Originally Posted By jonvn "Gee whiz, you must think we all have dungeons and bondage equipment in our basements." For goodness sake, of course I don't. "I see more nudity at the Bay to Breakers than I ever did at any pride parade" Yes, and it makes everyone else in the country think that people in San Francisco are all nuts. Besides, didn't the city ban that behavior this year because, well, it's nuts? Ha...I said nuts.
Originally Posted By BlueDevilSF >>Besides, didn't the city ban that behavior this year because, well, it's nuts?<< They can try and ban it all they want, but it never seems to do any good. It just sort of...happens. I remember waiting for the 37 Corbett on Market & Noe when the Critical Mass yahoos were out in force. I looked up from the book I was reading long enough to see some guy pedaling on his bike down Market, starkers as could be. I just shrugged and went back to my book. It was one of those "only in SF" moments. Sure, people think SF is nuts. That's one of its charms.
Originally Posted By jonvn " Critical Mass yahoos " I can not tell you how much I hate those people. Mass arrests, bike confiscation...I'd be more than happy to see that happen. "Sure, people think SF is nuts. That's one of its charms." Yes, it's like the wacky uncle of cities.
Originally Posted By BlueDevilSF >>I can not tell you how much I hate those people. Mass arrests, bike confiscation...I'd be more than happy to see that happen.<< Same here. I read on SFGate.com not too long ago about a woman whose car had been damaged and/or who was assaulted by some of the riders. Riders are saying that the Masses are becoming increasingly violent, and I hope the whole thing burns itself out someday. I have a strong love/hate relationship with SF, and the Mass is definitely one of the things I hated about it.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut << No one likes them, either.>> Speak for yourself bub. Those guys are the best part of the parade. <<Are they holding up a giant vulva?>> Only the aging ones.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut <<Gee whiz, you must think we all have dungeons and bondage equipment in our basements.>> of course "I" dont think that. I know for certain some of you dont have basements. But most of you do have closets and spare bedrooms though.
Originally Posted By BlueDevilSF >>Go to China sometime.<< >>We don't live in China.<< Japan...I meant Japan. The Kawasaki Fertility Festival. This looks like a lot of fun: <a href="http://ddiekman.tripod.com/id43.html" target="_blank">http://ddiekman.tripod.com/id4 3.html</a> The author, however, didn't think it was all that much fun.
Originally Posted By jonvn "Japan...I meant Japan." I thought you might have meant that. You know, we don't live in Japan, either.
Originally Posted By barboy "So? They're(Japan) a civilized country." I would say so; but their sex culture is vastly different than the US's. ****quick culture check**** Japan has vending machines of used girls panties.
Originally Posted By BlueDevilSF ^^^ You know, I just learned that last night! I am reading a comic book series (published by Vertigo, DC Comics' publishing arm for mature audience comics) called AMERICAN VIRGIN. It's about a youth televangelist who preaches an abstinence platform; his world and everything he believes in is turned upside down when his girlfriend -- the girl who he believes God meant for him to be with -- is murdered. In the past few issues, he's been traveling around the world and has been confronted with different sexual cultures. The current issue has him in Japan, and there is a scene where a friend explains the vending machines to him. I hadn't known that before!
