Ah, Christians... such an open-minded bunch...

[AliceDoe]

Basically, a lot of us are sick of tip-toeing around trying not to hurt any feelings, because if who I am hurts your feelings it's really your own damn problem! The "in-your-face-attitude" is something that has been forced out by the ignorance and hate of the homophobic community, it is us saying "we give up, you can't be reasoned with - but at least we can shove it in your face that we're here and we're not going anywhere! Learn to accept us, or be angry and bitter for the rest of your life". The shock factor is a big part of this. I agree that some individuals take this to an extreme - but can't you see and understand the frustration this is coming from?

This to me is approximately equivalent to a two year old throwing a temper tantrum. Justification doesn't even matter at that point it's just acting out. These acts of frustration will not be what wins the fight for equality. That battle will be won, in my opinion, when no government official or agency can deny the community any of the rights granted to a heterosexual person or couple. It will be accomplished with more discussions between the right people in the right parts of the world's governments. Intolerance and hate crimes will continue to happen (sadly) as long as there are zealous idiots who believe there are people out there whose lives are wrong and must be corrected. If anyone knows how to win THAT battle, I am sure a lot of minority groups would like to know the secret.

You might view it like that, but I do not. To me it's giving back to the homophobic community a small part of what they have been spewing onto us for so long.

If someone can tell me I'm a sick person who's going to burn for eternity for loving another girl, then I get to kiss that girl in front of this person and tell them to fuck off.

 

[AmberCutie]

If you do not want to see gay people acting gay then do not go to them, but let them have one day of the year they can stop hiding. It is no different than straight people acting straight at Mardi Gras.

What does acting gay mean?

I guess hetero adults should also have a parade in every major city where they can stop hiding what they do in the privacy of their own bedrooms and act it out in public too. :roll: Plenty of gay people denounce the over the top public sexual acts during gay pride too. All I'm saying is leave the blatant adult sexual acts out of the public eyes during the celebrations.

Like I said they are acting as flamboyantly gay as gayly possible. Do you really think they go to the office the next day and hump passing men? They are acting out, because they are frustrated and probably a little drunk. They are one of the few groups that it is still considered okay to discriminate against, it has to be very stressful situation for them. I think as their lifestyle becomes more excepted by society as a whole things like that will decrease, but it will never completely stop because most men are horndogs.

I'd say acting "extremely flamboyant and overtly, crudely sexual" and "gay" should probably be phrased as different things.

 

[Bocefish]

If someone can tell me I'm a sick person who's going to burn for eternity for loving another girl, then I get to kiss that girl in front of this person and tell them to fuck off.

Didn't a model recently say she got arrested for just kissing another girl in the UK somewhere?

 

[Mirra]

Basically, a lot of us are sick of tip-toeing around trying not to hurt any feelings, because if who I am hurts your feelings it's really your own damn problem! The "in-your-face-attitude" is something that has been forced out by the ignorance and hate of the homophobic community, it is us saying "we give up, you can't be reasoned with - but at least we can shove it in your face that we're here and we're not going anywhere! Learn to accept us, or be angry and bitter for the rest of your life". The shock factor is a big part of this. I agree that some individuals take this to an extreme - but can't you see and understand the frustration this is coming from?

This to me is approximately equivalent to a two year old throwing a temper tantrum. Justification doesn't even matter at that point it's just acting out. These acts of frustration will not be what wins the fight for equality. That battle will be won, in my opinion, when no government official or agency can deny the community any of the rights granted to a heterosexual person or couple. It will be accomplished with more discussions between the right people in the right parts of the world's governments. Intolerance and hate crimes will continue to happen (sadly) as long as there are zealous idiots who believe there are people out there whose lives are wrong and must be corrected. If anyone knows how to win THAT battle, I am sure a lot of minority groups would like to know the secret.

You might view it like that, but I do not. To me it's giving back to the homophobic community a small part of what they have been spewing onto us for so long.

If someone can tell me I'm a sick person who's going to burn for eternity for loving another girl, then I get to kiss that girl in front of this person and tell them to fuck off.

Demand tokens and call it a show. It'll be great.

