Ok, so why don't you go to Gay Pride anymore? Maybe you think Gay Pride has become too commercial, or that it reinforces queer stereotypes, or maybe so many of us don't go anymore because we have become a little too complacent and don't feel the need to celebrate our pride anymore. I myself nearly didn't go to any pride events this year until I remembered that for many people around the world having any sort of public gay event is just a dream or just something they only just became possible.

This year I showed up at pride events and celebrated in solidarity with my queer brothers and sisters around the world in places like Taiwan (first Pride in 2003) or Hong Kong (first gay event 2005) and in to those planning the upcoming World Pride in Jerusalem. And of course I was very excited to find out that Riga, Latvia, the birthplace of my great-grandparents, was set to have their first ever gay pride event after a ban on the event was overturned in court.