you can't stand doesn't make one the most desperately outgoing adult. Gay boys, though, are generally ignored by women and face a totally different type of attention from straight boys. Overcoming feelings of isolation often leads people to be extra, sometimes desperately, 'outgoing' later in life.

Just a thought.

Obvs, the point is to better market yourself to Miller Light, Mazda and gay-for-pay presbyterian churches. Yeah, it's not nearly as cool as when a bunch of fags beat down the cops, but it might help you get married some day. I call that liberation.

I'd say, "What's the problem with that?" It's not like Halloween is about praying for the souls of the dead anymore. It's just a rockin' good time. Why is that a problem?

Summertime, I'm going to agree with ghostpost on this one.
He might already be out, but doesn't talk to his family because of their 'don't ask don't tell' policy.
For me, my parents know, and a couple of sprinklings of an aunt and maybe a few cousins, but as a whole, I have not told them. Mainly because I'm not close to that family, and my life has been built up without them. I don't think they need to know, because they aren't involved in my life.
If you really want to know, and care about him for more than just knowing if he's gay or not, get involved in his life, and show him you care. Get to know him. What he likes to do, what his passions are in life. Find out more about him than just who he chooses to love. I think by going this route, you may not even need to ask that question, the answer may present itself to you, without words.