With the traditional Pride season approaching, I thought it was time for an update. This year sees Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival return to Downtown. Equinox Cincinnati - Gay PRIDE 2010 runs July 2-4, with the Parade stepping off from the corner of E 5th & Sentinel Streets at 11am on Sunday, July 4, and ending at the Festival on Fountain Square.

This year's events are presented by the Greater Cincinnati Gay Chamber of Commerce.

UPDATE: In answer to a comment, there is a schedule of other Pride events HERE.

Census workers came to our door this evening. Seems the form I sent in didn't arrive in time, or some such. They asked questions and refilled out the form. When I answered, "husband or wife" to the relationship question, he didn't want to accept that answer, suggesting maybe "roommates." I insisted "husband or wife."

"It's just a jump to the left. And then a step to the right."

Every once in awhile I like to share an example of the sort of email that sometimes comes to Rainbow Cincinnati. This is the latest, from Jerrymaineville@aol.com, unedited:

"first of all. i do not hate gays.i do not hate any one.i just dislike.you people want to get married and have kids.you teach your gay crap to young boys and girls as young as 10 to 12 years old.you do not tell their moms and dads what you teach them.why is that.you want pass new gay laws.you want to get rid of dont ask dont tell.you wants yo know their sleeping next to gay guy.when i was in the army. we had one gay guy.we all knowed he was gay. but he kept hid mouth shut.and he did not act gay.i want to ask you. why do you teach young kids about gay sex acts.i am so happy i do not have kids in school.i sure would not like it all. bye"

I can't tell whether he doesn't have kids or just doesn't send them to school. I hope it is the former.

As I like to paraphrase Pogo, "we have met the enemy and he is illiterate."

Wondering how to fill out your Census form? From an article on gayrights.change.org:

If you are in a relationship and you live together ... There are 16 choices, but the two that concern you are "husband or wife" and "unmarried partner."

This is the important part: You do not answer based on the actual legal status of your relationship, you answer based on how you personally categorize your relationship. If you are legally married, you will probably mark down “husband or wife,” though if you are in a civil union or domestic partnership, yet you still feel married, than you should also mark “husband or wife.” If there is no legal recognition of your relationship where you live, but you still consider yourself married, it’s also important that you mark “husband or wife.”

If this box doesn’t accurately represent your relationship, you have the option of the “unmarried partner” box. If this sounds like a vague catch-all, that’s because it is. The Guide to the American Community Survey says “An ‘Unmarried partner,’ also known as a domestic partner, is a person who shares a close personal relationship with Person 1.” If this better describes your relationship, than please mark the “unmarried partner” box.

You should also take a look at Queer the Census.

When deciding where to put your Haiti relief money, check out the list of charitable organizations active in Haiti on this page from The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. You can go to Charity Navigator to evaluate your chosen charity. Rainbow Cincinnati chose UNICEF.

Or, donate $10 to Red Cross Haiti relief by texting the word HAITI to 90999. From the Red Cross site, "There has been an outpouring of support from the public. To help, people can make an unrestricted donation to the International Response Fund at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). The public can also help by texting “Haiti” to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the Red Cross, through an effort backed by the U.S. State Department. Funds will go to support American Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti."