What exactly is the purpose of this behavior? Why do people take their kids to such an event??
It's gross and disgusting IN PUBLIC. Period. And if you see nothing wrong with this...something is wrong with you.
Such displays are personal and private between the two people who love each other...whether it is man man or woman woman or man woman. It is not for public display. So their message is lost due to the antics of some truly warped individuals.
The purpose pride parades is to send out the message to gay people still in the closet that there is a place in which you can be openly be gay, even flamboyantly so, without fear. This seems like a simple message, and if you are not yourself part of this community it would be easy to undervalue it.
It is important to understand that even today many homosexuals grow up in communities and families that lack tolerance and understanding for who they are. Coming out of the closet, carries with it the fear of being disowned by friends and family. In this context many homosexual youths, begin to feel that they will never be able to be who they are. This is a significant contributor to the horrifying rate of suicide and depression among homosexual teens.
The parades are a loud and vibrant demonstration that not all places share the close minded and bigoted views that these kids are growing up with. It shows them that if they can deal with the stress for a few years they will be able to move to another place and finally be able to be who they are and expect to be accepted for it. This is a huge light at the end of the tunnel for many people who are currently experiencing immense self hatred and suffering. This is easily worth any of the backlash that occurs, especially when you factor that much of that backlash is actually only from people who never would have supported gay rights in the first place.
One of the misconceptions is that Pride is inherently sexual. It’s definitely not. While some Pride parades and festivities highlight freedom of sexual expression, Pride is not an inherently sexual event. Most Pride festivals have community guidelines in order to keep Pride parades and festivals acceptable for all ages. These guidelines often include dress codes, where and when alcohol can be consumed, and if there are any adult-only events. Generally the web sites about pride make it very clear as what to expect so parents can judge for themselves.