It’s Ventura Pride weekend and I say hooray to that. I’ve been extra connected to the LGBT community this past year, both socially and through work, and that has enhanced my life in every single way. I have found a missing component for happiness here in the burg in which I live; my friends who share this circle with me are progressive, tolerant, full of activist spirit and a lot of goddam fun.

This is the first year there’s been so much support from local government for Pride, and that makes me extra extra proud! Many of us can remember when this county’s mind was small and unenlightened; not that we’re free of bigotry (oh yes, still the hate crimes and the killing), but so much has been accomplished.

Perhaps as a result of spending a majority of my adult life in San Francisco, the whole gay thing is simply a non-issue for me; I am completely unable to care about, let alone judge, anybody’s orientation. Of course, there was a whole lot of other things going on with the gay community in SF in the 80s and 90s, which activated my fighting spirit and my commitment to support and help and be there every way I could.

So, friends. I command thee as an officially designated honorary gay male. Go out there and have fun and be proud and take the long view of all the good you’ve done by being you!