By Tryce Czyczynska

Indulge me as I focus on my home base of San Diego this issue. With bated anticipation of California's most beautiful Pride, we locals have eagerly waited for this July 29-31 in historic Balboa Park. Not surprisingly, while hunting for female scented attractions for our Southern region, I find most "now" LBT she-roe events are in SD these next couple weeks. Let's dually find ways to celebrate with events for women and by women (or, is that bi women?!). Include your event by contacting me at TeaWithTryce@yahoo.com, or by calling (619) 269-6116. Know that although IN is based in L.A., we also broadly distribute to Palm Springs, Orange County, Long Beach, and SD, plus have current events online at www.inlamag.com. Although I've been blessed to be with IN for a few months now, your SD Pride Guide has a full-page ad that claims I'm still with Update. Sorry for the confusion. I'm happily home with IN. Guess you could say I'm IN the house!

The entire Southern California Pride season was a void to me last year, the first I've missed since coming out in Seattle before Californians infiltrated that tepid city. Last summer the woman I dated was in a coma after a near fatal motorcycle crash. When she woke, she was missing a leg, her spleen, had a broken arm and neck, crushed lungs, and extensive nerve damage. It was by spirit that she lived and I gave everything to love her unconditionally whether or not she survived.

Visiting her daily and spending hours in meditation and prayer, I learned a true meaning of Pride, which is being able to love fully those that feel natural for us to love. Luckily, the Critical Care Unit of Palomar Medical Center is incredibly LGBT friendly, since her family reacted fearfully by trying to deny her friends and me access to her. Everyone prevailed in trusting eventually, but it took months of agony to get there. Simply having equal legal rights and privileges as gay people would have truly helped. Appropriately, this 2005 SD Pride is themed, "Equal Rights! No More, No Less!"

As with Long Beach Pride, I'm delighted at the level of involvement and inclusiveness of women in our 31st LGBT Pride (ever notice how many cities don't include the B and the T?). Tons of women run the event, while handfuls more are Pride award recipients and dignitaries. Even one of the grand marshals, Big Mike, is a favorite gay-boy philanthropist who adores the women of our world. Check out all the faces starting with your SD Pride Guide, available almost anywhere you find LGBT papers.

From the SD Kings Club, our own female drag troupe, to Chris Williamson and Kristie Stremel, to Alicia Champion, virtually all the Saturday Main Stage entertainment is female! Sunday's Main Stage line-up is similar, ranging from the skinny and sexy Corday, to the voluptuous bi and blues grrl Candye Kane; the stage is saturated with estrogen again! Even the youth oriented Xone Stage has plenty for girls-who-like-girls, and the multiple dance floors have always had a great mix of genders.

If you're new to SD Pride, know that our city does it in reverse! We start the weekend with a political focus at the Rally in Balboa Park on Friday, July 29thave the Parade kick-off the festival on Saturday, and our festival continues on Sunday. For all the facts, check out www.SDPride.org.

And, please, if you drink, don't drive, and tell me how much safe fun you had! Peace!