Gay Pride Parade

I am going to open this can of worms very carefully....

If the purpose of Gay Pride is to foster acceptance and respect for non-traditional relationships, then I think this celebration is a failure and this parade has become a freak-show and an entertainment spectacle.

I could care less who or what anyone is sexually attracted to in the privacy of his/her own home. Honestly. That is the truth.

However, if I see two straight people, bare-chested and wearing thongs fondling and nuzzling on Norfolk Street, then I will neither accept nor respect these two people. If I see a whole crowd of people in various stages of undress acting suggestively and inappropriately, then I will not respect or take these people very seriously. In fact, if this group were straight folks on Norfolk Street or the Port Dover beach, I think the authorities would be called in.

I don't believe that the after-effects of the Gay Pride parade is for straight people to say:" You know, Canadians SHOULD really take these queer folk more seriously and integrate them into society on an equal and respected basis."

Do you?

Well said! I agree!

cking;

I really don't think opening the can carefully makes any difference - once it is opened, it is open.

That said, let me ask you a question - well more than one actually.

If you see a man and woman walking down Norfolk St. holding hands, do you think anything of it?
If you see a woman and a woman walking down Norfolk St. holding hands, do you think anything of it?
If you see a man and a man walking down Norfolk St. holding hands, do you think anything of it?

I am willing to bet that you will answer all three questions with a 'No' but then I would like you to answer them again putting yourself in the place of the 'average' Norfolk resident. Then maybe your answers would be more like 'No', 'Hmmm', and 'Get those freaks out of here'.

Trust me homophobia is alive and well in Norfolk, and not just with the older generation. Our teens are also often highly intolerant. Being a gay teen in Norfolk is not easy. Being a straight teen who is perceived to be gay is even worse.

You are quite correct about the brash, 'in your face' nature of the parade being a bit much. But that is the whole point. It is a bold statement to the effect that the gay community does exist and that it isn't going to go away - deal with it.

The gay community spent decades (generations) being quiet, respectful and damn near invisible - much more along the lines of what you are suggesting cking. Unfortunately, it didn't do anything for them.

Maybe it's the "brash, in-your-face" approach that rankles me. As a 64 year old male friend said to me re. this topic:

In the Ottawa parade I saw "some ragged old half naked skinny guy with a bad aZZ hanging out in the wind, dancing around in aZZless chaps. If I walked down the street like that , yes, I would be in jail for a week. "

If you want respect, then present yourselves respectfully. That does not include aZZless chaps on ANYONE! I don't really want to see that.

And Wombat, I taught a few kids in my career who later identified as gay. But it would not have helped them to parade on the street half-naked, would it?
How is this a solution?

Anyone who is different is at risk for rejection....the disabled, the disfigured, the poor, ...the list goes on.

Now here's a question...What if all the people with cerebral palsy went in a parade to state their needs and demand their rights as equal citizens? (My son has cerebral palsy so don't overreact and think I am being ignorant.)

That too is part of society but we don't need to flaunt it or get undressed for the parade!

wombat wrote:

You are quite correct about the brash, 'in your face' nature of the parade being a bit much. But that is the whole point. It is a bold statement to the effect that the gay community does exist and that it isn't going to go away - deal with it.

Problem I see with that is its like backing a rat into a corner. It puts people on the offensive and they come out swinging. They take it too far.

As for me I am old school. If you are gay, fine. I am okay with that. But I look at the fact nature/god made two sexes for a reason. And anything other that is going against nature/god. Like I say I am old school.

If you are gay, great .. whoopee!! Shout it from the roof tops, I don't care. I have no problem with it. I have a friend that is gay. The problem is that now that the govt says they have "rights" they are in your face about it and they don't care who they offend (if they offend anyone).

I have no problem with minor showings of affection in public .. but when its verging on soft porn .. then I cringe.

Affection is healthy we all know that. But come on show a little class too.

I do not hate the homosexuals, but I do not agree with their lifestyles. I don't agree that it should be taught as a normality, since I do not thik it is. I think they an be welcomed into the church, but I don't think they, as a practicing himosexual, can be a minister. So, does that make me homophobic, or just one that disagrees with an attitude?

WELL PUT!!!!

Norfolk County is one of the worst places for gays or lesbians to come out. Hence a lot of counselling is needed in the Gay,Lesbian Bi Sexual and Trans Gendered community. My spouse is on the front line and sees the pain. You must remember we are talking only 10% of the population here. Contrary to the media and some churches they are not taking over the world.
Semi nude activities are not just limited to our gay community.On Friday the 13th in Dover we had a topless female, and our biker clad only in a g-string pouch apparatus. If you talk to people who live near the beach in Dover or Turkey Point, they all have stories of heterosexual full intercourse in the water and on the beach itself. When I worked at the Blue Grass festival in Waterford we watched an act of heterosexual oral sex in plain view. What about vigorous dry humping on a park bench in front of the American Falls?
I'm in favour of no shows of any kind like this from gays or straights.

