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"“This will be a family activity,” he said. “This is not a bikini contest. This is a bikini parade. Families can participate — mothers, daughters, that type of thing. This is a tremendous, top-notch promotional activity."
In fairness, having seen some pride parades in my day....they have aspects that in no way would compare to a binkini parade. I even have known some gays that don't like the arseless chaps, exhibitionists etc. element to some of the parades and from what I understand they've been cleaned up and gone more mainstream in years.
Did you know that NAMBLA (pedo organization) actually used to march in some of the very early parades?
Pride parades can be fun and clean just like if you go up to Sturgis you wouldn't want to bring your kids or they'd see a whole lot of adult situations.
Truth be told, I'd be hesitant to take kids to a pride parade unless I knew it was a cleaned up version.
First off, I know about raunchy events like the New Orleans Mardi Gras. I went there one year and never again. The majority of Louisiana's Mardi Gras is nothing like New Orleans. Most are family friendly with the exception of the drinking some do before, during, and after the parades.
If these events are about gay pride, then why do some act like trash? There's difference between pride in your community and dressing like you're going to an S&M dungeon on the street. I've nothing against those who dress in drag,...heck, some are dressed with more class than young Hollywood starlets today.
All of the people that I know conduct themselves very well, but we can't very well close it off to people who look or dress a certain way, nor would we want to. I think that we should keep in mind that some of the gay population has been subject to separation, isolation from their families and/or compounded with drug addiction,etc. Some just revel in "being different" after being told for so long by society in general that they must conform to some ideal. That is something that should be embraced. It's only one day a year you know.
I personally haven't been to New Orleans for Mardi Gras yet. I think I might like it. Maybe a little raunchy but wacky, wild and festive from what I've heard.
Here in Philly we have the Mummer's Parade on New Years Day. There are a lot of - I assume straight guys like firemen and cheesesteak restaurant operators - dressed in awful drag and dancing down the streets looking kinda silly. But it's all in good fun. Thousands go to this parade and join in the revelry.
The annual gay pride parade is rather dignified by comparison. Yes, there are a contingent of Lesbians on motorcycles and there is a group of guys known as "bears" ... big, burly, usually bearded men, with very hairy chests showing off their hirsuteness. On the other hand most of the marching groups are pretty boring like LGBT computer geeks, gay accountants, Lesbian housewives, gay Buddhist monks, fans of "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," etc.
Lesbians on motorcycles are clean. Plenty of women, gay and straight, enjoy riding. Nothing wrong with that. I do laugh at some of their "Bowzer of Sha-Na-Na" look (T-shirt with cigarettes rolled in the sleeve and slick wet look hair). Be careful of the New Orleans Mardi Gras. There have been shootings and killings a lot lately during their Mardi Gras. Many locals leave town if they can afford to do so. Try visiting outside the Mardi GRAS season. I like our local Mardi Gras because it's cleaner. I do wish they'd reserve their drinking for home or the bar instead of the parade. There's one town that does the classic traditional Mardi GRAS the old Canun way. They get in traditional costumes, go door to door asking for donations, people donate a live chicken or pig, the riders in costume have to catch the animal in the mud, it's a horse trail ride, and at the end is a big gumbo cookout with live music and dancing.
Lesbians on motorcycles are clean. Plenty of women, gay and straight, enjoy riding. Nothing wrong with that. I do laugh at some of their "Bowzer of Sha-Na-Na" look (T-shirt with cigarettes rolled in the sleeve and slick wet look hair). Be careful of the New Orleans Mardi Gras. There have been shootings and killings a lot lately during their Mardi Gras. Many locals leave town if they can afford to do so. Try visiting outside the Mardi GRAS season. I like our local Mardi Gras because it's cleaner. I do wish they'd reserve their drinking for home or the bar instead of the parade. There's one town that does the classic traditional Mardi GRAS the old Canun way. They get in traditional costumes, go door to door asking for donations, people donate a live chicken or pig, the riders in costume have to catch the animal in the mud, it's a horse trail ride, and at the end is a big gumbo cookout with live music and dancing.
The "old Cajun way" you are speaking of is actually French, dating back to medieval times.
We dont have Mardi Gras where I come from from in the Mid-Mississippi Valley, but this tradition we do have is the same one you are speaking of; La Guiannee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Some act like trash at Mardi Gras, which is, essentially, a religious pride event. Been there once, and that was more than enough for ten lifetimes. It was pretty nasty. I wouldn't plan a family vacation around that. Mardi Gras makes the gay pride parade that passes down my street every year, look puritanical. Lesbians on Harleys, some gay muscle guys in a hot tub float advertising a bar, lesbians in muscle cars, some more gay guys on some float wearing speedos, more lesbians on bikes, some bears, the local congressman in a Mercedes convertible. Blah. It doesn't smell like booze either.
If you actually see an event in person (rather than whatever newspaper picks out the three most eerily dressed people as an example of what an event looks like), you'd understand.
First off, I know about raunchy events like the New Orleans Mardi Gras. I went there one year and never again. The majority of Louisiana's Mardi Gras is nothing like New Orleans. Most are family friendly with the exception of the drinking some do before, during, and after the parades.
If these events are about gay pride, then why do some act like trash? There's difference between pride in your community and dressing like you're going to an S&M dungeon on the street. I've nothing against those who dress in drag,...heck, some are dressed with more class than young Hollywood starlets today.
Sadly, what often remains clear is how incredibly naive some straight people remain when it comes to many gay issues. Since there is no education allowed in our schools, that merely mentions gay/homosexual citizens or culture, people grow up into adulthood clueless about so many gay concerns. First of all, despite what the media information about civil rights marches, and other parades in history, gay pride parades in most cities are the biggest parades ever held. In NYC the gay pride parade lasts for many hours (at least 5 or 6) and have millions of people...yes, millions participating, and watching. The streets are packed from one end of Manhattan all the way down to the west village. Other large metro areas are very similar. Traditionally, the media seems always focus on the most eccentric members of the parade. It's about ratings, you can see thousands of boring, average looking gay people, that sadly do not look any different than your average dressed straight person, and unfortuntately, these people are just not that interesting....because, they look to normal, and too average...read: boring. Sure, the cameras will pan across the gay officers action league and show gay police officers, and gay firefighters, but that coverage only usually lasts a couple of seconds. They'll show gay clergy and many of their parishoners marching, along with college contingents from various colleges and universities marching, but guess what....they are BORING...read: too average, too normal...most of all; not stereotypical of what straight people believe, or want to believe about homosexual people, and thus the media is not interested. What people are looking for is the extravagant; the outlandish drag queens, the go go boys that have worked tirelessly on their physiques so they can ride a float, maybe wearing a very itsy bitsy speedo, or g-string. And those few, usually young closeted people who must act out all their pent up sexually frustrated energy, and wear some other kind of costume. And oh yes, gay people, like straight people do like to celebrate, often go over the top, and drink alcohol which can alter their behavior. If you are a straight person, please don't judge our community from some cursory look at a few clips on the local news, or even watching bits and pieces of a parade live, then deciding you want to leave before someone you know sees you taking an interest. Go to a pride rally, and enjoy the entertainment; assuming you can allow yourself. Nobody, said we don't have members of our community that detract from our people, or our fight for equality. We're not different than other groups of people in the respect. But, it is especially difficult, when you are part of a minority, that is unlike other minorities, "invisible." So, people in every day life see people, they don't know, or want to believe are gay. They just wait for a gay pride event, focus on a few eccentric characters and say, "I told you so."
There is no phenomena so widespread as homosexuality, that is so poorly understood by the majority.
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