It's here again--June Pride Month!  There are literally hundreds, perhaps thousands, of queer pride events--festivals, street fairs, parades, dances, panels, speeches, rallies, and maybe even some protests--planned across the country and around the world. 

For the past four decades, queers have gathered in June to proclaim to the world that we are proud of our sexual orientation and gender identity, and of the diversity of our community.
 
Our community's strong tradition has evolved from civil rights protest marches that reached far and wide, where we demanded equal rights free from discrimination, something that we're still working for today, to festive parades today.
 
Despite some of our collective setbacks, our pride events continue primarily to be
expressions of joy and achievement, sharing with our fellow queers and queer-friendly allies and friends, and acceptance for the totality of our diversity and our nature.

However, there are those queers would never go to a pride parade or event because they say it celebrates gay stereotypes making it hard for "normal" queers to be accepted.  And there are some of us who would rather go to a black tie fundraiser then go to pride.  Others still would rather have small gatherings with family and friends than party with strangers.

Then there are others like Michael Callahan who just thinks the whole thing is much too embarrassing and does more harm then good in our continued advancement of our civil rights.

In the April 2008 issue of Philadelphia Magazine, Callahan penned an article titled Contrarian: Leave the Leather Bike Shorts at Home where he wrote that "the problem with the Philadelphia Pride Parade is that the 'gay culture' venerated in this annual event is actually, well, gross: men wearing very little, shaking their asses to thumping techno, clownish drag queens, leather daddies."

Callahan does give respect to the queer rights pioneers and the early gay liberation protesters but he believes that "the tactics that won us the first round won't work in the next."

Many others, like Callahan, feel that we queers need to assimilate more into the mainstream and, in doing so, we will be better accepted and respected by our heterosexual counterparts. This is an argument that has been around long before our civil rights movement. (The fact is there will always be those who want to assimilate more then others and vice versa.  That's just part of our reality.)

While Callahan made some interesting and valid points, I reject his notion that our pride parades are an embarrassment, that they will fail to help advance our rights or that they have outlived their usefulness.

For those of use who have been attending Pride events for 13 or even 39 years, perhaps pride fatigue has set in.  But it is important to remember that there will always be people who will be experiencing their first Pride Parade, a collective as well as individual opportunity to experience the solitary and diversity of other queers the very first time. It's an essential part of empowerment for any and all queers.

Here in our country our pride parades are less a tactic for the advancement of queer rights as they are an expression of our unity and strength.  This is true whether your town is celebrating its 34th pride festival like San Diego, California or its first like in Gary, Indiana.

Our yearly pride parades and festivals are also symbols of strength, hope and courage to the tens of millions of queers around the world who are still forbidden to march or even celebrate their pride. We need to continue to march until all can march. 

Happy Pride!

You know how much I adore beauty, style and fashion!  Who doesn't?  Well, they really have been such a tease for an entire decade. I'm talking about Ettoré and Gary Mastroddi, those masters of beauty and style, who are celebrating their 10th anniversary this month.

The co-owners of Ettoré Salon & Spa, at the Philadelphia Marriott, will mark their 10th anniversary with the public at what else but a luxury lifestyle event entitled, "Tease," 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on June 22 at The Ritz Carlton Hotel, 10 South Broad Street at Chestnut, to benefit the Attic Youth Center, Philadelphia's only agency exclusively serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

The Mastroddi brothers have hired event planner Noel Zayas to create a trendy, upscale event complete with fashion, photography, music and dance, to pay homage to their decade of business success in the beauty and style industry while raising money for a worthy community-based non-profit.

"We've been pampering clients from top to bottom for a decade in Philadelphia and have ensured the happiness of every individual that walks out of our doors," admitted Ettoré.

He continued, "We're proud to have received accolades from both media and notable figures alike. What better way to celebrate 10 years of service than to have an over-the-top celebration that also gives back to an organization that has helped so many hearts over the years."

(Behind the scenes for many a Philadelphia Film Festival and Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, the Mastroddi brothers have "pampered" the likes of Susan Sarandon and Sandra Bernhard.)

Zayas has incorporated several different art forms into the dynamic anniversary experience for the Mastroddi brothers, including a performance by Alexander Kariotis and The Rock Opera Orchestra, a fashion exhibit featuring hair and makeup by Ettoré and wardrobe provided by Passional Boutique and a dance performance by Latin Dance Company Groupo Fuego.

The incomparable fashion photographer Tony Ward will showcase his exclusive photo shoot commissioned exclusively for "Tease," at Plays & Players Theater, featuring hair and makeup by Ettoré and fashions provided by Nicole Miller, Joan Shepp, Eleganza Boutique featuring Roberto Cavalli, Carmelita Couture, Walish Gooshe, H Clothier, Henry David Halloween and Stiletto.

Then there's an amazing lineup of talent appearing throughout the evening, including Philadelphia's own DJ Dozia, DJ Paris, DJ Zathan, DJ Barney, DJ Reenie Kane, DJ Michael Decero and DJ Michael Anderer spinning upbeat house/dance music, ethno-house and world rhythms in various rooms in the event space.

Guests will also be offered complimentary food samplings and drink specials throughout the evening.

Tickets are only $25 and can be purchased in advance at Ettoré Salon & Spa, Philadelphia Marriott Hotel, 1201 Market Street or online at ettorespa.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the door, subject to availability.

What better way to express your pride than in your most fashionable threads and head out for the Ritz Carlton to congratulate the success of gay business people and to benefit queer youth?