Eryc Taylor Dance Celebrates Gay Pride 2022
As I reflect on Pride Month this year about what is currently happening to our rights and freedoms, a lot comes up for me. In 1989, I came out of the closet in Los Angeles, CA. LGBTQ people could not legally get married back then. I had never thought I would someday be married to the love of my life, but that day came true for me in 2018 when I married my husband. It was the happiest day of my life. However, other memories have come up for me about what it means to be gay today. It wasn't too long ago the US Military Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy was rescinded in 2011, allowing gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members. However, transgender people are not allowed to enter the US military. It wasn't too long ago when gay people were arrested and jailed for having consensual sex.
Nevertheless, for the past three decades, our community has celebrated as the US Supreme Court overturned these and other bigoted & homophobic restrictions on our rights. It felt as if all of our protesting and marching in the streets had finally paid off, that significant progress had been made, and there was no turning back.
I no longer feel that way between the slew of anti-trans laws around the country having a chilling effect on medicine. "Don't Say Gay" bills endanger the safety of our queer youth, and with the Supreme Court threatening to overturn Roe v Wade, our rights are under attack again. We are beginning to see hard-won freedoms go backward in time, and we can no longer count on progress as a one-way street into the future. We built this house brick by brick, starting with the first brick thrown by Marsha P. Johnson at Stonewall, and now we must fortify it to make sure that we never get knocked down. We at Eryc Taylor Dance stand for decency, love, and respect for all and endeavor to convey that in our company mission and our extensive outreach work. ETD is committed to supporting and uplifting those who work tirelessly fighting inequality and injustice. We must continue the fight, hold politicians accountable to save our freedoms, and spread love, not hate.
ETD Company Members at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
