Pride NYC

[Plain Old Jane]

this sunday is the pride parade in NYC, I'll be at 5th and 23rd prolly if anyone wants to meet up. Looks like its gonna be a blast ^_^

yay for pridizzle.

[Baboinga]

If I were anywhere near there, I'd absolutely come by.

[Marshall]

I may be at the one in Atlanta on friday night.

I was convinced to go by two friends of mine and I have no idea what to expect.

[johnny]

i think it's pride week in toronto right now so i guess one of these days there will be some kind of big parade in the gay village. maybe that's where neil is..? haven't heard from him lately

[raublekick]

when's Shame Week?

[Cid]

Probably just after people see footage of themselves at the pride parade

[Mike]

Gay Pride Parade ... I don't get it man. People want everybody treated equally, they want everybody to be blind when it comes to sexuality, and race, and gender, and what not .. but then at the same time, want to advertise it and announce as loudly as possible that they are different.

[Baboinga]

That's the typical statement. But Pride Parade is more than overtly showing everyone that they're different. It's showing that the population exists, and they are real people and a real presence in whatever city. There are a million reasons for it, and they just celebrate the ways that they are different in a public scenario instead of stuck in a basement club in short shorts shaking their hienies around with joe and jane average having no idea what they're doing.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Baboinga

That's the typical statement. But Pride Parade is more than overtly showing everyone that they're different. It's showing that the population exists, and they are real people and a real presence in whatever city. There are a million reasons for it, and they just celebrate the ways that they are different in a public scenario instead of stuck in a basement club in short shorts shaking their hienies around with joe and jane average having no idea what they're doing.

"It's showing that the population exists, and they are real people and a real presence in whatever city."

I think that Gay Pride Parades do nothing but show that they are not "real people." Examples:







Just three pictures out of hundreds of pictures when you google "Gay Pride Parade." I could give a shit when people want to make it known that they exist in a city or area ... Whether it's lobbying, running campaigns, making advertisements. But from the perspective of the typical American who really could give a shit about gays, having a parade where people dance around in ridiculous, nearly-illegal outfits, publicizing what should be something private... I think it makes them look like an UNreal group of mental patients.

ANd those parades are rarely celebrating the ways that they are different. Last year it seemed like everybody wanted to make the case that the only difference between homosexuals and heterosexuals is that homosexuals simply like people of their own sex... and that the love is real and genuine, and that nothing else is different. However, when Gay Pride Parades advertise homosexuality as people clowns pushing dogs, naked men on floats, and frivolous guys wearing next to nothing and dancing provocatively in public with one another ... it sends a very different message. The notion of having a parade, itself, to separate homosexuals and heterosexuals undermines any efforts for others to see anybody else as simply "people." Everybody calls for society to be blind, but then do as much in their power to make themselves stand out apart from everything else.

If Gay Pride Parades were all about solidarity and togetherness in the community, then that'd be great, I'd have absolutely no issue with it (and I really don't have any issue with it now)... but... when what is celebrated most is a ridiculous flandering of skin and pompous difference ... it's audacious. I've yet to have a parade with my girlfriend where we publicize and simulate our sexuality ... and if I did, we'd probably be arrested. Doing the same at a Gay Pride Parade is celebrated, and if anybody were arrested, it would be a hate crime.

--edit--

Why should Joe or Jane Average have to know what people are doing? I don't think that Joe and Jane Average setup nationally televised and advertised events proclaiming their sexual misadventures ... I don't see why who somebody likes to have sex with should be a public affair ... worthy of celebration.

[raublekick]

I'm with Mike on this one. Gay Pride events liberate the gay community, but they alienate them from everyone else. If there was a Straight Pride parade held in some big city people would have a fit. Just like if there was a Caucasian Pride parade, although cultural/heritage pride parades are much more appropriate.

I think we all have some sort of "gaydar". If a gay person wearing similar clothes as me told me he was gay I'd respect it. If a half naked man ran up to me on the street and danced around while telling me he was gay I'd be so fucking annoyed and I wouldn't want to be seen around them. It's OK to be different, but don't forget that there are other people around you as well.

[Baboinga]

Maybe I should've said it this way. It's important to the gay community. So who cares.

As part of the community, I appreciate the exposure that it brings, and I'm not the one in the short shorts or parading around without a shirt on, I'm not in the business of slapping people in the face with my pride. But in smaller places (ie: not toronto) the community showing it's face IS a big step. Like Edmonton, Alberta for example. I'm not offending anyone, so I don't see why I should be discouraged in taking part of something that doesn't offend me. *shrug*