Gay pride is alive The first time Ken Miller marched in a gay pride parade he faced serious consequences.
and well in parade
Organizers say the positive image
helps destroy stereotypesBy Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.comThe day after the parade in 1994, Miller appeared in a small picture in the Sunday paper. At the time he was living with his parents, who had known he was gay. "It was OK to be gay, but not to advertise," said Miller. "So I was asked to leave."
Miller was among the organizers of yesterday's 12th annual Gay Pride Parade in which about 35 groups roller bladed, strolled and packed into trucks and trolleys in a rainbow-colored attraction down Kalakaua Avenue.
Miller, who is also co-chairman of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, said the event is a show of solidarity among the gay, lesbian and transgender communities that often lack family support, and who rely heavily on their extended families. "Transgender" refers to those such as transvestites who don't identify with their sex, he said.
Miller also said the positive visibility of the parade helps destroy stereotypes. "Once (the public) starts to get to know we're like everybody else, that fear factor tends to disappear," he said. "That's why we're here."
Last month, acting Gov. Mazie Hirono signed into law a hate crimes bill that allows for longer sentences for crimes motivated by race, religion, disability, ethnicity, national origin or sexual orientation.
The signing came after two Kauai teenage men were accused of attacking a group of gay campers at Polihale State Park in May. The victims said they were targeted because they had gay pride flags posted at the camp.
Robert "Skip" Burns, chair of Civil Union-Civil Rights Movement, said it was sad that it took the attack to bring hate crimes against gays to the forefront of the state's consciousness. But after that, he said, "there was no question it was going to be signed into law."
Yesterday Burns, who rode in a yellow Jeep as the grand marshal of the gay community, brought his 17-year-old gay foster son to his first pride parade. "I don't think I've ever seen anybody so excited," he said.
He said his first parade here 11 years ago lasted 5 minutes.
"This June, gay pride parades in every city in every country has doubled in size," he said. "We are sticking to our beliefs. We are not going to stop in our efforts (for equal rights)."