May 5, 2011
By: Deja Nicole Greenlaw*/TRT Columnist
Saturday, May 7, is the 30th Northampton Pride. That fact that it is the 30th Pride is reason enough for celebration. Any organization that makes it to 30 years needs to be recognized and applauded!
Times sure have changed since the first Noho Pride back in 1981. I am told that there were marchers in the parade back then who actually had bags over their heads so that no one would recognize them. The marchers feared for their jobs, the very possible loss of friends and family and maybe even their lives. Back in those days there wasn’t much being “out.” There was mostly being “in” the closet. We have come a long way since then as many of us are “out and proud” these days. That alone is also another reason to celebrate the Noho Pride.
I don’t know about you, but back in 1981 I was so deep in my closet, as my girlfriend Laura would say, I was subterranean! It was awful being petrified to even explore who you are and who you might become. The world was a very cruel place to us back then and there wasn’t very many of us who had the nerve to say “I am who I am” and actually live it!
Me? I was being a hubby and a daddy of 3 children in the 80s. I pushed my feeling way, way down into the deepest, darkest parts of my soul. I was extremely busy doing wonderful family things but when I did have time to think, I would day dream about being female. I always wondered what my life would have been like if I just ran away as I wanted to when I was 19 and somehow became a female and got work playing as a musician. Back then, in the early 70s, Glam Rock was peaking and I yearned to be in one of those bands so badly! I was obsessed with being female. This obsession would even haunt my sleep at night when I dreamed that I would be female and living accordingly.
It took a few decades but I finally began accepting myself and who I am. I finally stepped out of my closet in 2001 and I transitioned to female in 2007. Nowadays I am living out and proud and I love marching in the Noho Pride Parade!! This is reason number three to celebrate Noho Pride!
Reason #4 to celebrate Noho Pride is that fact that it is very much like a “family reunion.” It’s wonderful to watch old friends meet, hug and catch up. I’ve seen so many happy reunions at the Pride and it warms my heart. It’s great to see these little reunions because too many of us have been ostracized from our blood families. However, with events like Noho Pride we can be with people who love and accept us and don’t judge us and are not afraid of being with us. We have our own TLBG family! Yes, Noho Pride is a huge, happy family reunion!!!
Some folks think that Noho Pride has lost its focus and purpose and has become a party rather than a political statement. I can see their point. Yes, we have come a long ways since 1981, yes, we still have a long ways to go and yes we need to keep working on making things better. I totally agree.
At the same time I love Noho Pride even if it is a party, even if it is a celebration of being proud of who we are, a celebration of finally accepting who we are and being ok with it, a celebration of being a family reunion and a celebration of being a milestone number of years. I love the fact that for one day we can put aside all of the awful things that still spill over into our lives, the family and friend rejections and ostracisms, the difficulties of work situations, the thoughts of suicide and the very possible bodily harm that still lurks out there.
For one day I personally don’t want to think about the awful things that are still in our lives. I want to think about the good things! Yes, we can put all of that awful stuff aside and be happy and proud and the world is right at least for that one day. My thanks go out to Bear and Cid and the Pride Committee and to all the volunteers who make Noho Pride happen. Thank you all for all your hard work from the bottom of my heart!
So, meet me at the Pride? Please stop in the UniTy/COS table and say “Hi!” and visit The Rainbow Times table and tell them that Deja sent you!!
*Deja Nicole Greenlaw is a local transwoman who has 3 grown children and works at a local Fortune 500 company. She can be contacted at dejavudeja@sbcglobal.net.
