Pride goes green

Last year the Boston Pride Committee drew jeers from some progressive critics over the military-related theme of the parade, "Ask. Tell. Proud to serve our community, our country, our world." This week the committee announced the theme for this year's parade, "Sustaining our community, conserving our world," and the more green-oriented theme will likely win over the critics. It has already drawn praise from the bloggers at QueerToday.com, among the most vocal critics of the 2007 theme.

According to the Pride Committee parade participants working to incorporate the theme into their parade floats can focus on environmental activism or on other issues related to sustainability such as health care or social reform. The committee selected the theme based on votes from members of the community submitted through the committee's website.

The committee also announced this year's Pride marshals. This year's honorary marshal is the late Corporal Ciara Durkin, a longtime Pride committee volunteer and a corporal in the Massachusetts Army National Guard who was killed last year in Afghanistan. Out actor Leslie Jordan, best known for his role as Karen Walker's rival, Beverley Leslie, on Will and Grace, serves as this year's celebrity marshal. Tim McFeeley, founder of both the Boston Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance and the Bay State Stonewall Democrats, is this year's grand marshal.

Boston Pride runs from June 6-15, and the Pride parade and festival take place June 14.