Black Sexuality, 2006

These images are from NYC Gay Pride Sunday June 24, 2006, taken on the pier in Greenwhich Village. I decided against photographing the actual parade this year and opted to chill out at home with the bf, and venture out in the early evening (like most other black folk--lol!) Photographing the actual parade is kind of a bore for me. It's a "been there, seen that, AND that" type of parade. You've got your ususal drag queens, leather men, and muscle boys, with everyone else mixed in for a grand popuri march down fifth avenue. On this day, I asked a few friends this question"today is Gay Pride are you proud to be gay"? Everyone I asked had to give serious thought to just what that meant. No one I asked was able to come right back with a quick answer. I thought that was interesting.

Since it was Gay Pride, and the city wash awash with a wide variety of eye-candy, I also got to thinking about sexualtiy. Specifically "black" sexuality. I decided I would seek out images that reflect black sexuality. It just so happens that I was on the pier when night fell and there were throngs of people, mostly black, chillaxing, partying, dancing, laughing, singing, and being themselves. It felt free. The energy was almost overwhelming as I parted a crowd and found myself at the core of a group people expressing their sexuality (and sensuality), while a fierce drumbeat blared out calls to the wild. It was fun and wild indeed. Free expressions of exhuberant love and sexuality all played out in front of me, and if only for a moment, I felt that we all connected with our sexuality as one.

Below are some of my favorite images from the series.

This is my favorite photo. The look between the guy and girl is SO intense and she almost seems unaware that her nipple is being sucked!And all this unfolded right in front of me! Only in New York--LOL!
.