I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to all of you. My name is Christina MacNeal and I am your new Editor at the Gay and Lesbian Times. I am dedicated to the success of this publication and take pride in serving all of you as the Editor of the oldest gay publication in San Diego. Rather than preempt anything or give you a long laundry list of proposed improvements I would prefer you notice the changes as they are made. I urge you to let me know what you would like to see happen with The Gay & Lesbian Times. I encourage constructive debate. This paper will always belong to all of you. I thank you all again for the opportunity to be the Editor at the best GLBT paper and gay media source in San Diego. I wish you all a very happy Pride.

Here it is again! That time of year in San Diego. The cities largest civic event will happen in just a few days. This year will mark the 36th annual GLBT Pride celebration in the city. It promises to be a colorful parade with an abundance of floats and thousands of people lined up and down our streets and on roof tops. They will come to watch a weekend that represents fun and freedom for San Diego’s GLBT community. It is also a weekend that celebrates every bright and vibrant person who makes up our community, without discrimination. Pride gives all GLBT people a special opportunity to interact and be seen. Marvel at the Dykes on bikes, the hot boys wearing the cutest Ginch Gonch undies. See the drag queens and kings and the lesbians proudly marching topless through the festival with little more than star pasties or electrical tape covering their nipples. Ah! Pride! It truly is a weekend for expression in any way, shape or form.

We can count on elected officials to support us in our fight for our freedom and rights. This is also a weekend where we put our differences as a community aside for the sake of fun and unity. Pride allows full expression in every color of the rainbow and reeducates us about who we are and the people who make up our vastly diverse culture. For some it is their first ever Pride and for others this marks every Pride for the last 36 years. There are smaller communities within our larger community that really should not go unnoticed and these bring to Pride what Pride is all about. It is important to not only recognize this part of our community but to stand next to them, as we all have the same goal at the end of the day.

Pride is inclusive of everyone. As GLBT people we must not forget about the B and the T of our community. Bisexual and Transgender people make up a huge colorful part of our community. Let us also not forget those who are seniors, those who are young and folks who are HIV positive or who have AIDS. Those in our community who are Deaf with a big D. GLBT’s with disabilities, homeless gay youth, and those who have kids as well as the kids of gay parents. Remember too, the Bears and those folks who identify as Leather, those who are poly or pansexual, people of color, those who work in the sex industry, the activists, the person who just came out, our GLBT’s in uniform, feminists and flamers and on and on. The point is simply this, as we celebrate another Pride and another year closer to our equal rights, keep in mind that without equality and acceptance in our own community we will never achieve this from those outside of the community. We need to keep the sprit of Pride in our hearts for the rest of the year.

We are a shining community and a true testament to diversity. This year marks another year closer to all of us achieving our true rights. When we work together as a community we make progress that others view as impossible. This weekend feel proud of who you are, where you have been and where you will go. Remember unity and equality starts with all of us.

I wish you all the best Pride ever.