Ten years ago, my gay friends and I found the perfect spot for watching New York’s gay pride parade. It was near the entrance of a building near Fifth Avenue and 10th Street, with an awning to keep out the sun and a doorman who laughed along with our catcalls to bouncy go-go boys.
But a decade of rapid developments have pushed what was once a courageous celebration of gay rights solidly into the mainstream, so now our favorite way to express pride isn’t with Pride. It’s not that we don’t love the pageantry of the parades or admire (what’s left of) their activist drive. It’s just that the huge crowds, child-friendly floats and corporate sponsors make celebrating gay life seem as authentic as a Twinkie. It leaves you hankering for yellow cake and a cream filling made from scratch.