Perseus has said what needs to be said very well, so I'll just say "bravo!"
There was a recent episode of the "Troy" comic strip that both poked fun at and supported the gay pride marches and parades that I think summed up why we still celebrate gay pride. Most of the characters focus on the silliness of the parades but it's left to the main character in the last panel to explain what pride day means to him: He had come from a small, conservative town, a place with only one gay bar, with blacked out windows and a hidden side door, all signs that being gay or bi there was something to be ashamed of or something that could bring on violence. Gay pride parades, for him, was a way to be open, free and happy to be safe and accepted. Gay pride parades are silly, and even a bit shocking, but they are harmless. Judging the entire gay community based on what is seen at a pride day parade is like judging an entire town based on any wild festival like Mardi Gras.
Just 2 cents from an openly bi guy in rural Pennsylvania.