STORY: Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of going onboard the cruise ship Carnival Pride for a week-long family vacation to Bermuda, my grandmother’s birthplace. This was my first time going on a cruise ship. The ship was comprised predominantly of middle-aged to elderly straight people (Confederate flag and ‘I Stand for the National Anthem’ shirts galore).
In situations where I’m the only black guy, the only gay guy, or the only black gay guy (which is a lot), I make it a point to find others like me. During our first day at sea, I walked through the lounge on the second floor and gazed upon two good-looking older men. One of them smiled at me a little too long which I interpreted as them letting me know we’re “family.” I sat at a chair nearby and watched as four men approached the two men and sat with them. I was close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation. Once I heard the word ‘drag’ uttered, I knew I found the gays. LOL!
I introduced myself to them and learned that the two men (Scott and Sim) I initially looked at were a couple and that the other four men were also two sets of couples. My gaydar was still intact. I spent the rest of the trip learning more about their lives, their relationships, laughing, dancing, and enjoying each other’s company. I also met a cute black gay dancer!
Once we got to Bermuda, my family and I got to tour the island. The colors, the weather, the water and the time shared with my family are things I will never forget.
Unfortunately, Bermuda reversed its stance on gay marriage. This doesn’t surprise me since there seemed to be a church around every corner. While others have talked about a boycott (let’s be real, America isn’t that much better when it comes to our community either), I think about the LGBTQ community in Bermuda affected by this and also the need to talk about how religious groups come to countries and spread their bigotry to communities that may already have progressive views on sexual orientation and gender identity. I hope the LGBTQ advocacy groups in Bermuda can fight back and reverse the ban in the future. Bermuda is a beautiful place.