Flight of the Purple Iris (Pride)

1. After a week of heavy rain, the park was lush but muted, a landscape that perfectly reflected my conflicted feelings about 'pride.' More than ever, the word seems too friendly, too easily coopted by corporations and politicians that wrap themselves in 'the rainbow flag' but continue to reinforce the most regressive tendencies of our society.

2. In the park, it was a relief to escape the branded experience of 'pride,' to think more somberly about the countless numbers who have been fired or beaten or killed merely for existing, as well as those who have resisted by marching or protesting or not hiding their/our existence in the many ways that happens. There is, I thought, a better word to capture the need to dismantle the institutions that have brought us to this point, and the word is _______.

3. But the park, I remembered, is also a place for celebrating a diversity of existence, fleeting and beautiful. I stopped to admire a gathering of yarrow, heather, iris, and a dogwood.

4. The ferns glistened. The astilbe gathered. The iris shook the water from its petals.

5. In our best world, we are all flowers of our own choosing.

Comments

[AntiqueFlaneur]

Another wonderful post Matt. I too am always conflicted about Pride. When I see that Penguin clothing has a special "Pride Collection" with rainbow motifs, I feel alienated, not included. Same-sex desire has just become another (white male) consumer category of late capitalism while its architects as you say, "continue to reinforce the most regressive tendencies of our society." Did you see the magazine cover with the photograph of Pete Buttgieg and his husband Chasten? It was so "straight" and "white". "We're just like you." OY! And if you will permit me one more Pride rant. I cannot stand the legions of shirtless men on Pride, all with the same body. Not enough variety of flowers. In my mid 20's my bf at the time and I went to a pre-Pride brunch in the Village attended by a mostly older (30's!) white gay men. When I mentioned that at previous Prides, I had become bored by all the shirtless bodies, they all looked at me like I had 2 heads and then no one spoke with me after that. So, today I'm going to read some Oscar Wilde and enjoy the silence. Happy Pride, Kelly

[Matthew Gallaway]

Thanks, Kelly -- yes, there's a stultifying quality to so much of what is perceived/promoted as 'gay' and -- even worse -- is accepted as such by many in the 'community.' But as you point out, the best gardens have a wide variety of flowers; let's hope we see more in the next phase :)