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 Pagans At Boston's Pride Day
Author: Hermes Polyandros [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: July 3rd. 2005
Times Viewed: 8,167
Sponsored by: Hermes Polyandron and Ursus
Location: Boston, MA
Event Date(s): June 11, 2005
Attendance: 8 +
Met with cheers of "Look, it's the Pagans, " "Blessed Be, " and "Yahhh, the Pagans, " shouted from the spectators lining the winding route of the 2005 GLBT Pride March/Parade, those of us that chose to march were received warmly by the vast majority of those that lined the streets of Boston on June 11th, 2005.
This was the 35th Pride Day in Boston and the third time that the Independent Pagans of New England banner was unfurled for the Pagan community to rally behind. Though in the past, groups like the Queer Heathens and Q-Moon have had banners, the Independent Pagans of New England is an attempt to be all inclusive of the range and breadth of the Pagan community, whether they are marching for the freedom to be themselves religiously and/or be with the person that they love. That is why it is so important that non-Gay, Lesbian, etc, individuals march to support us, for they not only support this community but the entire Pagan community at large.
  This years theme for Boston Pride Day was, "Pride in Progress: What's Your Fight?" It was an apt theme here in Massachusetts with the continuing resistance by various religious groups to overturn the Right to Marry ruling last year, and the continuation in this year’s legislature to define marriage as being only between one man and one woman. I, myself, took advantage of this, and made a legally binding commitment to my partner of ten years, Ursus, in a legally binding Handfasting, June 26, 2004.
The Independent Pagans of New England are hard to categorize. We created the banner as a rallying place for Pagans to come together, to be seen as being who we are, but we are not a group. We are often asked this, but we are just two people interested in seeing a visible Pagan presence in Boston, particularly but not exclusively the Gay, Lesbian, etc, community. This leads to some confusion, so we look for various Pagans to come and hopefully identify themselves, though we can be a conduit to contact other Pagans as we did several times during the day. After all, my patron deity is Hermes.
We gathered, those of us that braved the heat and humidity, which were near 85 and a heat index of 90+, in front of the older section of the Boston Public Library on the Copley Square side on Dartmouth Street between 11:00 and 11:45. Amongst us were represented various traditions of the Pagan Community, such as Alexandrians, Cabot Witches, Druids, Solitaries, Eclectics and Gardnerians, and we were particularly honored by the presence of Christopher Penczak and his partner, Steven. As soon as our banner was unfurled, we were noticed by passers-by who began to take our pictures. At approximately 11:45, we invoked the elements with a call on a bull's horn, and called upon the Goddesses Athena and Aphrodite, and the God Hermes, to aid and protect those gathered there to march throughout the day. Having done that we sought a place in the march formation that stretched for five blocks and extended into each of the side streets.
In the past years, we were able to march with some of the other religious groups, as a statement of our presence as another religious community, just not as organized as the others. In the last few years, these groups have become more scattered throughout the march, and finding a place this year was more than the usual challenge. We were welcomed by another facet of the Gay community, the Radical Fairies, to march behind them (and take frequent use of the wonderfully colorful parasols that they carried, as shade on that part of Boylston Street was pretty scarce). Several of them are also Witches. They had been debating as to whether to march with us or separately, as I was told by Shimmer, one of the Radical Fairies that I have become acquainted with. By following them in the march order, we helped those that share this common religious philosophy to be a part of us and yet apart from us at the same time.
Hot weather and Pride seem to usually coincide, and with that various costumes and varying degrees of skin exposure (with the eye to keeping within the decency rules of the City of Boston, and often pushed to the limit, joyously), though sunburn is an additional risk. Red skin was not an unusual sight before the end of the day, along with that of colorful costumes, some recognizing the heritages of the people wearing them.
Though Ursus and I chose to wear white robes (no, we are not Druids, just practical) others of us wore colorful tie-dyed shirts and some bare chests, or appropriately Pagan shirts with symbols of Ancient origin.
Water was in high demand, and water vendors did a thriving business. This was particularly true of those that had to wait for their time to start. Though the march began at Noon, the further back in the line up you were the longer you had to wait. Being near the end of the Parade, we waited for nearly an hour, in the hot sun, to begin, but for my part it was worth it to hear the cries of greeting, that I mentioned at the beginning. Every year we are well received. The women particularly love us for they realize that women have an honored place in our religious beliefs. We are told that people look for us each year, as well. Thousands lined the route from Boyleston Street to Clarendon, which as you passed through the Historical South End District had shade trees. In the South End is one of the larger concentrations of the Gay community, and had the deepest crowds. It turned onto Tremont Street passing the Boston Center for the Arts to then turn onto Berkeley Street, and more welcome shade. On Berkeley Street were set up the cameras of the Boston Neighborhood Network, and the "Q"Channel. There was a welcome breeze from the Harbor as we crossed the Mass. Pike. Then the march returned to Boylston Street, passing Arlington Street Church, which is one of the oldest activist churches in the country and has been a supporter of Pagans in the past, its bells tolling loudly to the passing marchers. Then the march went on to Charles Street which runs between the Public Gardens and and the Boston Common, where the march ended and the Rally was held.
As we marched, we rang bells, shook sistrum, and beat the drum, and at each corner or street crossing, I would blast on the bull's horn to alert the crowd that the Pagans were coming. With each bang of the drum, each shake of the sistrum and each ring of the bell, we gave our blessings of Love and Hope to the crowd as we passed.
Many recognized me from my Spiritual work with the HIV/AIDS community. Christopher certainly received much deserved acknowledgement.
As with all things, it must end and though small in number we were great in spirit and energy, even in the sweltering heat. We missed all those that would have liked to join with us but who didn’t, for one reason or another - one being the heat and humidity! Then there were those along the sidelines that shouted encouragement - we hope that they will consider joining us. There is always next year.
Hopefully, we will return next year and be able to pay the Pride Committee for the privilege of marching in our march.
Footnotes:
I would like to thank The Witches' Voice for allowing us to announce the banner in their Events page. Also thanks to Christopher Penczak for his support and endurance despite the heat. Thanks to Unicorn Books, in Cambridge, Ritual Arts and Open Doors in Boston, and The Broom Closet, Pyramid Books, Artemisia, Crystal Moon, The Cat, The Crow and the Crown, and Crow Haven Corner in Salem for allowing us to place postings in the establishments.
Article Specs
Article ID: 9807
VoxAcct: 252822
Section: festivals
Age Group: Adult
Days Up: 1,602
Times Read: 8,167
RSS Views: 33,399
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