Growing up in a Hispanic, Catholic household the way I did, being gay was considered taboo on so many levels. There were times when I was made to feel “less-than” and that to be gay was a sin. Yet I knew who I was from a very early age — that I was different and it wasn’t a choice — so I was constantly questioning how could it be “bad” and surely there had to be others who felt the same way I did.
That question was answered one afternoon in, I think, 1980. I came home from school and the news was on. They were talking about the gay Pride parade. I was mesmerized! I had never seen so many gay people in one place. They were happy and clearly weren’t ashamed of who they were — quite the opposite. I’m sure my mouth was probably hanging open.
That moment is burned in my mind forever. It made an impact on my life, because that’s when I knew I was not alone, that I could be proud and for that I am forever grateful. (Martinez is pictured riding in the Dallas Pride parade many years after she saw her first parade.)
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition September 13, 2013.