First Pride

My first Pride was Summer 2004. I think that it was the first time I'd been out dressed up during the day; I just remember it feeling like such a dream, and that wasn't even the booze.

There I was, 900 miles from home, newly single, and amazing brand new friends who had always know me as trans [actually, I don't think anyone even called it "trans" then]. There was just this sense, for the first time in my life, that there was no judgement. No fear of rejection. I had an army at my back.

I don't think there was even a shadow of the utter ri-god-damn-diculousness of the madness and hijinx that would become the hallmark of the 14 Pride weekends that would follow, and I'm honestly very very happy for that. Not only did it give me benchmark for growth, but honestly if that year as my first would have gone off the rails I might have either gotten scared off or, even worse, escalated future Prides to a level that just would not have been conducive to good health and public decency.

To be honest the only thing I really remember about that Pride was Sunday at Pridefest. We all dressed in 50's style; I remember these cute heels I bought at Torrid, but they bugged the hell out of me all day. Not because my feet hurt, but the 3" heels were a LOT shorter than the heels I'd always worn (and would eventually be almost a signature of sorts for my personal style). I'd taught myself for years at home to walk in 5"-6" heels so my entire attitude and posture was based on that. Having what felt to me almost like flats just threw me off of my game. 

I'm sure I went out the night before, but this point I'd been living in Denver a few months and was probably going out 3-4 nights a week. That Sunday in the park though was magical. Aside from fake hair and full make up in oppressive heat, it was similar to how I remember feeling as a kid at Disneyland. I wanna go here, let's go there, hey there's music in an hour, who needs cocktails?... okay maybe I never said that at Disneyland, but still.

I love that in retrospect Pride '04 took a new girl by the hand and gave me gay orientation day for my new life in Denver. It was like Gay Taste of Colorado, "This is your city, these are your friends, this community is here for you like California wasn't (and still isn't)... except the Wrangler, they will always suck."