IMPORTANT NOTE: You do NOT have to register to read, post, listen or contribute. If you simply wish to remain fully anonymous, you can still contribute.
These events make me feel disgust and bemusement. Disgust because I'm heterosexual and the thought of men kissing makes my skin crawl.
The bemusement comes from the title of the events: Pride. If, as homosexuals claim, they were born like that, it's nothing to be proud of. It took no hard work or special effort, just as it's no great achievement for me to be straight: it's just part of who I am, as homosexuality is just part of who the paraders are. I'm very content for everyone to go off and live as they wish but the idea of having a big parade about something so invalid for celebration is nonsensical to me. It's like having a 5'6" parade.
I've much more of a problem with the double standard in taste and decency. The behaviour and attire at these festivals isn't objectionable to me in itself: anyone who doesn't like it can not attend or look the other way. What bothers me is that if the same attire and equivalent behaviour were displayed publicly by male heterosexuals, it would be, and is, considered criminal, probably some kind of public order offence.
Randall wrote: These events make me feel disgust and bemusement. Disgust because I'm heterosexual and the thought of men kissing makes my skin crawl.
The bemusement comes from the title of the events: Pride. If, as homosexuals claim, they were born like that, it's nothing to be proud of. It took no hard work or special effort, just as it's no great achievement for me to be straight: it's just part of who I am, as homosexuality is just part of who the paraders are. I'm very content for everyone to go off and live as they wish but the idea of having a big parade about something so invalid for celebration is nonsensical to me. It's like having a 5'6" parade.
I've much more of a problem with the double standard in taste and decency. The behaviour and attire at these festivals isn't objectionable to me in itself: anyone who doesn't like it can not attend or look the other way. What bothers me is that if the same attire and equivalent behaviour were displayed publicly by male heterosexuals, it would be, and is, considered criminal, probably some kind of public order offence.
Imagine if there was a Heterosexual Day it would be classed as homophobic but no one can help being attracted to opposite sex like they can't with the same sex.
I can't see why anyone would want a parade about preferences?
Why the two minutes of silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month of the year?
Why do people think that gays have achieved everything? Why not march to highlight the fate of many gay people still around the world who continue to be discriminated against, often barbarically?
And whilst I am here, what has sexual preference got to do with T, and why doesn’t the LGBT acronym include a P for minor-attracted individuals?
Randall wrote: These events make me feel disgust and bemusement. Disgust because I'm heterosexual and the thought of men kissing makes my skin crawl.
The bemusement comes from the title of the events: Pride. If, as homosexuals claim, they were born like that, it's nothing to be proud of. It took no hard work or special effort, just as it's no great achievement for me to be straight: it's just part of who I am, as homosexuality is just part of who the paraders are. I'm very content for everyone to go off and live as they wish but the idea of having a big parade about something so invalid for celebration is nonsensical to me. It's like having a 5'6" parade.
I've much more of a problem with the double standard in taste and decency. The behaviour and attire at these festivals isn't objectionable to me in itself: anyone who doesn't like it can not attend or look the other way. What bothers me is that if the same attire and equivalent behaviour were displayed publicly by male heterosexuals, it would be, and is, considered criminal, probably some kind of public order offence.
It is just part of who you are because you were allowed to be who you were. It is not the same for everyone, even now.
... perhaps because they have been discriminated against for several centuries?
I think you've largely hit the nail on the head there, ITK- at least for me.
Let me tell you why these events are important to me. My story is far from unique. I knew I was gay from a very young age, even if I didn't know what that meant. I knew I was emotionally attracted to boys of my age, and in my teens that became sexually attracted too. (It's not a preference Andrew, it's how I am mentally and physically wired).
I endured mental and physical bullying as a boy, which made school a place of fear for me. And then I was thrown out of home and disowned by my whole family when they found compromising letters.
The 80s was a dark time to be gay, with queer-bashing everywhere in the mainstream press. However it had its saving graces, namely in music. When I heard the songs of Bronski Beat, Marc Almond and Morrissey it was a revelation, someone was singing about the same pain and suffering I had experienced. I then tentatively started going to Pride events in London, and Paris when I moved there.
So here is what Pride events mean to me, and I know to a lot of other gay, lesbian and transgender people (as my story is far from unique). When people in your image have been vilified and discriminated against, for centuries as ITK says, when that discrimination spills over into your own life, when the image society sends you of yourself is so negative and almost disgusting, then what you do is this: you take the very thing you are being discriminated for and you express your pride in that very thing others aare using to belittle you. And that's a great comfort, but also empowering.
We have come a long way yes indeed, fortunately. However I still heae of young men and women being ostracised by their families and communities for who are they are and the way they were born. That kind of thing hasn't gone away.
I also think it important to have pride celebrations as a beacon of hope for those in countries where people like me are persecuted and live in fear. I hope they see those processions and celebrations and feel at least a glimmer of hope that one day things will change for them, as they have done for us.
Pride celebrations are also evolving, and are always welcoming of everyboday: gay, lesbian, heterosexual, everybody. It's about diversity and (to me) the uniqueness and worth of every individual, whoever we are.
So again, for me Pride is absolutely about taking something you are being discriminated against, turning that thing right on its head and celebrating it. If heterosexual people feel the need to do that (because it is a need in our case) then by all means do so.
Sorry for rambling on, but I feel personally very connected to this issue. I wasn't going to respond, but when I saw ITK's post I wanted to. It's not very often we see eye to eye, ITK , but I think we do to a certain extent here
Here's the video for Bronski Beat's Smalltown Boy. Very brave for its time, but it was my storey and those of so many others.
Forums 
, but I think we do to a certain extent here 
