Pride Is a (Laugh) Riot

Remember when I said it’s important to celebrate our histories? Like yesterday? Well, here’s a chance to celebrate the funniest part of our LGBTQ+ history, our comics. Netflix’s new documentary “Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution” bills itself as the first feature-length documentary to showcase queer stand-up history. We can all remember the out comics who were brave (and crazy – to quote Melissa) enough to make their sexual orientation part of the joke, instead of the butt of their jokes from the start of their careers. And we can also honor the comics who hit it big, and then came out later at the risk of steep personal costs. Whatever path they took to being authentically themselves, they made comedy out of what for so many could just be tragedy. Today’s comics stand on the shoulders of those who came before, who blazed trails that needed to be blazed. To be fully ourselves we need to be part of every corner of our culture because – I got news for you, you sorry sad homophobes, we’re already there. So here’s to the very funny folks who helped to make the world laugh with us, instead of at us. Pride started as a riot, and can continue as a laugh riot.