But seriously... I don't give a fuck who you kiss. I'm not that person who judged you but you (and the rest of the community) obviously don't care about exactly who it is doing these things. It's acting out. Pure and simple. It is not a targeted response. It is not a tactical demonstration. It is acting out with maybe the slightest hope that you'll offend douchebags like the guy who runs the fundamentalist websites. I guess it's working so congratulations but I still don't give a fuck and wish everyone would keep their personal issues to themselves. I know it will never happen but it is a dream of mine... quite a sweet one I might add... where everyone can be happy being who they are, loving who they want, associating with the people who make them happy and not meddling in the affairs of others or putting their personal shit on display. You think you're angry? I'm angry with almost the whole fucking world. The bigots, the banner wavers, the self-serving, and the inappropriately meddling of the world all make me want to go Sweeney Todd on this motherfucker and start this whole thing over.

 

[AllisonWilder]

Can't we all just get along? Agree to disagree and all that?

 

[AliceDoe]

Double post, please ignore..

 

[AliceDoe]

Basically, a lot of us are sick of tip-toeing around trying not to hurt any feelings, because if who I am hurts your feelings it's really your own damn problem! The "in-your-face-attitude" is something that has been forced out by the ignorance and hate of the homophobic community, it is us saying "we give up, you can't be reasoned with - but at least we can shove it in your face that we're here and we're not going anywhere! Learn to accept us, or be angry and bitter for the rest of your life". The shock factor is a big part of this. I agree that some individuals take this to an extreme - but can't you see and understand the frustration this is coming from?

This to me is approximately equivalent to a two year old throwing a temper tantrum. Justification doesn't even matter at that point it's just acting out. These acts of frustration will not be what wins the fight for equality. That battle will be won, in my opinion, when no government official or agency can deny the community any of the rights granted to a heterosexual person or couple. It will be accomplished with more discussions between the right people in the right parts of the world's governments. Intolerance and hate crimes will continue to happen (sadly) as long as there are zealous idiots who believe there are people out there whose lives are wrong and must be corrected. If anyone knows how to win THAT battle, I am sure a lot of minority groups would like to know the secret.

You might view it like that, but I do not. To me it's giving back to the homophobic community a small part of what they have been spewing onto us for so long.

If someone can tell me I'm a sick person who's going to burn for eternity for loving another girl, then I get to kiss that girl in front of this person and tell them to fuck off.

Demand tokens and call it a show. It'll be great.

But seriously... I don't give a fuck who you kiss. I'm not that person who judged you but you (and the rest of the community) obviously don't care about exactly who it is doing these things. It's acting out. Pure and simple. It is not a targeted response. It is not a tactical demonstration. It is acting out with maybe the slightest hope that you'll offend douchebags like the guy who runs the fundamentalist websites. I guess it's working so congratulations but I still don't give a fuck and wish everyone would keep their personal issues to themselves. I know it will never happen but it is a dream of mine... quite a sweet one I might add... where everyone can be happy being who they are, loving who they want, associating with the people who make them happy and not meddling in the affairs of others or putting their personal shit on display. You think you're angry? I'm angry with almost the whole fucking world. The bigots, the banner wavers, the self-serving, and the inappropriately meddling of the world all make me want to go Sweeney Todd on this motherfucker and start this whole thing over.

I dream of a world where everyone is allowed to be who they are too. A world without suffering or violence, where no one will feel targeted out or alone.

But until we get there, I am fighting for my causes in the most effective way I know - I argue my points and I stand up against ignorance and hate, sometimes that means I need to step on a few toes in the process.

 

[Shaun__]

I'd say acting "extremely flamboyant and overtly, crudely sexual" and "gay" should probably be phrased as different things.

I never said they were good actors. Gay people are the same as everybody else, so someone actually acting gay would not be noticeable.

You know "extremely flamboyant and overtly, crudely sexual" stuff is going to happen, and if you do not want to see it do not go to it. I do not like extreme insertions, so I do not go to places I will see them. I do not like drunks, so I do not go to places full of drunks. Life is full of things I do not like, and I avoid as many as possible.

Let them have their parade or let them have equal rights.

