Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Pride and Joy


There's an old saying--and as a sidenote, why are all the sayings old? Isn't there ever a new saying--in theatrical circles about productions being able to appeal to mainstream America. The saying goes, "Will it play in Peoria?"

You see, if something appeals to the denizens of Peoria, then it is quite lightly that the rest of the country will like it. And just this past weekend, something new played in Peoria, and maybe, just maybe, it signifies that the rest of the country is ready for it.


Peoria, Illinois celebrated it's first, yes indeedy, Gay Pride this past weekend.

The Peoria Pride Festival was attended by gay men and women, and their children; straight men and women and their children. It was a six-hour gay pride event, featuring music, speakers, food and information booths, as well as children's activities all along the Peoria Riverfront.


Kim Roe brought her 3-year-old son, Jackson, to the festival in order to help him learn about acceptance and diversity. "I'm not gay, but I went to (a similar festival) in Chicago, and I think it is so important to celebrate diversity. People need to understand, there is more than one way to love somebody."

I can't help but think that if gay pride has come to Peoria, it'll soon be coming everywhere.

Smallville, anyone? Smallville Pride? I'd march in that parade.

1 comment:

  1. Great story. It made me start thinking about Smallville. Up to this point I had assumed that your use of the name "Smallville" was metaphorical, as a representation of small-town South Carolina. But now I'm thinking maybe it's real. So I revved up Google Earth and checked it out. Google Earth can't find it, so I guess it is a metaphor after all. Can you confirm? Does it exist or not?

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