Marching for our Pride and Dignity - Oktoberfest 2010

When Rosanne, the Director of the LGBT Resource Center in La Crosse sent out the request for people to march in the Oktoberfest Parade I was apprehensive. I thought why would any LGBTQ person want to march in front of all those drunk people? Let alone our safety! So I thought about it for awhile and then I asked Rosanne if she was worried at all? She said, Yes I am concerned, however it is time. She was right! LGBTQ people deserve the right to march in the Oktoberfest!

So I told her I would be there. On Saturday morning (9/25/2010) I put on my Gay? Fine by Me t-shirt and met up with the Center folks by the North side Subway. It was a small group at first maybe 6 people and a local celebrity Drag King Lyle Love's It! As it got closer to the parade start more people joined us. Many of the people present were young GALAXY youth. Some were Center volunteers, a couple of Board members and a handful of other adults. We got ready getting our tasks assigned. I was to give out candy (I am sure Rosanne regretted that request since I was finished with both my bags before we ever got to Festival Foods!) Several people were going to help carry the large rainbow flag. One of the youth was on Rollerblades and was carrying two flags on a stick. One flag was a rainbow flag and the other was a rainbow flag with the stars from the USA flag on it.

As time got closer we were getting lined up and someone came over to Rosanne and told her that some guys from the Riverfest Float were yelling at the youth to stop disrespecting the US flag. At that point we looked over at the youth and one of the Riverfest men was marching over to the youth. The man immediately began yelling "stating that we were not going to march with that flag!" He grabbed the stick from her hands and began yanking on it. He continued to yell. Rosanne ran over and said she was a 14 year old child and that there were other children present please stop. He did not care. At that point I ran over to intervene and asked "Do you want us to get the police involved?" He said "Yes!" So I ran towards the corner where 3 La Crosse police were managing traffic. An officer got out of his vehicle and walked towards us. I was telling him how the Riverfest man was grabbing the flag and yelling at one of our children. At that time the Riverfest man started to go back to his float. As he walked away he yelled either we are shit or pieces of shit. He also yelled "You should go to a country where they will hang you!"

I walked back to our float and my body was shaking and my heart was racing. I was afraid, angry and wanted to scream. The other youth and center members were also upset. I saw a couple of the youth giving the Riverfest people the finger. I told them "Stop! That is exactly what they want us to do! We are better than that. Let's not stoop to that level" I was afraid he might of hurt Rosanne or the youth. I also worried about the other youth and center members that maybe one of the group would lunge back. I saw some of the faces of the Riverfest people who were embarrassed and disgusted. However, not one of them ran over to remove their peer from the situation. That is very disappointing. That the police officer saw that he was in our parade space and despite us telling him what he did and said he asked Rosanne "What do you want me to do?"

I don't know for sure but it seemed that this incident began because he did not like our flag. It was not the US flag it was a pride flag that had the stars on it. It is ok for him to disagree with our use of the flag. It is not ok that man representing the city of La Crosse's Riverfest event come over and get into a pushing and pulling match with a 14 year old youth. When he yelled that we should go to a country that will hang us he made this into an anti-LGBTQ incident filled with hate. That youth spent time crying and the group spent time worrying what will the rest of the parade entail. It was stated several times that this was why we needed to walk in the parade.

As the parade began we all moved forward unknowing what we would find. I know I heard a few negative remarks, but for the most part we found love, compassion and support. Many of us had friends and family in the crowds yelling and cheering. I saw many LGBTQ people waving! I saw ally's waving and cheering! I saw students waving and cheering. Despite the ignorance of a few I hoped if anything some conversations might have occurred or some ally's maybe spoke up.

I will walk again next year and I hope many of you will join us. I also hope that many of you will join the Center on October 16th for the 3rd Annual Silent Rally for Equality in honor of National Coming Out Day (10/11.) We will gather at 11:30 at Cameron Park (5th and King streets.) Bring signs, flags and friends. At noon we walk to the Cass Street bridge and span it with our members. We stand on the bridge with our signs and flags showing the people that we are united and that we support LGBTIQQAA people and we will not tolerate ignorance and hate in our community. Rosanne hopes to see 200 people this year, but secretly I hope there is 300 people! I hope people from all parts of this community come forward.

Tomorrow I go back to work and I can't help but think about Rosanne's concerns. When we filled out the police reports she shared her concern that there will repercussions to the LGBTQ community if we do this. She is right there might be. He is a prominent La Crosse person, a Riverfest Commodore, etc... We are a community that people still think are sick, immoral and criminals. I must admit I am nervous about the whole thing. However, it is wrong for a man to attack a child and to threaten a community the way that he did. I also know that we have many many allys in this community and if we are further attacked I believe good will prevail and that people will come forward and support us.

I never really liked Oktoberfest and I can't say my feelings have changed, but I will walk again next year! I hope Rosanne either gives me a different job or buys more candy!