[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Zizu

I explained thoroughly.. we weren’t following them around… simply passing them repeatedly in the supermarket isles as you do sometimes

We occasionally see an friend and then bump into them numerous times walking around the supermarket

Also, I purposefully avoided any eye contact because one of them seemed to be a tad twitchy / hyper ..

Tbf I've had that happen sometimes as well.

I tend to feel bad for the other person because they probably think I'm being a creep.

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

The Far Right always love to play that card.

Yes they do, particularly in the US. And of course, if they really cared about children they'd do something about the very preventable leading cause of deaths in kids in the U.S which is gun-related violence. But they don't actually care about children's safety, so they don't care about gun control - just control of women's bodies and gay people existing in society.

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

Public lewdness is a possibility at the Hetro Awareness event.

I will say, I don't agree with some of the more extreme (albeit rare) half-nakedness in some Pride parades - I think Pride Parades should be a fun thing for all the family to watch and so should be age-appropriate.

There is an element of showcasing kinks sometimes and I think that has its place, but in an adults-only environment.

Having said that, I've attended a few parades over the years and the most extreme I have seen are a a few guys wearing leather trousers and leather waistcoats and a few people with pup masks on... it's not anything explicit (you'd see more flesh on a beach and the leather has never been revealing!) and to a kid the pup masks would be totally innocent, but I can absolutely see why some might take umbrage with it.

However, Prides aren't new and so while I think it wouldn't hurt to tame a couple of aspects down a little, nobody is being forced to watch. If someone thinks it inappropriate for their child, they're free not to attend. People know what to expect.

But your point is correct - the idea straight people can't be lewd is ridiculous.

[Ammi]

….I'm not going to join this discussion but for @BBXX ….I was reading this …

‘Straight pride events in the past have had a woefully sad history. In 2019 a group called Happy Fun America held one in Boston where counter-protesters far outnumbered those marching. The same was true at an concurrent event in California. And what could be considered the start of the movement occurred in 2015 in Seattle when activist Anthony Rebello promoted a Straight Pride parade. LGBTQNation writes "he invited thousands of people via Facebook, writing: 'In the name of equality & equal rights, I have created this event to celebrate our right to be heterosexual, and to encourage younger heterosexuals that they should be proud of their heterosexuality.'"

At the parade, he marched alone with a hand-held cardboard sign.’

…so in regards to any funding/sponsorship as you and Benjamin have said…it obviously doesn’t have that wide belief in its motivation …(…atm…)…to have that and is presumably a very small minority….

[Livia]

I've been to Pride events in the past. I would not take my kids, I don't think what I saw would be appropriate for young kids. So, and in line with BBXX's advice, I know what to expect and will stay away. Pity people can't have the same attitude with this straight pride event.

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Livia

I've been to Pride events in the past. I would not take my kids, I don't think what I saw would be appropriate for young kids. So, and in line with BBXX's advice, I know what to expect and will stay away. Pity people can't have the same attitude with this straight pride event.

I agree with this, grown men in thongs and gimp masks are not the kind of thing kids should be around. But because I have seen this multiple times I know not to take kids to it. I think sometimes people do expect it to be family friendly tho and take kids without knowing what will be there. I genuinely do not understand why playing out kinks in public has anything to do with lgbt pride..

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Ammi

….I'm not going to join this discussion but for @BBXX ….I was reading this …

‘Straight pride events in the past have had a woefully sad history. In 2019 a group called Happy Fun America held one in Boston where counter-protesters far outnumbered those marching. The same was true at an concurrent event in California. And what could be considered the start of the movement occurred in 2015 in Seattle when activist Anthony Rebello promoted a Straight Pride parade. LGBTQNation writes "he invited thousands of people via Facebook, writing: 'In the name of equality & equal rights, I have created this event to celebrate our right to be heterosexual, and to encourage younger heterosexuals that they should be proud of their heterosexuality.'"

At the parade, he marched alone with a hand-held cardboard sign.’

…so in regards to any funding/sponsorship as you and Benjamin have said…it obviously doesn’t have that wide belief in its motivation …(…atm…)…to have that and is presumably a very small minority….

LOL, that's funny. I would say I hope he was suitably embarrassed but that would require a level of emotional intelligence and self awareness I don't think someone organising such a thing would be able to comprehend.

A straight pride will never gather mainstream popularity because most people have a basic level of education which enables them to understand that pride isn't about celebrating men having sex with men, it's about celebrating turning the tide on historical prejudices, discriminatory laws, decades of widespread homophobia and mistreatment as well as continuing campaigning for certain issues still taking place across the World.

It would be mighty odd for straight pride to really exist in any widespread capacity when none of that applies to heterosexuality.

However I will see it's also strange for this man, who is so devout in his religion is goes by the word of God whatever God says (lol yeah right) would create a pride-based celebration of sexuality when pRiDe iS a sIn.