A small town is VERY difficult for ANYONE who is different! My son grew up here as a disabled young person and had a very difficult time. He now lives in Hamilton and is much more accepted in a large, diverse city. And that's how it usually happens. Realize that at times there is only one disabled child...or one homosexual young person in an entire school. So you are certainly an oddity. And people back away from anything that is different. That's human nature.
It either destroys you or makes you strong.

Cking's avatar is as flaming as the gay pride parade so I don't see what the big deal is.....don't watch if you don't want to!

Are you attacking my avatar? A "flaming" avatar? No, it's just the colours of the spectrum. I happened to teach and love art in my career. Just like you like to wear that camouflage pile of grass on your head. Preferences. That's all. No hidden "flaming" agenda at all.

"If the purpose of Gay Pride is to foster acceptance and respect for non-traditional relationships, then I think this celebration is a failure and this parade has become a freak-show and an entertainment spectacle".

======================


the purpose of the gay pride parade is not to foster acceptance from the straight world. It is a flaming spectacle designed to bring the "lifestyle" with all its sexual deviance and lack of "normality" into the faces of us "the normals"..

There is nothing normal about the gay lifestyle, it has always been "out" there, so bring on the freak show and let it all hang out.


"richard simmons"

cking wrote:

Are you attacking my avatar? A "flaming" avatar? No, it's just the colours of the spectrum. I happened to teach and love art in my career. Just like you like to wear that camouflage pile of grass on your head. Preferences. That's all. No hidden "flaming" agenda at all.

I wouldn't call it an attack, just saying it looks like a gay rainbow to me haha

If you're that against "pride" then you shouldn't have the symbol of gay pride as your avatar...that'd be like me having some lettuce as my avatar even though I don't really don't like lettuce at all!

Never bin a racist, never looked down on anyone in my life, didnt care if you was cool or considered non cool growin up through school I still showed people respect, but damn I just cant get to accepting gay people, sorry I dont know it makes me cringe.

God made adam and eve not adam and adam

Rye: No more gay rainbows! Don't want to mislead people into thinking I'm an old lesbian. Bad enough being an old teacher in some cases!

SkullyCapone wrote:

Never bin a racist, never looked down on anyone in my life, didnt care if you was cool or considered non cool growin up through school I still showed people respect, but damn I just cant get to accepting gay people, sorry I dont know it makes me cringe.

God made adam and eve not adam and adam

First of all it goes "adam and eve not adam and steve"

Second, if you still believe in the bible and god at this point with all of the scientific facts proving evolution then that's your agenda......don't use that to justify that there should not be gay people that exist.

Third, that's it, there is no third.

cking wrote:

Rye: No more gay rainbows! Don't want to mislead people into thinking I'm an old lesbian. Bad enough being an old teacher in some cases!

haha

old lesbian

rye: Your avatar DOES look like a pile of lettuce! HAHA.

So are you are you illustrating traits of ageism or homophobia by your statement?

cking wrote:

Rye: No more gay rainbows! Don't want to mislead people into thinking I'm an old lesbian. Bad enough being an old teacher in some cases!

No "-isms" or "-obias" at all.

Just that some "identifiers" (such as, yes, being a teacher!) provoke and open you up to unnecessary attacks.

I want to represent the simple TRUTH (as I see it) and my reality...and the fact that my rainbow was simply... A RAINBOW! And I am past 55. Simple reality. No "-isms" and no "-obias" and no agendas.

To go waaaay back to the beginning of this strand, my fuss was with the open, graphic "sexualization" of the Gay Pride parade. (I wonder if they have a sign at the beginning of the parade:"This parade contains nudity and sexual innuendoes and displays which might not be suitable for all viewers.")

"my fuss was with the open, graphic "sexualization" of the Gay Pride parade. (I wonder if they have a sign at the beginning of the parade:"This parade contains nudity and sexual innuendoes and displays which might not be suitable for all viewers.")"

Ya big homo..

whats wrong with nudity and sexual innuendo.. meet we at the burning man festival and I will turn you out..

hl

^^^ this guy's weird.

The argument for and against for the Pride parade has existed in the gay community for quite some time now. I really couldn't care less, if you don't go to see it, then you can't be offended.

I don't expect everyone to accept Gay Lifestyles. (Some of my siblings are still trying to figure it out)
I don't expect everyone to accept African Canadians. (My parents are still struggling to figure it out)
I don't expect everyone to accept other religions. (My grandmother wouldn't talk to Non-believers in her religion)
I don't expect everyone to accept me.

Disclaimer: Suggestions that Robin and I are having anything other that a purely super-hero-on-call relationship are utterly false. But if we were having any other type of relationship, not limited to just buddies or other extensions of friendship or intimacy, it should not be an issue as long as Gotham remains safe, as is our public duty.
Signed
Batman