We would like to thank everyone who visited our booth at the Albuquerque Pride Celebration and the wonderful folx running the beautiful event.
Editor's note: During this year's Albuquerque Pride Parade, our attention was fixed on the beautiful people celebrating equality and community in the streets. Luckily, local photographer Christian Horstmann shared his fabulous 2014 Pride photo essay with the Alibi and our beloved readers. Until next year, Happy Pride! You are beautiful, and we love you.
I'm a relative newcomer to the world of marriage, but I already know a little: It's not a contract to be entered into lightly. The person you marry should be your must trusted confidant, your best friend, your most ardent fan and (sometimes) your harshest critic. But when it works, it's really lovely. And even when it doesn't work quite as well—especially in comparison to the reality-challenged world of the rom-com—it's still pretty great.
When I got married (to the absolute love of my life) in 2012, same-sex marriages weren't legally recognized by the state of New Mexico. As excited as I was to get married—and perhaps more importantly, to be married—it really harshed my nuptial buzz to know that so many of my friends were not allowed access to that right. Thankfully the realm of marriage equality in New Mexico has been reformed to respect the rights of all couples that populate this enchanted, difficult landscape.
In celebration of love and equality, Weekly Alibi is calling for essays (of less than 750 words) on the meaning of marriage equality and surviving the before-time ... when the marital rights of all citizens were not deemed equal. Email essays to letters@alibi.com, including "Pride 2014" in the subject line. We really want to hear your story. Some will be sad and some joyous, and we want to hear them all. Why? Because your stories—the trajectories of your lives—in the here and now are history-
If your choose to share your story—and we sincerely hope you will—we'll invite some of you to join us on our Chapel of Love-themed Pride 2014 float; we'll be near the front of the parade, right behind Equality New Mexico's company of already-married husbands, and wives. After the parade, we offer to usher you in to a group ceremony on Main Stage ... or not. Our choices about how and whether to get married have a lot of cultural, traditional and religious significance and implications. And we respect that. But there's no rule that you can't get married to the same person more than once. The personal is political, and we will be honored to bear witness to all those who wish to be united. In coordination with Albuquerque Pride, we've arranged for Metropolitan Community Church Pastor Rev. Judith L. Maynard to officiate the ceremony.
So write us at letters@alibi.com. And to everyone else, we'll see y'all at Pride. We'll be the ones waiting down by the chapel ... dressed in white.
Equal rights are equal rights. And for the life of us, we can’t understand why people of all sexual and gender orientations aren’t allowed the same benefits, aren’t given access to the same opportunities, and don’t receive the same thundering applause for ccomplishing great things. It doesn’t compute. Journalists that we are, that lack of logic is an irritating grit to us. But we’re making pearls out of it.
There’s a yawning lack of coverage on gay and gender issues by New Mexico information outlets—and our frustration compels us to bridge that gap ourselves.
As the most widely read alternative weekly in New Mexico, we’re loud and proud about the local LGBTQ community. We do it by unearthing and reporting stories that don't get told anywhere else. We see the Alibi as a megaphone held aloft to mouths that have been excluded in traditional media. It's our mission to make those voices heard.
We don’t just talk the talk about supporting New Mexico LGBTs, we walk it—or rather, we build parade floats and glide down the street on them.
In honor of this week’s Pride events, here’s some colorful coverage from years past:
See also historical pics from Pride Parades gone by: Pride 2011, Pride 2010, Pride 2009, Alibi’s 2008 Freddie Mercury float, Pride 2007, Pride 2006, Pride 2005
“In the ’70s, rock and roll flew an intergalactic cruise ship to the planet Glitter and mined its three moons—Pleasure, Androgyny and Polyester. Its captains were the likes of Ziggy Stardust, The Sweet, Slade, Queen, Elton John, the New York Dolls, T. Rex and the cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
—Jessica Cassyle Carr, music editor
This very eve, we seek to glam rock with you at our annual pre-Pride dance party. The New Mexico titleholders will perform, and DJs Cassyle, Tahnee and Nicolatron will spin you to the moon. Plus, there will be sparkly cupcakes from Rebel Donut, and free snaps from Photobooth Rentals of New Mexico. Silver unitards encouraged.
In the ’70s, rock and roll flew an intergalactic cruise ship to the planet Glitter and mined its three moons—Pleasure, Androgyny and Polyester. Its captains were the likes of Ziggy Stardust, The Sweet, Slade, Queen, Elton John, the New York Dolls, T. Rex and the cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Incorporating outrageous costumes and highly conceptual theatricality, this jubilant yet heavy sound that we know as glam was not just about amazing guitar parts (though there were plenty of them).
Each year, Pride & Equality magazine selects three outstanding individuals from the LGBT community to act as Vincent R. Johnson Models of Hope. Then the mag throws them an awards show complete with dinner and a silent auction. This year's honorees include Carrie Hamblen from Las Cruces PFLAG, Marcos Sedillo from Albuquerque Pride and activist Bunnie Cruse. Tickets for the event, held at the Albuquerque Convention Center (401 Second Street NW), are $20 each or $30 for couples. Visit myprideonline.com for more.
It's the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Surprisingly, the Japanese admiral who masterminded it didn't want to go to war in the first place.
Brick by brick, wall by wall, they freed dropped the death penalty on Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Occupiers succesfully "liberate" a forclosed house in Brooklyn.
U.S. health official overrules her own experts on the morning-after pill.
Four words that should never, never, never go together: Justin Bieber steampunk Christmas.
Four words that go suprisingly well together: DIY animatronic firebreathing pony.
Wrap your presents in hamburger.
BP says Halliburton destroyed evidence that makes them culpable in the Gulf oil spill.
Procatinator is your new best friend. Or it's trying to kill you. Whatever.
Former Albuquerque Pride director is headed to the White House.
Snapshots from Nick Brown's kids' school science fair.
Salvador Disney and other films that actually happened.
What the Interwebs were atwitter about in 2011.
There's a vaccine for Ebola now.
Albuquerque thieves are after your toilet paper.
Florida thieves are after a romantic dinner at home.
Thanks to E.J., Nick and Sarah for the links!
The tune of "Bad Romance" played by a full-fledged marching band shall forever be emblazoned upon my memory. Great time and great people—shout-out to Chucky from the Southside of Chicago. More photos here.
Adrien Lawyer and Elena Letourneau are what they refer to as “invisible”—a white, seemingly straight couple with a 6-year-old son.
Lawyer had his breasts removed in 2004. A year later, he began hormone replacement therapy, which deepened his voice and sprouted hair on his face. Lawyer is now legally a man. Once recognized as a lesbian couple, he and his partner have undergone not only a physical but a cultural transformation. They appear to be the all-American family. And that’s exactly what they are.
In preparation for tonight’s big-ass gay pride glam dance party at Casa Esencia, Mike Mackenzie had me on his morning radio show to talk a little bit about it. (Kudos to Mike and co. for supporting Pride Week and Albuquerque’s gay community on-air at KKOB 93.3). I’ve been on the radio a handful of times, and this was by far the most fun I’ve had doing it. Take a listen.