It's almost like, once again, he doesn't actually care about the teachings of God, just the ones that make him feel icky for some reason he can't put his finger on.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by BBXX

LOL, that's funny. I would say I hope he was suitably embarrassed but that would require a level of emotional intelligence and self awareness I don't think someone organising such a thing would be able to comprehend.

A straight pride will never gather mainstream popularity because most people have a basic level of education which enables them to understand that pride isn't about celebrating men having sex with men, it's about celebrating turning the tide on historical prejudices, discriminatory laws, decades of widespread homophobia and mistreatment as well as continuing campaigning for certain issues still taking place across the World.

It would be mighty odd for straight pride to really exist in any widespread capacity when none of that applies to heterosexuality.

However I will see it's also strange for this man, who is so devout in his religion is goes by the word of God whatever God says (lol yeah right) would create a pride-based celebration of sexuality when pRiDe iS a sIn.

It's almost like, once again, he doesn't actually care about the teachings of God, just the ones that make him feel icky for some reason he can't put his finger on.

…see, the/any religious connection has great relevancy for me because I was brought up as a Catholic and always had the mindset instilled on me that God/Jesus Christ was all loving …but actually I was actually just now deep in thought, not specifically about any Pride celebrations as such but how there still isn’t an equality of love …my specific thoughts were of some work colleagues and how I recall one year we had two staff marriages celebrated one year, a few years back…?…one was a heterosexual union and the other was a homosexual….long story short, for the heterosexual wedding, the bride was allowed at the school to show a beautiful photograph album of special the day and say…’this is my husband’….with the homosexual wedding…?…he wasn’t allowed to do the same with his year group and always advised to stay vague in his introduction of his partner at any school events…’this is a friend’, type thing….anyway, not related to the topic but just pondering why some things are very rightfully celebrated…

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

Tbf I've had that happen sometimes as well.

I tend to feel bad for the other person because they probably think I'm being a creep.

Yes it can actually be embarrassing after the 4th or 5th time as you run out of funny things to say

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

I agree with this, grown men in thongs and gimp masks are not the kind of thing kids should be around. But because I have seen this multiple times I know not to take kids to it. I think sometimes people do expect it to be family friendly tho and take kids without knowing what will be there. I genuinely do not understand why playing out kinks in public has anything to do with lgbt pride..

It's a very complex subject - 'Kink culture' has always been part of the LGBT community and has been part of Pride since it's inception, and hiding it away at an event meant to shine a light on the community feels counter productive.

While I think Pride Parades are a great opportunity for families to enjoy and support and for gay kids to feel part of something, that's just my personal opinion, and as a result I would feel it best it be all-age-appropriate.

However, it's important to remember Pride started as a riot and a protest and for most of history has been just that - it's never been a family-friendly event up until more recently, and there is a complexity in 'toning down' the reality of the event to suit a heteronormative society...

Here is a good article on it: https://www.businessinsider.com/kink...history-2021-6

I guess a perfect balance would be to have some family friendly acts/activities early on during a pride festival, and then the pride parade be for adults only.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by BBXX

It's a very complex subject - 'Kink culture' has always been part of the LGBT community and has been part of Pride since it's inception, and hiding it away at an event meant to shine a light on the community feels counter productive.

While I think Pride Parades are a great opportunity for families to enjoy and support and for gay kids to feel part of something, that's just my personal opinion, and as a result I would feel it best it be all-age-appropriate.

However, it's important to remember Pride started as a riot and a protest and for most of history has been just that - it's never been a family-friendly event up until more recently, and there is a complexity in 'toning down' the reality of the event to suit a heteronormative society...

Here is a good article on it: https://www.businessinsider.com/kink...history-2021-6

I guess a perfect balance would be to have some family friendly acts/activities early on during a pride festival, and then the pride parade be for adults only.

…yeah, I know that it’s not something that came about as a family friendly event but because things do evolve and because it is such a celebration and it is promoted by many retailers etc…it would be nice if all organisers and councils etc could get together and blend a celebration that was felt to be inclusive to all as you say…

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Zizu

I explained thoroughly.. we weren’t following them around… simply passing them repeatedly in the supermarket isles as you do sometimes

We occasionally see an friend and then bump into them numerous times walking around the supermarket

Also, I purposefully avoided any eye contact because one of them seemed to be a tad twitchy / hyper … and not staring just casual people watching as you do

Probably best not to labour the point Zizu but it's not that you were observing/noticing people that's an issue, it's that you thought about them so intently that you formed an entire (fictional!) narrative about them in your head that was largely rooted in them being a gay couple and then relayed it on here, for unknown reasons.

And it's being viewed into the context of the other scathing, disparaging, critical , often borderline aggressive, comments you've made directed at women (mostly young women) in the past. Your past comments make me skeptical about your intent. That's how social interaction works.

