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Dallas stages annual Pride parade by Scott Stiffler
EDGE ContributorThursday Sep 24, 2009 Among the marchers were members the Dallas-based activist group Queer Liberaction (which now has a Fort Worth chapter.) Founder Blake Wilkinson noted the group, which has maintained a visible presence on Metroplex streets throughout the year, won an award for Best Social Commentary.
The award is a public recognition of QL’s mission statement to demand, not ask, for equality. The group’s banner, and numerous placards emphasized that ethic.
"Part of our group, organized by one of our younger member, Corbin, played into the idea of pride being all about sex and drunkenness," Wilkinson said. "His group wore sexy attire and covered themselves with bruises and blood on their faces, as though they’d been bashed."
The group also handed out 2,500 flyers "for our picket of the White House" during the upcoming march on Washington. Although the parade’s theme emphasized advocacy and visibility, QL’s planned action at the upcoming Washington march resulted in a phone call to Wilkinson this past week from its organizers who were "angry about our planned picketing." Response from Dallas parade attendees, however, was much more supportive.
Rafael McDonnell, of Resource Center Dallas, echoes QL’s concerns. He added he hopes this year’s parade theme encourages Dallas residents (gay and straight) to put LGBT rights in the spotlight.
"I think the presence of both Larry Kramer and Cleve Jones (Academy Award-winning screenwriter for the Harvey Milk biopic "Milk") was designed to focus us on what we have done and where we still need to go," McDonnell said.
He added a lack of visible opposition to the march--in the form of anti-gay protesters--further encouraged him.
"This year, I think we had two or three, whereas some years ago, there was a considerable crowd (of protesters,)" McDonnell said.
Fairness Fort Worth was among the other group that participated in the parade.
Scott Stiffler is a New York City based writer and comedian who has performed stand-up, improv, and sketch comedy. His show, "Sammy’s at The Palace. . .at Don’t Tell Mama"---a spoof of Liza Minnelli’s 2008 NYC performance at The Palace Theatre, recently had a NYC run. He must eat twice his weight in fish every day, or he becomes radioactive.
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