STEW posted this comment:
<< I've believed for a while that all gay pride events should be a bit more family friendly. I'm wondering what your first person impression is, Justin. Especially since you come from an area that is so gay friendly. >>
Thanks, Stew, for the invite to post my views on Gay Pride, especially the more public of the events. And this year being North of the Border for the grand parade perhaps I have a little broader perspective. . . ;-)
Let's ask a question: if I had a 5 year old child would I bring him/her to this Sunday's parade in downtown Montreal? Would you? What would your child make of the photo heading up the article? Or how would, do you think, s/he react upon being shown this photo and told "Honey, two of these guys. . . .. yes, yes, they are guys. . . they are your Daddies! " Keep in mind, neither of you dress like that around the house or at church on Sunday. . ..or to go to a PTA meeting !
How do we make Gay Pride more Family Friendly? Would it involve a major attitude adjustment. I rather think it might. Do you? Someone wrote/said recently somewhere "You guys are forever talking about the gay life style being a normal alternative, another way of living out our orientation. OK. Why do you keep pushing what almost everyone considers abnormal behaviour as expressive of, demonstrative of the homosexual experience?"
After one Pride parade on a Sunday afternoon I was asking my friends and by-standers listening in: "Where in the world do we gays get the idea that walking down Main St. USA in skimpy briefs and exhibitionistic costumes, dragging a feather boa is 'normative' of gay life?" A lot of those who do so really ought to take a good look at themselves and do us all a great favor and put on some nice male clothing, clothes which fit and enhance the male body rather than running around revealing their hairy beer bellies and totally uninteresting short-comings. . . LOL
As a gay man who finds other males at least somewhat attractive would I want to date some of the "boys in the band", even by cover of darkness?
Do the peeraders actually think that people find simulated sex acts on the flatbed of truck sexy, stimulating and attractive. . . ..or hairy men badly made-up-to-look-like- down-n-out-women of the street blowing kisses at us while straddling the upholstery of a gas guzzling old convertible going to land us jobs in corporate business?
Would you pay much attention to people like these trying to hold down professional roles in the community? "Actions speak louder than words. . ." How can we better convince the rest of humanity that we would make faithful loving partners in marriage. . ..that we as same sex couples would make good role models for our children, safe and competent teachers in classrooms, etc. . .? Certainly Gay Parades do not do it.. . .that's my opinion. These people have never served as role models for me growing up. I do not think many are examples I would like to grow up and be like them. . . .based on the externals . . . .
How about you, the readers? With whom do / did you identify, look up to as role models in growing up?
Thanks for listening and sharing. . . . Justin
<< I've believed for a while that all gay pride events should be a bit more family friendly. I'm wondering what your first person impression is, Justin. Especially since you come from an area that is so gay friendly. >>
Thanks, Stew, for the invite to post my views on Gay Pride, especially the more public of the events. And this year being North of the Border for the grand parade perhaps I have a little broader perspective. . . ;-)
Let's ask a question: if I had a 5 year old child would I bring him/her to this Sunday's parade in downtown Montreal? Would you? What would your child make of the photo heading up the article? Or how would, do you think, s/he react upon being shown this photo and told "Honey, two of these guys. . . .. yes, yes, they are guys. . . they are your Daddies! " Keep in mind, neither of you dress like that around the house or at church on Sunday. . ..or to go to a PTA meeting !
How do we make Gay Pride more Family Friendly? Would it involve a major attitude adjustment. I rather think it might. Do you? Someone wrote/said recently somewhere "You guys are forever talking about the gay life style being a normal alternative, another way of living out our orientation. OK. Why do you keep pushing what almost everyone considers abnormal behaviour as expressive of, demonstrative of the homosexual experience?"
After one Pride parade on a Sunday afternoon I was asking my friends and by-standers listening in: "Where in the world do we gays get the idea that walking down Main St. USA in skimpy briefs and exhibitionistic costumes, dragging a feather boa is 'normative' of gay life?" A lot of those who do so really ought to take a good look at themselves and do us all a great favor and put on some nice male clothing, clothes which fit and enhance the male body rather than running around revealing their hairy beer bellies and totally uninteresting short-comings. . . LOL
As a gay man who finds other males at least somewhat attractive would I want to date some of the "boys in the band", even by cover of darkness?
Do the peeraders actually think that people find simulated sex acts on the flatbed of truck sexy, stimulating and attractive. . . ..or hairy men badly made-up-to-look-like- down-n-out-women of the street blowing kisses at us while straddling the upholstery of a gas guzzling old convertible going to land us jobs in corporate business?
Would you pay much attention to people like these trying to hold down professional roles in the community? "Actions speak louder than words. . ." How can we better convince the rest of humanity that we would make faithful loving partners in marriage. . ..that we as same sex couples would make good role models for our children, safe and competent teachers in classrooms, etc. . .? Certainly Gay Parades do not do it.. . .that's my opinion. These people have never served as role models for me growing up. I do not think many are examples I would like to grow up and be like them. . . .based on the externals . . . .
How about you, the readers? With whom do / did you identify, look up to as role models in growing up?
Thanks for listening and sharing. . . . Justin
4 comments:
Gay Pride is basically an excuse to stage a circus. It's party time. And like any circus, the performers go back to being their normal selves after the show is over.
Anyone who thinks Donald Duck is representative of all duck behavior is sadly mistaken. It's called showbiz.
I liken the showiness of the whole thing to any parade. Look at the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. There are several of them actually. Some are more family friendly. But of course those are not the ones that make the news are they?!
I do think that we can do without the nudity though. I know of a straight couple that goes to a nudist camp in Jamaica every year. But they keep their cloths on in everyday life. Thank God!
Why is it that we can't seem to keep it clean when we have fun?
Sometimes mere words can be a problem. Provincetown has its annual Carnival parade (which, btw, is this weekk). While this parade up Commercial Street is nowhere near as raunchy as many Gay "Pride" events, it usually does feature a float or two of gym bunnies in Speedos.
One year, long before Justin was even born, a group of liberated souls decided it would be fun to display a LARGE sign which said "Suck Dick, Lick Clit". This was the 70's.
Well, Mr. and Mrs. Portugesa were NOT amused. As a matter of fact, all hell broke loose at Town Hall and in the local press (which, amusingly enough, was entitled "The Advocate", long before the gay mag existed).
Threats were made to cancel future parades, etc. etc. etc. Ultimately greed won out and peace was made.
Richard makes a good point about words being a problem. It's cool, for example, for God to say "go forth and multiply" as long as he doesn't use the F word. Hehe.
Incidentally, I figured out what "go forth" means. It means get out of sight before you engage in multiplying.
God has a great sense of humor, ya know. If he didn't he wouldn't have created sex.
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