 

[sweetiebatman]

This shouldn't even be a choice

Gay men/women should have equal rights and the march has been blown out of all proportion, I have many gay friends and they aint all leather pant wearing camp maniacs,

 

[LovinLeanne]

As far as the gay v.s. straight behavior I think the bottom line is Humping someones ass regardless male female, male male, female female...or hell male female female male and a 5th person in the middle for funzies is not something that would be appropriate in ANY parade that is in open view to minors. I moderate MY behavior to my environment I just wish others could as well! Also NONE of my friends that are "gay" Behave like that in public EVEN when drunk. Tho a cute slightly drunk blonde did hit on me two weekends ago and if it weren't for her girlfriend and her buzzed- ness I would have considered hahah ....BUT my point there is they don't behave any different than my husband and I in their relationships or day to day life's so all this "acting gay" terminology I think is for those who want special attention IMO.

 

[SweepTheLeg]

I'll admit I just skimmed through this topic, but it feels like this conversation has turned into the "What about the children?! Won't someone please think about the children?!" If you are afraid of your kids ever seeing or hearing something that may be too offensive or adult for your tastes do yourself a favor and put them under a rock and pray they stay sheltered forever. Know where you take your kids, taking them to a gay pride parade and acting shocked by some of the things you see would be like me complaining how I took my kids to a anti-abortion rally and I saw some posters showing pictures of dead fetuses. Is it fetuses? feti?

"It comes as no surprise that people with such a slender hold on morality should also be incapable of financial stability." Was my favorite part of the link, that shit is just funny to me.

 

[Rose]

We have Pride Pageants near me every summer and I have never once seen inappropriate PDA during the events. There are some questionable outfits on occasion, but the bad behavior isn't typically present. Just sayin, you can be gay, straight, hermaphrodite, aesexual, bisexual, trisexual, pansexual, whatever and not need to behave poorly in public. If you don't want to see me deepthroat two cocks at once in public, then you shouldn't insinuate anal sex in public either. :twocents-02cents:


If they can shock people and do lude things in public, then I don't see why I don't have the right to shock the hell out of them right back.

 

[AllisonWilder]

We have Pride Pageants near me every summer and I have never once seen inappropriate PDA during the events. There are some questionable outfits on occasion, but the bad behavior isn't typically present. Just sayin, you can be gay, straight, hermaphrodite, aesexual, bisexual, trisexual, pansexual, whatever and not need to behave poorly in public. If you don't want to see me deepthroat two cocks at once in public, then you shouldn't insinuate anal sex in public either. :twocents-02cents:


If they can shock people and do lude things in public, then I don't see why I don't have the right to shock the hell out of them right back.

For the record, I'd totally watch you deep throat two cocks at once in public. :lol:

 

[lordmagellan]

We have Pride Pageants near me every summer and I have never once seen inappropriate PDA during the events. There are some questionable outfits on occasion, but the bad behavior isn't typically present. Just sayin, you can be gay, straight, hermaphrodite, aesexual, bisexual, trisexual, pansexual, whatever and not need to behave poorly in public. If you don't want to see me deepthroat two cocks at once in public, then you shouldn't insinuate anal sex in public either. :twocents-02cents:


If they can shock people and do lude things in public, then I don't see why I don't have the right to shock the hell out of them right back.

What are the logistics there? Do the guys "scissor?" I don't see how they get passed each other's hips for you to get them that deep at the same time.


On topic-

Having never been to a pride parade, myself, I have to ask, are there any signs or warnings at all as to what goes on? Of course parents should be responsible for what they expose their kids to, but they need to be informed in order to do so. And of course, grown adults shouldn't be simulating sexual acts in front of children, but if they are under the impression that parents have been warned and they are allowed to act this way, why not? I'm certainly not going to feel guilty if a child who, as I understand it, shouldn't be around sees something I do. But then if I know that children will be present, I will watch my behavior.

 

[Rose]

What are the logistics there? Do the guys "scissor?" I don't see how they get passed each other's hips for you to get them that deep at the same time.

That was just an exaggeration to prove a point. Sadly, I've only been able to experience two girls at once, not two guys.

 

[lovecat]

I don't know what kind of nutshell people have their children living in, but I remember seeing some pretty suggestive things at school dances as early as 6th grade. I remember hearing some pretty naughty jokes/gestures at an even younger age and this was only being around kids my age/not having access to the internet. These days with the so many kids being on the internet it's sort of inevitable for them to see some promiscuous stuff at a young age. Not to mention the stuff they allow on tv these days. I've seen some borderline soft core porn on cable television before that is far more suggestive than what I've seen at gay pride parades. Unless you plan to keep your child on lock down/home school them they are eventually going to see stuff like that. I personally think it's better just to be upfront about sex. :twocents-02cents:

Honestly I've never even seen a child at a gay pride parade. I think anyone who doesn't want their child to see those things knows better than to bring them there so why should people attending the parade have to censor themselves?

