Originally Posted By barboy ///Yeah, I stand by calling all these pride groups ridiculous and silly./// Silly indeed! And I'd go even further and say that they do themselves and the rest of us a great disservice. Outward black, white, gay, gimp, woman, Mongolian, man pride promote factionalism. These red shirt people, whether they intend or not, socially lobby. Pride groups suck.
Originally Posted By oc_dean ^^^ Depends! If it's specifically a "pride" meet - I can see a point. But if I go to the Oktoberfest grounds in Huntington Beach .. to see a group of Orange County German's celebrating German CULTURE ... or I could go to a group event for Puerto Ricans celebrating their unique culture .., Puerto Rican music, Puerto Rican foods, what's the problem? Just saying if Culture events are mistaken for "pride events". Now I read SpokkerJones link about that one gay person speaking out against Gay Day at WDW .. and I have to say ... If it's as bad he's describing .. then why isn't he writing it to the organizers who put on the event .. and make the call for some changes? Nowhere does he say - "I've contacted the organizers to have a word". If he's just kvetching it to his own audience at his website ... then it must not be that big of an issue. I cannot speak for these events .. as I have never attended one in WDW. I can only speak for the DL: Odyssey Adventures private parties, in which we had the whole park for ourselves, roughly from '87 to '96. (Nothing "overt" at all - Just a great socializing party from 8pm to closing. I've attended a total of 2 Gay Day events that filtered in with the general public in October in recent years. And as I said ... it was one fun SOCIAL event. There were some "convention center" type events, which I declined on ... and really, have no idea how those events go. Any "overt" situations (in which I never found one) ... probably fewer than some straight "overt" situations that happen 365 days a year! Anyway ... If these events are more than just a Social/'a means for people to make new friends' .. in their favorite theme park in the world ... And too much "pride" going on ..... then write to the organizes .. and bring up the issues ... rationally.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I can see a good reason for Gay Days type events and can see no reason why they should be discontinued even when "equal rights" becomes not much of an issue anymore. If I were member of one of the smallest "minority groups" in America (the highest estimate I think I've ever seen is about 10%) I'm sure I would LOVE to have an occasional day where I could spend time with a large number of people that I have more in common with than what I usually face in everyday life. I'm sure the "otherness" gets really tiring. I really can't imagine what it would be like to have to worry about how those around you would react to holding hands with the person you love, kissing them, or even occasionally giving them a little pat on the butt. I'm sure it is WONDERFUL having an occasional day when you don't have to worry about that quite so much.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>Just saying if Culture events are mistaken for "pride events".<< I don't mean to be offensive (I feel like this is going to sound really ignorant), but what exactly constitutes gay culture? Given that gay people come from all walks of life and all cultural backgrounds, is there really a difference in gay and straight culture (as far as traditions and the arts go)? I understand what happens at a culture festival of a certain nationality (or type of music or category of most things), but I don't have a clue what would be considered for a gay culture event. I thought that everybody sort of had the same culture...
Originally Posted By oc_dean ^^^^ Before you go any further .. I was not trying to go down the road of "Gay Culture". I was only referencing nationalities. Not sexual preference groups.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <As far as the "she" remark goes - that was just my way of expressing that I didn't take you very seriously from the get-go, and the more you ranted and raved the less seriously I took you. > So women are to be taken less seriously than men? I've always hated the gay "thing" of calling men "she" as an insult (and if you didn't know, Scutr, I'm gay myself).
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct Dean - Please don't say "preference" as that implies "choice". I had no more of a choice being gay than I had a choice for my eye, hair or skin color. We do have a culture. We have a particular sense of humor, community and subsets of people. We are a minority who has contributed very specifically to culture and our society. We are the arts, the creative (for the most part), the example of "love" while contestantly being the whipping post of hate. This is just how I "feel" being gay. And I love gay days for the sense of community it offers. I love not feeling alone. I love sharing a commen sensibility (however hard to define what that is ..l it just *is*), I love the brotherhood the affirmation we are indeed a productive, valid members of society and have the same right to "have a seat at the table" as anyone else. I sadly see the gay community event fading, the upside is we are being accepted into society with the laws to protect us. The downside is we are becoming so integrated that we are losing our community identity for the reasons others have pointed out. I will always love gay days !
