Christian Group Shows Up To Chicago Gay Pride Holding Apologetic Signs

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/16/12 at 7:55pm

This is such a beautiful story! I hope things are really starting to change!


Link Pride

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 6/16/12 at 8:06pm

That was really wonderful.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/16/12 at 8:33pm

That really is great. Of course if Christians judge us based solely on what the community portrays at the parades I can hardly blame them for judging us so harshly, though.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 12:33am

It's not so much different than judging Christians solely on the outspoken nutjobs.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 12:40am

You're absolutely right. Christians don't do themselves any favors with those people just like we don't do ourselves any favors with the queens running around the streets naked and tweaked out throwing condoms at everyone.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 12:43am

The moral is that everyone should just shut up.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 12:48am

Starting with Rush Limbaugh.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 5:26am

That's one of the reasons I don't like the whole Pride Parade idea. I love me some drag queens and feel like there is historical reason for them to be front and center of the parades. It's in honor of the Stonewall riots and it's a representation of what went down. I just don't get the glittered up boys dancing in their underwear or jock straps, the dykes on bikes, leather groups and so on. Now, if I considered myself to be represented by any of those groups, I would probably feel very differently. At Stockholm Pride, women just run around topless. What's the point of that?! The day events have become rather family friendly. Why would you take your kids to see a parade where a woman may be topless or a guy would have his ass hanging out. That doesn't represent what I want my family to think being gay is all about. Maybe I am just getting old.

Here's my REAL pet peeve about the parade, though: I am personally VERY against using your children as a banner. A friend of a friend was very happily showing off the pride flag sun dress she had made for her one year old daughter to wear to march with the same-sex families. Another was showing folks the dress she had made for her baby that is embroidered with "GAYBY" on it. It makes me see red. I feel like if your child is at approaching adolescence and understands that their family is different from the norm and then wants to drape themselves in a rainbow cape and proclaim that they are proud of their family, that's fantastic! Let them make that choice. Don't have a baby and then make it a mascot. Some of my best friends disagree with me pretty strongly on this one. Maybe my attitude is just different because everything is so inclusive and supportive where I am. I wish it was the same for everyone.

There's that fine line between needing to show everyone how we are no different than anyone else and then showing them that we ARE different because we are discriminated against. I am a woman whose soul mate happens to be a woman. We don't have a gay marriage. We have a marriage. We don't want a gay family or a same-sex family. We just want a family.

I think the observation of Christians getting their whole view of gay people from the representation of a pride parade is pretty spot-on.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 11:49am

Jersey, i agree. Kids as mascots or political tools bother me. It's similar (may get me in trouble...) to the yahoos who dress their babies in Klan hoods. And it feeds into the Right wing indoctrination and "it's a choice" claim.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 2:03pm

Great post JG!

I completely understand your thoughts on the parades. I was very heavily involved for many years with both the LA Pride and also in starting the Orange County Pride just a few short years ago. It was one of the scariest days of my life. The site was surrounded by protesters carry signs and throwing rocks and bottles. The police were there to help, but they didnt want Pride to be taking place either.

The first parades around the country were more of a F.U. to the rest of the world, which takes into the account of the outlandish ways of dressing. It was a sign of protest. But you are right. Over the last decade, it seemed to have become more of a can-we-out-freak-each-other than a form of protest. And, yes, people have their fetishes, but really, some things just need to be kept private.

If gays want to be accepted, then we also have to show that we can be just regular people. But that doesnt sell newspapers. Even though parades have groups of folks dressed in normal clothing, the news will ALWAYS focus on the most outlandish aspects of Pride.

Frankly, I think that Pride events are pointless. I live with pride every day, and I live my life as an example that gays are just normal people. The events have become big, corporate sponsored media events which does nothing but put money into pockets of vendors. And too many people use Pride as a reason to let their freak flag fly in public.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 2:05pm

That doesn't represent what I want my family to think being gay is all about. Maybe I am just getting old.

