The Meaning of Gay Pride Parades

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Sky Dancer

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In the fight for equality based upon sexual orientation, an unfortunate consequence has been that many of our well-meaning but misguided brothers and sisters mistakenly believe that by being more like "the rest of the world" (meaning heterosexuals), we can achieve our goals of equality faster, and also gain acceptance by straights.

A classic example is gay men who believe that drag queens aren't "good" for our community, or gay men and lesbians who refuse to believe that some of us can actually be bisexual. This sad aspiration of conformity to limited views of sexual identity and gender expression is echoed by the "conditional acceptance" of many narrow-minded straight people who'd like us to remain in the closet, or whose "tolerance" of us is based upon how passive, quiet, "well-behaved," and "straight-acting" we are.

Assimilation into the "mainstream"-- whatever that is-- does not necessarily equate with tolerance, acceptance, or equality. Prejudice is prejudice.

It won't matter whether you're dressed in work clothes or in leather; whether you vote Republican or Democrat; or whether you march in the parade or stay home and watch Martha Stewart on TV from your closet. Prejudice and homophobia are problems with the individual who's prejudiced, not with us. No individual or group-- gay or straight-- should dictate how you should act, look, live, or vote in the name of "what's best" for either you or the GLBT community as a whole.

As if anti-gay bigots who state that our marching in parades is "flaunting our sexuality" weren't bad enough, some members of our community have argued that marching in the parade or wearing gay pride accessories is just shallow symbolism, or a "novelty" that is more important when someone first comes out.

In other words, our community's gains in one area don't necessarily translate to equality in terms of our rights as citizens. We pay just as much tax, even more in many cases, as the average American, but we're treated as second-class citizens. We are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered 365 days a year, and we are deserving of self-love and self-esteem 365 days a year-- not just in June and not just in the safety of a large group. More importantly, our self-esteem and even safety is threatened 365 days a year.

Certainly, anti-gay activists-- with their direct-mail anti-gay campaigns, web sites spouting slanderous information, and violent acts against us-- don't pick just one month out of the year to attack us.
Pride: The Meaning is in the Mind by Jed Ryan - LICK
 
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Gay pride means staying informed about the issues that impact our community, overcoming the complacency that things are okay the way they are and not giving in to inertia by standing up for our rights rather than waiting for somebody else to do so for us.

Gay pride means making sure that the next generation has an easier time in school than we did, has families more accepting of their sexual orientation and gender identity than our families were. Gay pride means changing laws so that same–sex couples receive the same rights and benefits as heterosexual couples and that gays are safe from bashing and can’t be fired from our jobs.

Study history. Learn about the Stonewall Riots and how gay pride parades came to be.
 
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Anti-LGBT Christians have condemned Pride Month as a sinful celebration of debauchery and perversion. They have pointed to the scantily-clad and outrageously-dressed individuals in pride marches as evidence of our nation's moral decay. Fundamentalist Christian protesters have lined the streets holding signs with biblical warnings of how LGBT people will burn in hell for all eternity.

Even mainline Christians who are not overtly hostile to LGBT people often fail to understand the spiritual significance of Pride Month. "Why do they need to wear their sexualities on their sleeves?" many of them ask.

How can we understand LGBT pride to be a blessing and not a sin? As an openly-gay theologian, teacher of theology, and ordained minister, I believe that sin is defined as the way in which, despite our best intentions, we inevitably turn our backs on who God has created us to be -- can also take the opposite form of inordinate self-hate or shame, something that many LGBT people experience from a very early age.

In other words, sin is not just a matter of lifting oneself up too high (as in the case of Satan, the rebellious angels, or Adam and Eve), but it is also a matter of failing to lift oneself up high enough. Many LGBT people have been taught to hide in the shadows as a result of being taunted and tormented by our peers from an early age. We are constantly told that what we do is unnatural and that God hates us.
Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, Ph.D.: The Spiritual Significance of Pride
 
Remind me again how displays of affection such as kissing by straight couples or holding hands or hugging are offensive to Gays but Gay pride parades of nakedness, lewd behavior and intolerance of other views makes you mainstream?

Except for New Orleans none of that is acceptable to straights by straights in parades. Why in hell would you think we would like it if you do it as gays?

It is intolerant disrespectful and should be illegal.
 
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Not sure what you're asking. Too bad for you, Retired Grumpy Face, Gay Pride Parades are legal.

If you don't want to see them, don't go.
 
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Interesting. This just was moved out of religion. Just as I was having a Christian minister explain the spiritual significance of gay pride parades.
 
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