New York City Pride 2012

I am straight; I was born that way. I grew up in an Independent Fundamental Baptist church in Vermont. For two years I attended one of the most controversially conservative colleges in the US: Bob Jones University. So you can appreciate the unlikelihood that this past weekend I’d end up in New York City, marching in the Gay Pride Parade.

Yet there I was, wearing rainbow colors while marching through the heart of the US, screaming my voice out in support of LGBTQ and surrounded by friends, allies, brothers and sisters in love and acceptance. I marched with some 40 LGBTQ+ survivors of the Bob Jones University (BJU) fundamentalist cult, and our group in the Pride Parade was called “BJUnity.” We marched to show support and solidarity for those LGBTQ who have been systematically mistreated and brainwashed by BJU and other similar institutions. Our message was one of hope – that not all Christians hate and condemn gays for simply being true to themselves.

Churches had arrived to hand out water to the marchers and to apologize for the hurt, pain, and suffering through which supposed followers of Christ have put LGBTQ for centuries. The costumes ranged from brilliant to intriguing. And exuberance reigned as the overarching emotion felt throughout the thousands in the thronging crowds. This exhilaration paused twice, once at 1pm and once at 3pm, for moments of silence to remember and honor the victims of AIDS. These moments contained the most incredible feeling of togetherness as tens of thousands of people on many different streets, in unanimity, were silent.

I only saw one protest group, three or four apparently Hasidic teachers in black gowns and caps, holding signs about men marrying giraffes. Pride’s reaction? They were wished the same good day, were offered the same water by the churches, and enjoyed the same show put on by the ‘men of nature’ in the thongs behind us.

For three hours we became the servants Christ longed to inspire, loving strangers through words and actions, hugs and apologies, laughter and tears. There was no Jew or Gentile, no American or non-American, no male or female, no straight or gay, no high class or lower class, and no sinful person or righteous person. We had become a hodge-podge of humanity, a melting pot of awesome variety, and a beautiful collage of people gathered with one purpose: to love their neighbor as themselves.

Some adored Jesus and his teachings. Some followed the loving and peaceful path of Buddhism and enlightenment. Some identified as Muslim brothers and sisters. Some were Pagan. Some enjoyed another religion. Some rejected religion altogether. But in that moment, we were all one. Labels became meaningless, and we just enjoyed each other’s presence, humanity and diversity.

NYC Pride exemplified so many of the things religion should be giving freely to the community surrounding it. NYC was my church on Sunday, June 24, 2012. Now, all I have to do is characterize my life with this kind of selfless, unconditional love. As someone pretty cool once said, go out and do likewise. In that way, ‘church’ won’t be a place or rules. Instead, it will be a love that overflows in every circumstance and toward every person with whom I have the pleasure of interacting.