 

[mynameisbob84]

If you don't want to see me deepthroat two cocks at once in public, then you shouldn't insinuate anal sex in public either. .

Who says I don't want to see you deepthroat two cocks in public, bb?

 

[LailaBaise]

If you don't want to see me deepthroat two cocks at once in public, then you shouldn't insinuate anal sex in public either. .

Who says I don't want to see you deepthroat two cocks in public, bb?

 

[mynameisbob84]

If you don't want to see me deepthroat two cocks at once in public, then you shouldn't insinuate anal sex in public either. .

Who says I don't want to see you deepthroat two cocks in public, bb?

The look on that fish's face is just about the coolest thing ever :-D

 

[bob]

. I don't care for either side of this. The intolerant, fundamentalist Christians or the public display of the Gay parade thing. They are opposite sides of the same pile of shit.

yeah....and i'm still digging through it trying to find tolerance :whistle:
one side saying "this is the way it should be" and the other saying "like me no matter what" isn't even close to tolerance....it's all the clowns of dogma, stuffed into a little circus car called "tolerate me"

 

[AmberCutie]

I'd say acting "extremely flamboyant and overtly, crudely sexual" and "gay" should probably be phrased as different things.

I never said they were good actors. Gay people are the same as everybody else, so someone actually acting gay would not be noticeable.

You know "extremely flamboyant and overtly, crudely sexual" stuff is going to happen, and if you do not want to see it do not go to it. I do not like extreme insertions, so I do not go to places I will see them. I do not like drunks, so I do not go to places full of drunks. Life is full of things I do not like, and I avoid as many as possible.

Let them have their parade or let them have equal rights.

Just so we're clear, I wasn't pointing out the difference of how they should act in public, I was just poiting out your words of "acting gay" to mean "being extremely flamboyant and overtly, crudely sexual" maybe not being the best phrasing. People can be gay without being flamboyant and showy about their bedroom fun-acts. Right?

I don't care what people do in public. I stated in the other thread that I think when gay men/women go overboard with crude and suggestive behavior in public, it does more bad than good for them. But people here are saying "hey, they get hated on all the time, we understand why they act out like this" so honestly who am I to care? As far as the issue with children seeing, I'd lean toward it being up to the family to decide how to handle their kids seeing stuff out in public that isn't necessarily PG-13, and I'd hope many families are able to communicate with their kids about things they've seen and experienced. Spewing hate about it isn't the constructive way to go, regardless.

 

[Shaun__]

Just so we're clear, I wasn't pointing out the difference of how they should act in public, I was just poiting out your words of "acting gay" to mean "being extremely flamboyant and overtly, crudely sexual" maybe not being the best phrasing. People can be gay without being flamboyant and showy about their bedroom fun-acts. Right?

I will start calling it acting drunken spring breaker then. I never intended it to mean that is how gay people all behave.

I don't care what people do in public. I stated in the other thread that I think when gay men/women go overboard with crude and suggestive behavior in public, it does more bad than good for them. But people here are saying "hey, they get hated on all the time, we understand why they act out like this" so honestly who am I to care?

I honestly view it as an unintentional form of nonviolent civil disobedience. If they are ever going to get things to change they will have to step on some toes, and force things through the courts of both law and public opinion.

As far as the issue with children seeing, I'd lean toward it being up to the family to decide how to handle their kids seeing stuff out in public that isn't necessarily PG-13, and I'd hope many families are able to communicate with their kids about things they've seen and experienced. Spewing hate about it isn't the constructive way to go, regardless.

I have never believed being gay is a choice a person makes, instead I think it is just a facet of human nature. Parents raising a healthy child should consider explaining human sexuality to their children when they are old enough to understand and ask about it. The parents will have to decide that though. My parents never told me anything about sex or anything else. Do you really want your kids turning out like me?

