Gay: Proud Profane Pejorative Populous

This Monday marks the beginning of Pride Week in San Francisco. People from all over the world will descend upon the City to see movies, attend cultural events, see exhibits (and exhibit themselves as well) and march/ogle at the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade. Up to one million people will be milling around the City. That doesn't mean, however, that there are only one million queers in the country.

I stand by the old Kinsey guestimate at 10%. "Nonsense, that figure has been disputed countless times" say the Christofascists, Fundamentalists, Rightwing Evangelicals - and Fred Phelps. It's not that I have an agenda or anything, it's just that I think human nature has a lot more to do with a 10% outlook. Of course, that would make 30 million Americans gay, or at least bi-sexual... or "curious" (I hate that term - it sounds like research). And I'm proud enough to say 30 million wouldn't be a bad figure at all.

In the past, Americans have prided themselves on their diversity. In today's climate, however, where diversity can sometimes be frowned upon as somehow UN-American ("Diversity = Perversity), Americans have found themselves divided by a "culture war".

And it is truly a war. And waving an American flag won't tag you as someone on the right side.