Blogging for LGBT Families Day: What the 1993 LGBT March on Washington was REALLY like

I've told the story before but a number of folks weren't around at the time. I figured today would be a good day to repeat it.

20 years ago I was the proud member of a band called Sky Is Blu and because of our majority-lesbian make-up (and full support for LGBT civil rights from the whole band) we were selected to represent Alaska at the "March on Washington for LGBT Rights" in April 1993.

We had just finished a demoralizing fight here in Anchorage where Municipal employees won the right to non-discrimination if they were gay, then lost it again when the rabid right mobilized and voted more conservative members into the Assembly (which finally was reversed for the first time this last election). We were raw, excited, nervous and not sure what to expect.

I know one thing I DIDN'T expect, despite all the peripheral festivities, the actual March was like soccer moms and dads on parade!

Seriously, I have never seen SO many mini-vans, organic baby carriers, jogging-style strollers, kids in rainbow shirts running beside doting parents. It looked like any flippin' park in the US on a summer weekend, except that the couples were same-sex.

That was the majority of the March...seriously. It wasn't some pocket of LGBT Yuppies - the actual "pockets" of marchers were the leather folks (not that there is anything wrong with that! ), etc...

Of course, "the pockets" were the folks that the 700 Club found and filmed. However, even they had to admit on the air that the majority of the marchers were no more interesting than your next-door neighbors.

So, I guess the title of this story is: LGBT Families--just as boring as yours!

Read more LGBT Family stories at my favorite, funky little Alaska town, Bent, Alaska!