 

[JoleneBrody]

I honestly have no DIRECT opinion on this exact subject but in general, if you want acceptance and understanding it's best not to intentionally make people uncomfortable.
I don't care what they do during pride parades. I know the activities can get a little risque at time, just like saint paddies in downtown Portland, if I had kids I wouldn't take them there, no biggie!

BUT! Using intolerance as an excuse to intentionally make people uncomfortable seems silly to me.

I'll use advocates for pit bulls as an example because that is something I'm passionate about. If I'm going to be voicing tolerance and change I'm also going to do my best to present an ambassador of the breed to others. I'm not going to throw a 10 pound chain on his neck and let him behave badly, only solidifying in people minds that they were right all along.

Again, I don't care how people act during the parades but using intolerance as an excuse to act out and piss people off is doing nothing for the cause.

 

[Littlegringo]

If someone wants to be accepted equally as others are, it seems illogical to do things that don't contribute to that.

The people against homosexuality call homosexuals depraved and immoral, the logical thing to do would be to prove them wrong, not behave like animals on a float with children watching.

Seriously, behaving like that at the Pride parades just makes it look like the small minded assholes were right. They should be showing how they're respectable members of the community, people that can be looked up to as role models. I fail to see the cause being advanced by half naked humping in public.

 

[BlueViolet]

Personally, I don't like gay pride parades.

But first, let me say that I have been with my girlfriend for 5 years come this November, my dad wanted to fly us to New York to get married last year, and I've been head over heels for her since 8th grade dance. I dated another girl for almost 3 years. I'm from the deep Bible Belt and although I don't get as much discrimination as a gay man would, it still exists especially in these here parts.

One of our friends is super into LGBT rights and is always trying to attend as many LGBT pride parades as she can. She'd tell us what she was going to wear and I remember her saying one time her shirt would say something like, "Your sister liked it when I fucked her" or something of that nature. I think it's crude. It gives our community a bad name and yes, I understand it is a pride celebration but when it puts off the majority of people we are trying to get to accept us, it really defeats the purpose!

I plan on talking to my children very early on about sex and honestly, I wouldn't really care about my kids seeing anyone acting overtly sexual or showing off too much skin at one of those events because it's simply the human body and there is nothing to be ashamed of a body or of sex, in my opinion. What bothers me about a lot of gay pride parades is that even if all of it isn't extremely sexual, there are going to be people taking pictures and recording the worst of it and showing it off as a reason to think we are deviant and disgusting for those who act that way during the events.

The point of gay pride parades are to try and gain acceptance to those who do not accept us and it seems to have the opposite affect. Those who already disliked us have even more reason to because "think of the children" or just "shoving" our "deviant lifestyle choice" into their faces or something instead of real education that we are real people with real families who are just the same as them only we happened to fall in love with someone who isn't the opposite gender.

I love the concept behind gay pride parades, but I've never really been happy with how some people decide to behave during it.

Sorry if I've offended anyone by saying this, I just wanted to share my opinion on how I view them also as someone who is LGBT. I'm open to hearing more sides of it, though.

 

[LadyLuna]

Hmm... lots of good points.

1. THINK OF THE CHILDREN- the prayers

I too pray that the children aren't harmed. Though my prayer and the prayers mentioned here have the same words, what do we mean by "aren't harmed by what they see?"

People are assuming the Christians are hoping that the children don't become gay from what they see. But what if what is meant by that is exactly the same as what I mean by it: that they don't develop false ideas. Bad ideas that children might take away from seeing such acts in public: that such acts are meaningless. That it is normal for such acts to occur anywhere and everywhere. That all gay people act this way, (regardless of whether they then think that's a good thing or a bad thing, it's bad for them to think that all gay people act this way.) So yes, I devoutly hope that any children who see the parade don't come away with such thoughts.

2. THINK OF THE CHILDREN- attendance

Some of the gay pride parades are really raunchy. Some are actually quite fun, and very child-friendly. The problem is, you never know which is which unless you attend. There isn't even a guarantee that the same event will have the same level of raunchiness from year to year, one that was safe to bring a child to last year could be one of the worst this year. Therefore, as a parent, I think it's important that you realize you might have to deal with the effects of what they see if you decide to bring them.

3. GAY RIGHTS

I'm going to post a video at the bottom of this. I'll let that speak for me on such questions.