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I have mixed feeling about this issue. First off, gay pride parades are a source of revenue for the communities they are in, so the communites that hold gay pride parades have a vested intrest in their success. Not all gay pride parades are overtly sexual in nature. Sorry, but we are NOT all San Francisco! OK, I can see asking for volunteers to get public servants to particiapte in a gay pride parade but lets think this one through; first off MOST communities are extremely discrimnatory in their hiring of gay individuals. Having been a public servant in two states for most of my adult life I can vow that the only way my career in public service ever lasted as long as it did was because I had to remain in the closet. Even now that I work for corporate American I have to continue to keep my sexuality a secret because despite what anyone on this board may think or say, its simply NOT safe being gay in our American society. We are not all freaks, not all of us wear our sexuality on our sleeves. There are many gay individuals in our community and together we have accomplished great things. I enjoyed particiapting in the 2007 Atlanta Gay Pride Parade and look forward to participating in many more. I believe that our society would benefit from seeing some "normalicy" ( if thats a word ) with in the gay community. I would like to be a role model for other gay and lesbian individuals who may be strugling with their gender idenity. One of the guys I work with had a daughter who was a lesbian and after High School she ended her life. My co-worker and his wife never recovered from that event. I simply don't want to see another young individual terminte their life because all they see in their community is the hate and demonization of "anything but straight". We are a part of our communities, we are committed to our communities and together we can accomplish great things.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<If gay people were just like straight people but just had sex differently, I don't think it'd be a big deal.>> Gay people ARE just like straight people but just have sex differently. Oh. Wait. They're just like straight people, except they grow up and live knowing that they could be killed just for being gay. Or beat up or lose their jobs or be disowned by their family for being gay. Or all of the above. And that if they find a partner, the government will refuse to recognize the legitimacy of their relationship. Oh, and they live with the fact that prominent, powerful religions and politicians constantly churn out messages about how sinful and gross they are, and how they are the cause of many of the country's problems. And gay people witness how eagerly other citizens eat these messages up. NOT that any of that would excuse getting a little exhuberant in an annual parade, of course.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 My first trip to San Francisco was in the 80's. I was there to visit straight friends. But I dedicated a couple of nights to touring gay bars. I mean, yeah, I was primarily there to visit Diane and Craig, but this was also a de facto pilgramage to the Gay capital of the world. I had to wallow in it. I went to bars that should have been infinitely edgier than we have here in the midwest. I went to the sleaziest of the sleazy. I wanted to see guys doing it on pool tables. Instead, I found baskets of condoms on brushed steel bars. Loud video music and guys kissing on dance floors. Guys using dark corners to... talk. UGH! Boring, Boring, BORING! Same with my repeat visit to the city a few years later. But it was still San Francisco. I DID see prominent ads in BART stations for yuppy gay travel agencies. Castro had tons of gay bars and other gay businesses -- and a parade of gay and straight locals and tourists and cops on the streets. And San Franciscans did seem very proud of their larger than life tribute to Carol Doda. And mainstream newspapers were filled with ads for days-long heterosexual orgies (many S/M-tinged) around Halloween-time. On the basis of sexual outrageousness: gays, 0; straights, 1.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 But, in defense of San Francisco and my fellow gays... I DID get hit on in the mens room of a leather bar in San Francisco much more recently. Fortunately, all one has to do in that situation is to say "no, thanks." Otherwise, who knows what would have happened to me if I'd've had to rely upon the guy friend I came with to protect me. He was otherwise engaged at the time.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I think what we are basically discussing here is the misconception that ALL things are unbiased and equitable. Certainly when it comes to the hiring of police and fireman part of the entire recruiting and hiring process is to filter out any gay candidates. This goes well beyond "don't ask, don't tell". If all you are trying to hire is neo-nazis, don't be surprised when you get responces about them NOT wanting to participate in certain societal events. I suppose if the NRA was holding a parade they would all want to participate.
Originally Posted By jonvn "So? They're a civilized country." But they are not this country, and if you want to be accepted in the country you are in, you act like the people in that country. "Gay people ARE just like straight people but just have sex differently." Straight people in this country do not have large parades in cities that are sexually explicit. "They're just like straight people, except they grow up and live knowing that they could be killed just for being gay." Yes, and black people grow up knowing that they are hated, and so do Jews, and so does every other ethnic group. Life is tough when you're a minority. "NOT that any of that would excuse getting a little exhuberant in an annual parade, of course." Get as exhuberant as you want. But if you want to be accepted as average folks in this country you have to act like it.
Originally Posted By barboy I have seen one and only one gay parade(or more specifically one part of one gay parade). A few years back by sheer chance I just happened to be in San Fran. on that day and what I saw was enough for me to last a lifetime: 4 cooks or bakers wearing an apron and shoes--- nothing, absolutely nothing else. They were moving/dancing in unison and when a certain beat came around the 4 would lift their aprons and expose themselves to the onlookers. I have never seen such a sexually charged vulgar expression in public let alone in a parade, gay or straight. I know that the shefs' street performance might be tame compared to some antics that go down in indoor clubs but this was a main PUBLIC street. (but yes, they should have every right to express themselves the way they see fit, gay or straight, black or white, short or tall but with that expression comes a price and the price is usually image).
Originally Posted By jonvn Check out the Folsom Street Fair some time. That's NOTHING compared to what goes on at the fair. But this is the sort of thing that's exactly what I'm talking about. You don't behave that way and expect to be thought of as an average everyday normal person.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Are we painting with a broad brush there? Not every gay person lives in California, just as not every gay pride parade is sexually explicit. But if thats whay you want to believe, then by all means go on believing it. That still doesn't excuse the fact that. that many public agencies such as Police and Fire Department hiring criteria are intentionally skewed to screen out gay candidates. But lets condemn ALL gays because those "weird" gay people in San Francisco throw sexually explicit Pride parades.
