API Pride Council March at the Chinese New Year Parade, Chinatown 01/31/2009

I began marching in the Chinese New Year Parade, Chinatown with the Queer contingent (consisting of API P-FLAG, API Pride Council, API Equality, Asian Queer Women Activists) since my junior year of high school. I was president of the Gay Straight Alliance then and I took some members with me. I recall it being a monumental event then, because it had been the first time we were allowed to march. This time, it was the largest turn-out yet. We had nearly 200 marchers and I think the tension caused by Chinese American churches opposing gay marriage and the fight over Proposition 8 really had an impact.

It was nice to see familiar faces, especially after my half-year journey across China. The support within this community is also amazing. A noticeable difference this time, despite the numbers, was that there were visible API same-sex couples with us. They were either together or with their children. This visibility is truly a wonderful political act, especially for a community often overlooked--which brings me to the an event that irked me during this parade.

Openly gay Chinese American filmmaker, Arthur Dong had been scheduled to lead our contingent on a convertible with his husband (they've been together for 30 years) and son, Reed. However, parade administrators canceled that on the last minute, saying it was "too political". We were also not allowed to have signs. I originally had a sign that read "All Equal Under Heaven" but that had to be removed. I thought, well, isn't us being here a political act? Isn't this very parade a political act?

Nonetheless, it was a very affirming experience. At times I forgot that this was not the Gay Pride parade. We were screaming and shouting just as if it were and the previous unpleasant encounter reminded me of why we have to. In the beginning I thought, "Well, these old ladies in the crowd who look like my mother and my grandmother are only smiling, clapping, and waving at us because they don't really know who we are--our signs weren't obvious enough," but after I heard the lady announcer say, "tongxinglian" I was a bit reassured. This entire parade gave me hope that perhaps one day, the Queer community and the Chinese American community, what I consider the toughest ceiling to crack in terms of meeting my Queer identity, will shake hands and smile. It gave me hope that maybe one day I can come out to my parents and they can join these old ladies, cheering and waving for us. Until then, I will try my best to be at this parade because I am not alone.