4. GAY CHOICE

Here it's a bit tricky. There is no right or wrong, so if I offend someone, I apologize.

I believe that most people are born with the ability to swing either way, and that society and experiences determine what a person's preferences are FOR THE MOST PART. Does this mean that it's a choice? To an extent, yes, but also, no. It's as much a choice as the kid who gets terrified by a dog and grows up with a phobia of such things. It's as much a choice as my phobia of bathrooms was. Could I overcome the phobia of bathrooms? Yes, but it was hard, and I had to both recognize it as a problem and want to change it. I don't believe sexual orientation of any sort is a problem, so I don't see a need to make them change. I believe that real love in any form is so important that it must be cherished.

HOWEVER, I also believe that a small portion of the human population is born one way or the other. There is a small percentage of humans that are genetically gay, or genetically straight. I don't view this as a problem either. After all, there's got to be some straight people for the human population to continue, and why not let gay people adopt the kids that are orphaned or abandoned?

5- THE FIGHT

I do think that the in-your-face position WAS needed at some point. But I think it's starting to get in the way more than it's helping. However, I have no proof of that.

Alright, those are my opinions. Now for the promised video! (yay for TED talks!) I post this to show just what rights gays are STILL fighting for. The discrimination that is STILL legal in most of the country appalls me.

 

[Nordling]

Agree, 99%, except for the conflation of phobias with being gay. I don't think a gay or straight or bi or whatever can essentially change. Yeah, they might fake if for religious purposes or hide in a closet, so to speak, but I don't believe that there's any way for a gay or straight person to "switch"--with "therapy" or otherwise. Phobias can be overcome, some easier than others--so there's really no comparison.

I don' think we know yet what causes a person or even another species to be in one orientation or another. Genetics, pre-natal time, nurture...probably all play greater or lesser roles.

 

[LadyLuna]

I have met plenty of women who were "gay". They were really bi, but had so many bad experiences with men they decided to go pure gay.

 

[SweepTheLeg]

Personal story time: My aunt is gay, she had no choice in the matter for if she did she would have chosen to have been straight just to make her life that much easier. She lost many friends growing up because eventually it came out that she was a lesbian and so she was friendless while watching my mom make friends and have very close relationships with girls she grew up with. While I don't think there is an "acting gay" that can clearly be defined, I do believe there is an acting yourself and not hiding who or what you are.

My aunt was ostracized by much of my family- my mom's side of the family is very conservative christian blah blah blah, and because of that she chose not to tell any of her nieces or nephews until we turned 18 and let us decide on our own how we wanted to handle it. She was in the Navy so we only saw her once every handful of years, so it was never something i questioned of why she doesn't have a husband or kids, but when she told me my reaction was both "Cool." and moved on, not because I didn't care but because I didn't view her any different than before. But thinking about it, I did get upset because when she was around us she had to watch how she acted and what she said because was afraid that she'd lose us the same way she lost everyone else.

There are people who get offended and uncomfortable by all signs of public displays of affection, so what about homosexuals during a gay pride parade kissing? Is that ok? If our goal is never offending anyone, and people out there being offended by everything it's a slippery slope that ends up in one fucking boring parade where everyone wears bland colored suits, walking to the same beat with emotionless expressions on their face. All for the children.

 

[Bocefish]

That's terrible what your aunt had to go through with her own family.

There are people who get offended and uncomfortable by all signs of public displays of affection, so what about homosexuals during a gay pride parade kissing? Is that ok? If our goal is never offending anyone, and people out there being offended by everything it's a slippery slope that ends up in one fucking boring parade where everyone wears bland colored suits, walking to the same beat with emotionless expressions on their face. All for the children.

There's nothing wrong with people kissing in public, although seeing two guys kissing does sorta turn my stomach but that's my problem. When kissing turns into prolonged tonsil hockey, regardless of genders involved it gets to be inappropriate. Exceptions to that are seeing a loved one off or greeting them after a long time apart type scenarios, otherwise get a room IMO.

As to the bland colors, emotionless expressions... that's not what anybody is saying at all! The only issue I have is the over the top, X-rated, in your face behavior. Everybody knows how people have sex, we don't need it demonstrated in public in the presence of children.

Cool :thumbleft:

Not cool! :snooty: