Having had the opportunity to go back recently to places where I had lived, worked, and fought for change spanning a period of fifty years, my whole adult life, and seeing what progress had been made in those various Gay Communities, I could not help but be proud to have met,  known, have worked with, and have changed the world along with some very fine people, to many of whom I could not say “good-bye”.

I have known great people whose work lives on, continuing to benefit those totally unaware that they are the reason the younger members of the community can be the selves the elders were never allowed to be unless they fought for that and won  to varying degrees, but who worked to be the last ones so confined.

I share the memories of serious and not so serious events.

I knew people who took on cities and school districts, politicians and legislatures, church leaders and, at times, very nonempathetic law enforcement.

I know people who won in court making life for Gay people much more bearable than it had been for themselves, and I have seen cases lost that, while devastating to the those immediately involved, became the first step in helping so many more. I have, sadly, watched some of these people sink into anonymity while their legacy will continue to be enjoyed, and, having been recently told all about myself by someone who, familiar with photos from some 20 years ago, had no idea he was politely filling the old stranger in on local news from years past, who was actually the subject of the history lesson, I do get the slipping into the mist thing.

I have known and worked with people who have marched and been beaten, who were there at the Stonewall Inn that first night and promote its spirit to this day. I said good-bye to many people that society abandoned but we did not.

Progress did not come about because some big name or some big organization correctly read the room and saw exactly what was needed. Progress began because some little person saw a great wrong and, being in the position to at least address it, did so.

I got to see with my eyes the results of the work of so many who are not here to see it.

They have a reason to be proud.

I saw it.

I saw fifty years of the progress.

I saw what makes Pride.

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