Pride in New Haven

new haven prideIn honor of the “coming out” of our most recent city, New Haven, Connecticut, we want to share our intern, Billy Holt’s, first “pride” experience.  Thanks to all who helped New Haven get on The List.  Keep the reviews coming.  And a special thanks to Billy for writing his thoughts about last month’s event.

New Haven Pride Experience

As I parked my car on Saturday evening in downtown New Haven I could hear the echoing of music blaring, people singing, and saw the pink lights in the sky from a block away. Crown Street, where the pride event was being held, was an array of rainbow. I didn’t know what to look at first: the exotic dancers, the moon bounce clustered with tipsy people, or the drag queens mingling throughout the crowd. A broad spectrum of people made up the crowd from intoxicated straight housewives to leather daddies to families. Everyone at the event was young, old or in-between, which made for an interesting clientele. After ten the party continued inside the club Empire where drinks were flowing, music was pumping and people were dancing. Strippers lined the bar top swinging from the chandeliers while drag queens on stage lip-synced for their lives. Not one person in the club was sitting still. Everyone was either dancing, singing, drinking or taking body shots off the male dancers. No one was uptight or judgmental; the freak flag flew and only the “normal” were the ones who would feel out of place. Never before have I been in such an accepting crowd who welcomed anyone and everyone. It was a place where I felt I belonged, a place where my only worry was to let loose and enjoy.

 

 

 

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