Video: 2012 Vancouver Pride Parade + Festival on August 5, 2012

Check out this awesome video of the 34th Annual Vancouver Pride Parade + Festival

I spent many hours taking and working on these photos, simply just trying to send a positive voice out because I have heard many people complaining about or bashing Pride; even those in the gay community.

I was not an advocate of Pride before because I was never involved and didn’t get to see the other side of the story.Until this year, I was given a chance to document and watch it through my lens. I have learned that I was ignorant and wrong before. I feel like I should say something, through my photos.

Some people were complaining about how Pride has become about excessive partying and sex. I did not see that in the Parade. Some people said Pride gives society the impression that we all dress in crazy outfits and it will only enlarge the distance between LBGT and heterosexual people. I did not see that either. I saw many different forms of family from different backgrounds; they were here cheering and supporting people they may or may not know. I saw teachers walking for their kids, cops walking for their own rights, grandmas supporting their grandchildren and straight friends stand up for their LBGT friends.

Sure there are always people using festivals as excuses and twisting the true meaning of it, gay or straight, Pride weekend or other long weekends. But that is all of it and surely that’s not all it has become, at least for the people I know and met.

I have also learned that those volunteers who worked so many hours to make all these Pride events happen are not all gay, ( like you assume, eh?) Some of them are, some of them aren’t. They are just like anyone you would meet on the bus or on the street. They did not ask for anything in return but a chance for more people who didn’t understand Pride to look one more time, and to show those who feel alone that we are all here with LOVE. This is what Pride is about.

If you didn’t see what I’m talking about, maybe you can see it in my photos. You may not agree with me, but please at least try to see what I have seen.
LOVE & PEACE
Mike

Hundreds of thousands of people packed into the West End on August 5, 2012 for the 34th Annual Vancouver Pride Parade.

One of this year’s grand marshalls was local transgendered beauty queen Jenna Talackova, who took on American business tycoon Donald Trump for her right to compete in Miss Universe Canada earlier this year.

Vancouver Canucks forward Manny Malholtra also marched in the parade with You Can Play. He was joined by players from the Vancouver Cutting Edges, known as the only gay hockey club in Western Canada.

While the parade is all about acceptance and equality, it’s also about having a good time.