Posted on 06/14/2008 12:32:57 PM PDT by trumandogz
A new color graces the gay pride rainbow flag: fire engine red.
Members of the Austin Fire Department Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered and Friends will take part in the Austin Pride Parade today, riding on a fire truck and marking the organization's second appearance in the annual event that celebrates the gay community in Austin.
Lt. Jan Wesson, who leads the group, said it received great support last year from attendees, who named the truck "Best Vehicle."
"That was just the highlight of my career," said Wesson, who has served in the Fire Department for 24 years and came out in 1993. "When we turned the corner of Fourth and Congress, the crowd, which was about eight or nine people deep, they just gave this big huge cheer. I talked to some folks later that were there, and one woman said when she saw us she just started crying."
Wesson, 51, started the organization in fall 2005 to give a voice to gay firefighters in the department's diversity trainings. It is the only official organization for gay public servants in Austin, although some members of the Austin Police Department will participate in the parade for the first time this year, Wesson said.
Since its inception, the group has focused on making the Fire Department a safe work environment for gay and lesbian firefighters. Though the group has mostly focused on advocating fair treatment on the job, it plans to eventually include community outreach.
"We want the community to know that they don't have to fear being judged by the Fire Department if they are gay and that we'll treat them with the same respect as anyone else," group member and firefighter Andrea Mote said.
Wesson said she is proud of the small strides the organization has made. The group has gained heterosexual members, has persuaded a commanding officer to ride on the fire truck in the parade this year and has persuaded the training academy to drop chants that were perceived as derogatory, Wesson said.
Despite the group's achievements, no man in the department has openly declared that he is gay for fear of mistreatment, Wesson said.
However, Wesson thinks the department is moving in the right direction.
"Sometimes people say things because they just don't know any better or they don't think before they say things," said Carie Pritchard, 31, who joined the Fire Department six years ago. "Like, how many times have heard someone say, 'That's so gay'? But now we have more people who are becoming more aware of what is said and done and who are coming to us to get those issues addressed."
Pritchard, who will lead the group next year after Wesson retires, said she thinksthe Austin Fire Department is more progressive than departments in other cities. She attended a national conference for fire departments last year, and Austin was the only city that had an organization for gay and lesbian firefighters, she said.
For now, group members say they are content with progress within the department.
"I've never had really negative experiences, and after I had my child, people kind of saw me differently. I became a person," said Aimee Floyd, who has been with the Fire Department for nine years. "I'm a mother first, then a firefighter and then a gay woman."
Gay, Inc. has busy PR office these days.
I would too.
She misinterprets the respect people have for motherhood as conferring personhood on her; i.e. her focus is on herself rather than the child.
Probably not for the reason he thought she was.
One minute behind you...post #5....;^)
I really don’t understand what is wrong with this thread. Gay Firefighters just like PLAYING WITH LONG HOSES!
Ok so I can’t be writer for Letterman.
Reminds me of the gay firefighter in the last season of The Sopranos...
Wasn’t there a flaming firefighter on the 70s group “The Village People”?
Never saved a life? Never pulled anybody out of a burning building? Never prevented somebody from losing their lifes belongings? Your 'highlight' is being queer in a parade? Sounds like a mental illness. And why do we have public assets used for propaganda trotted out to promote sexual activity? Where is the 'adultery parade' or the 'heterosexual activity day parade'??
I don’t see the connection between a fire truck in a “gay pride” parade and the burning down of the Governor’s mansion but...whatever.
BTW-This weekend Austin is not only hosting the Gay Pride Parade but also the Republic of Texas Biker Rally which brings over 50,000 people on Harley to town!
And yes, there is a contingent of Gay Bikers.
Yep.
Well, not the lesbians. But even they have to admit, that fire truck has got more serious ladders then they ever saw at Home Depot...
The mansion WAS destroyed you shill. If the guards who are paid to watch the surveilance cameras had been doing their jobs of securing the building against treaspassers, there would not have been an arson.
Yes but the Lesbian’s love the two sided hoses and them special nozzles..
What a ca-rear.
What’s that have to do with publicly advertising perverted sex?
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