You're not getting old JerseyGirl. I felt the same way even when I was in my 20s and 30s.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 2:06pm

Frankly, I think that Pride events are pointless. I live with pride every day, and I live my life as an example that gays are just normal people.

^ THIS!!!

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 2:44pm

I live with pride every day, and I live my life as an example that gays are just normal people.

Exactly. For the first time since settling in with my wife, we have some of my family staying with us from the US this week. We have a little country house on a farm (not ours), a cat, a dog, a garden and a very eclectic mix of this and that that was mostly handed down by our grandmothers and friends. Somehow it all works and feels warm and inviting. The woman I consider my second mom said, "Yep, looks like that wild, deviant, homosexual lifestyle is running rampant over here." lol We're just Amber & Cami.

I think for some, the group thing is obviously about fetish or sexuality, but I think for some, it's that overwhelming desire to "fit" somewhere. I get it. For years I felt different and being a part of some group, not matter how weird, would have felt good. My self-esteem, thank God, has moved beyond needing that. I have friends who have a son and mentioned that one of the moms' brother was the only male he had in his life since all their friends are lesbians. I find that incredibly sad for all three of them. I don't want to hang out with a bunch of women or men just because they are gay. I want to have friends who are interesting people that you can hold a conversation with or are at least unique and quirky and make me laugh. Sexuality is not even a line to fill out on my friendship application.

I really think we've moved on from even needing parades. I LOVE the events related to them. I like the idea of family days with rides and such for the kids. I always loved the informative booths set up with things like HIV/AIDS services, legal services, community groups, etc. that you might not otherwise hear about. The parade is just another reason for Buford to say, "See Betty Jean... I told you them queers were a bunch of sex-crazed perverts."

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 3:24pm

Throwing condoms at people is always more useful than shouting bible verses at people, though.

I get the argument of Pride having outlived its usefulness (I can't remember the last one I atteneded), but I don't like the implication that THAT is doing gay wrong and another way is doing it RIGHT. Not everyone wants to just settle down and live like "normal" or "regular" people (not everyone gets the opportunity, either). And that's okay and valid, too. And there's no shame in wanting to live your life the way you want to live your life.

Also, not everyone lives on a coast or in the most gay friendly of places, so I'm not 100% gay pride isn't still needed in vast swaths of the country/the world.

As always, nothing in my comments is directed at anyone in particular, nor do I take an issues with people because we don't see everytihng exactly the same way. I think there's room for everyone, which is kind what I thought (or at least I like to think) what gay pride is really all about.





Updated On: 6/17/12 at 03:24 PM

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 4:02pm

It absolutely is and you are right. I was just speaking from my own experiences and how it makes me feel. Others love it and more power to them (except when little kids are involved, but again, that's just me.).

The first time my wife introduced me to my idiot FIL with whom she has little contact, he asked, after five minutes, "So, when is the parade?!". Because, you know, that's what it's all about, I guess.

Posted: 6/17/12 at 4:10pm

JG,

You are right and not alone and it is not old age either.
I went to my first pride parade at 18 in NYC simply to share pride with others and feel comfortable. When I saw the gross display of tweakers, glitter boys with everything hanging out and and the like,.... I felt although this is more appropriate indoors in a club, where it makes sense- I also felt "This is the reason why people hate gays so much". I truly don't feel people generally don't care what you do in your own homes or in a gay club, it's just the gross display of indecency in general, outdoors where families and children are involved, gay or not.

Since then, I haven't bothered to attend any gay pride parades.
And it's been a long time since.

This is a common thought among many of my friends as well,... and something should be done about it.
You fight so hard for equality and human rights, but then something like a gay pride parade can really ruin it.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 4:12pm

Ha. I've noticed every city does it different. The weekend of the Parade, St Louis has a Pridefest in the park, where the performers are. There are a bunch of booths and food and people milling around, which to me is really what Pride is. The first year I lived in Chicago I was so thrown, because it was just the Parade. But Market Days there (a different weekend) is sort of what I think of as their equivalent with the booths and the whatnot.

