I am leaving for a five-day stay in Texas to speak to state leaders and activists at a special conference. The following weekend, I’ll be in corn-country Nebraska. So if I’m not at your event, you know why.

More than 200 people showed up for Todd Gloria’s official District 3 City Council campaign kick-off. It was a very diverse crowd, and Todd’s entire family was also in attendance. Ben F. Dillingham, who was chief of staff to former San Diego Mayor Maureen O’ Conner and is one of the community’s most respected leaders, gave an elegant speech. Nearly 300 people have already contributed to Gloria’s campaign. Gloria has also been endorsed by most major District 3 leaders and activists, as well as a majority of our community’s leaders. By the way, Gloria, along with Stephen Whitburn, and, yes, John Hartley, all received a rating of 100 percent on the San Diego Democratic Club’s candidate questionnaire.

The official 2007 San Diego Pride Souvenir Program has the most beautiful layout ever, but I am saddened to see it has become a big push for advertising. Many times I hear that San Diego Pride is becoming too commercial. While advertisers do give money, which shows our community’s strength and power and goes to many worthy causes, what is the cost to our community?

For the first time, the Pride grand marshal did not receive a full page. Also, the usual pictures and bios of the Pride award recipients are not included. The history section, which reminds people of those who fought for GLBT rights, has also been eliminated. Instead, the program is filled with nothing but ads. It is great that we are honoring the San Diego Police Department and Chief Lansdowne, but why not list all of our past Pride grand marshals, many of whom are no longer with us?

Sadly, many of today’s youth believe that the current political climate for GLBT people is the way it has always been. Let me just tell you, it has not. I remind everyone of 1974, when the late Jess Jessop, Tom Homann and myself went to the police department to obtain our first Pride parade permit. The police put us through pure hell and told us they “could not guarantee the safety of a homosexual parade.” I am sure the Pride Souvenir Program has made them a lot of money, but our history, leaders and the 2007 honorees were not given the recognition they deserve. I’m happy to see that Pride has continued using my suggestion to honor the “inspirational couple.” These two great couples deserve their photo and bios, as did the other honorees.

I will soon be attending a Pride board meeting to ask its members to commit our souvenir program to much more than just pages and pages of ads.

While I can respectfully offer constructive criticism to Pride, I can also say to the board, staff and volunteers, thank you! Thank you for the terrific street banners and also for adding the Wall of Honorees to them. Thank you for standing by and fighting for Pride Night at Petco Park and the Padres baseball game on Sunday, July 8. Thank you for being one of the few Pride boards that have rallied to address important community issues. Thank you for asking American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) and our local GLBT veterans to be the 2007 Pride parade flag honor guard. Thank you for the Family and Children’s Garden, Interfaith Pavilion and Lesbian Health Zone. Thank you for our Inspirational Couples honor. Thank you, Pride!

Yes, you read correctly. This old queen, who lives in “Shady Pines,” is getting not one, but two tattoos. One is a Christian cross and the other is… well, you’ll just have to wait until Pride to find out what that one is. Did you know that 38 percent of all Americans and more women than ever have tattoos? But I’m a sissy. So trust me, there will be a lot of drama, including screams, in that tattoo parlor.

For the first time, the huge rainbow Pride flag, along with the enormous American flag, which has been seen in the New York and San Francisco Pride parades, will be displayed in our Pride parade. The rainbow flag will be sponsored by Club Montage, and the American flag is sponsored by Sgt. Bob Lehman and the local AVER chapter.

The new Club Montage celebrated its first anniversary last Saturday, so I stopped by. This club is certainly one of the nicest in Southern California, and most of the staff is eye candy too! Each floor has a different theme, and I just love their “VIP sky box.” The club has a totally different look and feel to it. I love this place. The anniversary event was also a very successful fund-raiser event for the Youth Housing Project. Thanks to co-owner Chris Braga, who showed me around and gave me the VIP treatment. Thank you, Club Montage.

The annual Mr., Miss and Ms. San Diego Pride 2007 contest, a benefit for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, will be held at Flicks on Monday, July 16, at 8 p.m. Bud Light is the official sponsor of the contest, and anyone can enter. The winners will ride in a special car during the Pride parade. It will also be the Imperial Court de San Diego’s Candidate Night for emperor and empress.

For more information, call 619-692-1967.