Dear Gossips,

This weekend marks the end of Pride Month but, of course, never the end of Pride. Pride Month is June, as we know, because Stonewall happened in June, 50 years ago now; as a matter of fact, the exact anniversary was today and through the weekend. Pride is a celebration but it’s also, still, about protest and activism. Because as we know, as we’ve seen, love remains a privilege for many instead of a right. As WorldPride takes place in New York this weekend, many participants are reminding each other that it isn’t just a party but a commitment to continue challenging the idea that love should be restricted to those who conform, that identity should be enforced, that equality isn’t for all. 

So let’s end the week where we began. On Monday I posted about Mary J Blige and her BET Lifetime Achievement Award. Mary has long been an LGBTQ ally. The Queen of Hip-Hop and R&B is an ally – and she understands that this is a big deal. Back in 2007, she told the Advocate that:

“The majority of my fans are gay. The majority of them are, and I have to really make sure that they know I’m paying attention to the fact that they support me, and I support them.”

Almost 15 years ago, Mary collaborated with U2 on their classic song “One”. “Pride” of course is the U2 song that people go to first for equal rights. “One” is an anthem too. On its own, obviously, it’s amazing. And 99% of the time, originals are the best versions. In this case though, for me, “One” featuring Mary J Blige IS the all-time greatest version of that track. Let me end then on the video version below, followed by their live version at the Grammys in 2006. If you haven’t seen this, watch it all the way through, as Bono steps back to let Mary burn up the stage, knowing that she is doing more than justice to what he wrote. To me, it’s one of the most memorable Grammys performances in history. 

To make a contribution to PFflag Canada please click here. For more information on LGBTQ resources in Canada, please click here. In the United States, click here to learn more about The Trevor Project. Click here for a list of other organisations you can support in the US and another list here for the UK. Love is Love. Happy PRIDE! 

 

 

Have a great weekend – and Happy Canada Day!

Yours in gossip,

Lainey