Like I said, I haven't really gone to any of the stuff in years, but I always have found memories.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 4:14pm

Where did you find them?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 4:19pm

You fight so hard for equality and human rights, but then something like a gay pride parade can really ruin it.


Comments like this just mystify me. Do people really believe that homophobia would just dissipate if all gay people started toeing some arbitrary line?

Posted: 6/17/12 at 4:28pm

No, but tea-bagging people down 5th Avenue is also not the way to do it either.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 4:50pm

I understand where taboo is coming from. As a community we fight so hard to be seen as equal and that we're not harmful to your children and not out to do any harm and then we just give the media and the haters these images that don't represent the majority of us. I know the history behind it (I know 9 out of 10 of the tweaked out twinks on floats don't) so I respect it for that but the parades have become a reason for people to get naked in the streets and scream for four hours and I have never seen how that's a positive thing for the LGBTQULXNZEYMNOP community.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 5:56pm

Honestly, it was on RuPaul's Drag Race this season that the connection of drag queens in Pride celebrations was brought to my attention. It had just never occurred to me before. I was pretty excited about it and felt even better about it. I explained it to my wife, who doesn't get the fun of drag at all, and she thought it was cool as hell, too. She agrees with me that drag queens should always be a part of Pride as that is an integral part of the beginning of the movement that allows us to walk down the street snuggling and plan our family without roadblocks. Hells yeah for the drag queens who just weren't going to take that $hit at the Stonewall anymore. I think there should be a "So you are gay? Congrats. Welcome to Gay History 101" course that all young'uns must pass.

Like PRS, I LOVE the Pridefest in the park type things. We'd have a big stage and some great local drag queen would be the mistress of ceremonies with musicians and comedians. We'd grab a blanket and chill with a beer. I always loved the booths and information there. It's a place where you can seek legal help. You can find a Realtor that isn't going to look down their nose at you when two men are wanting a house. You can find a safe place for your gay teen to hang out. You could discover gay owned and welcoming businesses. Of course, you could get all the free condoms and dental dams you could hold, which I would redistribute to my promiscuous boys and girls. I just love that aspect. The parade itself is just a bit much for me. But many love it and I respect that.
Varla Jean explains it all

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 6:43pm

When I was younger, my perception of the gay community was defined by my best friend who was gay - there were no LGBT clubs in school, no outreach, not avenues for kids to understand what it means to be gay for him - just the club scene. And the stories he would tell. White parties, underwear parties, drugs and sex.

I had straight friends who also had somewhat similar experiences in Hollywood/SoCal, but since I knew many more straight friends who did not participate in these types of activities, I knew that it was just a portion of what being straight is.

When I would see Pride parades, it honestly reminds me of what I perceived to be the past (in many communities) - where I assumed the club scene was the most common way to meet other gay men out of necessity, even if you were not into that scene. Today, I don't think that is true.

Today though, and again, this is from a straight perspective, so if I am off base, I apologize in advance, being gay is defined by many more options for support and avenues to meet other gay men and women than when I grew up. My best friend did not want to go to the clubs sometimes, but that is where all of the other gay men were going - so he went. This thread alone seems to demonstrate that to me. This message board has on more than one occasion been a means of education and support for kids struggling with who they are, and I would not be surprised if a few hookups as well.

When I see the Pride parade, with all of its craziness, I think of my friend and that growing up, those clubs were the only way he knew how to connect with other gay men. And, today, that is not the case. To me at least, that is a recognition of how far gay rights have come. It is a part of the community, but for many straight people who know and love someone who is gay it does not define it.

I hope that makes some sense. And again, some of the above is an assumption, so if I am wrong, or completely full of it, apologies in advance.

Posted: 6/17/12 at 7:53pm

I don't think parade attendance is mandatory. So lets just stop criticizing those folks who want to walk around in drag for the day and I'll hold my tongue about those of you who seem to be walking around with a great big stick up your ass. Deal?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 8:30pm

I'm guessing the people who complain about pride aren't the same people who complain that NYC isn't as seedy as it used to be?