“Equality of opportunity was the founding creed of U.S. society, but equality among all peoples and between the sexes has proved easier to legislate than to achieve in practice. Social or religious inequality is deeply ingrained in some cultures and thus difficult to overcome (see caste).”- merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equality
I grew up pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and believing strongly that our country was founded on the principle of equality. As I grew older, I started to see the cracks in this ethos. The fact that people have to fight for equal rights in America, seems so un-American to me. So, when victories are made for women, LGBT and ethnic minority groups, I feel a renewed sense of childhood pride in our country. The recent Supreme Court ruling that gave federal benefits to married same-sex couples and opened doors for same-sex marriage in California, really moved me. I recently went to a same-sex wedding that had to take place in Mexico because this beautiful couple couldn’t get married in San Francisco where they resided!
I have attended several LGBT Pride Marches in San Francisco and have even had the opportunity to ride in a few floats to represent the support of LIVE 105, a radio station I worked at in SF back in my younger days. This year was my first chance to attend the event in New York City, where the movement actually started (after the Stonewall Riots of the late 1960’s.) I imagine that the marches that took place in the 1960’s were filled with hurt, anger and frustration. The LGBT Pride March today feels more like a parade- a jubilant celebration, filled with smiles, music, dancing and hope.
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