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So, it's official, Ellen is a lesbian. The coming out show April 30 was funny, heart-warming and so much more than just a TV show for the lesbigay community and friends that some the the pithier pieces of dialogue were on everybody's tongue the following morning.

And it was just in the nick of time, as far as I was concerned because the long-awaited event had, inadvertently, become, such a part of my life that I was beginning to have Ellen-type dreams about DeGeneres (or was it Ellen?).

Here are a couple of observations in the wake of this historic event - or monumental media hype - depending upon your point of view.

As you probably read in the newspapers, most of "Ellen's" regular sponsors tucked their tails and absconded, under threat of religious right sanctions.

Chrysler Motors, General Motors, J C Penny's, Johnson and Johnson and Wendy's form the ranks of the bad guys.

But here's the good news, and, I hope, the list from which you will choose to make your purchases, should you be in the market for jeans, over-the-counter drugs or uni-sex cologne. This list was compiled by my teenage daughter who had the foresight to watch the show with pen and paper at hand.

The courageous sponsors include: Volkswagen, Burlington Coat Factory, E-Trade (an on-line service), Trident gum, Mervyn's department stores, the Gap, Olivia Cruises (a women's travel company), Calvin Klein, One-a-Day vitamins (Bayer), Home Access (HIV test kit), Sudafed, Listerine and Neosporin (Burroughs Welcome and Warner Welcome), Slim Fast, Femstat (Proctor and Gamble), and a slew of film production and distribution companies (Paramount, Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Tristar, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures), as well as HBO (Home Box Office).

Probably as valuable, although not as much fun, as the show itself, were the follow-up interviews with Ellen DeGeneres's family. Mom DeGeneres is a loving and articulate spokesperson for acceptance of gay children, and herdaughter's biggest fan. TV America got a rare peek of a family with some values of which it could be proud.

And speaking of pride - this June will mark the 10 year anniversary of the Sonoma County lesbian and gay community's first official Pride Day celebration.

Ten years ago county officials refused to acknowledge a request for a county-wide Lesbian/Gay Pride Week, and lesbian/gay activists responded to this rejection by throwing a party.

A picnic at Spring Lake Park, which attracted about 250 queer folks and their loved ones, that party was the county's first Lesbian/Gay Pride Day celebration. It was held the day before the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade to make for a full weekend of festivities.

Sunday June 15, which is exactly 10 years later, give or take a week or two, is the date set for this year's Pride Day event. It begins with a parade down Mendocino, from downtown to Santa Rosa Junior college, at precisely 11am.

The event continues all afternoon on the SRJC lawn, featuring entertainment, dance bands, children's activities (yes, my right wing friends, gays and lesbians have children, and so do our friends and families), food, politically correct chachkas, a a commitment ceremony for gay and lesbian couples (and anyone else) and information booths.

There is a suggested donation of $5 per person for the SRJC event, but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

If you've planning to attend don't be late, because those militant dykes who call the shots always kick-off on time.

As you probably know, the last Sunday in June is traditionally celebrated by gays and lesbians around the US as Lesbian/Gay Freedom Day, in commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall Riot. This 3-day stand-off by gays and lesbians, against New York City police who were attempting to bust a gay bar in Greenwich Village, is considered the beginning of the modern day gay liberation movement.

Sonoma County gays and lesbians, perhaps not yet ready to deal with the implications of the word "freedom," have dubbed our yearly celebration Gay Pride Week and Gay Pride Day.

As usual, everybody is invited to this party - where they can be proud, free, gay, or whatever else suits their fancy.

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