[arista]

[A local restaurant owner is organizing
the Boise event after hosting a
“Heterosexual Awesomeness Month” last year.]

What a Spiffing Idea
to keep his Restaurant alive.

[Maru]

Originally Posted by BBXX

Yes they do, particularly in the US. And of course, if they really cared about children they'd do something about the very preventable leading cause of deaths in kids in the U.S which is gun-related violence. But they don't actually care about children's safety, so they don't care about gun control - just control of women's bodies and gay people existing in society.

Trust me when I say, the more people in the US experience this kind of outlandish view in the real world, they instinctively cling harder to their rights. This includes many liberal folk as well. We're not taught "protect gun rights at all costs"; We're taught to protect ALL rights at all costs. So yes, we know what we are actually hearing lol. It often comes from the same people who don't believe we can be left alone to follow good conscience and that curtailing Free Speech, Gun Rights and everything else is the easiest way to solve society's ills. Even though the West is declining on the whole culturally, so it's obviously not that simple, and it's one of the main reasons I like reading what people have to say here in SD about other parts of the world.

On just 1st Amendment alone, there is no right or left America. That doesn't exist. So it's odd to make protecting 2nd into being part of a one-sided political boogieman when it's considered a fundamental part of 1st. That's the reason for its order in the Constitution.

On the politicization of children, the media loves to focus on these arguments because it upsets political fringes. However, that's not fair to most people who still very comfortably can get along well and agree to hold key views in common. My experience has always been in a vast majority of cases that people do very much care about "the kids" and there isn't some enlightened monopoly that happens to "care more". No pun intended, but these are the arguments of a child.

My biggest hope is that my children enjoy the same rights I have another 200 years from now. We enjoy a prosperous life in the West by comparison to many nations (and especially history) and I think people lose sight of this. I am blessed every day I live where I do. So I am not going to give up a life and a philosophy I hold dear because of a few toasty memes or what trolls might write online on some media website out of boredom. It's amusing how many people think this is enough to make people switch. Obviously this isn't nearly sufficient or elections would be much easier to decide individually. But yeah, the above is non-negotiable for most Americans and the illusion that this is somehow a big one-sided political controversy here is very interesting to me...

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by arista

What a Spiffing Idea

Calm down, Admiral.

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by BBXX

It's a very complex subject - 'Kink culture' has always been part of the LGBT community and has been part of Pride since it's inception, and hiding it away at an event meant to shine a light on the community feels counter productive.

What is actually achieved by parading the kinks in public? It certainly doesn't normalise same-sex relationships.

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

What is actually achieved by parading the kinks in public? It certainly doesn't normalise same-sex relationships.

Why is someone's sexual kink a deciding factor on whether their relationship is normal or not?

I think there needs to be consideration that LGBT peoples relationship with their own sexual activity is a complex and complicated one, hence the public promotion of it during Pride.

Sex, and as a result kinks, have played a part in Pride events historically because our entire sexual activity was outlawed. Promoting a part of gay sexual culture such as kinks was originally as a protest to the fact that it was illegal for gay people to have sex - of any kind, kink or not.

Kinks are, for many gay people, a part of gay culture and so at an event celebrating gay culture, in it's many, many facets, it stands to reason these are represented.

We are normal, in the sense we are just the same on an individual level as anyone else, but that's not to say that there are aspects of the culture of LGBT people that aren't different to societal norms.

Pride is not about showing the gay community in their most heteronormative state, just so society see us as what they deem to be "normal".

[Livia]

When do the heterosexuals get to parade their perversions in daylight on public streets? I mean, it's not just gays who like to get freaky...

Does anyone want to see it anyway?

No.

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Livia

When do the heterosexuals get to parade their perversions in daylight on public streets? I mean, it's not just gays who like to get freaky...

Does anyone want to see it anyway?

No.

Todays Headlines: Woman who doesn't actually care there isn't a straight pride parade pretends it's unfair they don't get one, and gets mad about the content of a gay pride parade she won't be going to watch anyway.

Next Up: Woman who doesn't care she doesn't have a cat is mad others do.

Sometimes when I don't understand something because I lack the experience and knowledge of the subject, I tend not to have such strong opinions on it, but that's just me

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by BBXX

Todays Headlines: Woman who doesn't actually care there isn't a straight pride parade pretends it's unfair they don't get one, and gets mad about the content of a gay pride parade she won't be going to watch anyway.

Next Up: Woman who doesn't care she doesn't have a cat is mad others do.

Sometimes when I don't understand something because I lack the experience and knowledge of the subject, I tend not to have such strong opinions on it, but that's just me

Straight people have kinks too, but don't feel the need to parade them for all to see - why should LGBT people? Why can't (daytime and public) Pride events be family-friendly?

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

Straight people have kinks too, but don't feel the need to parade them for all to see - why should LGBT people? Why can't (daytime and public) Pride events be family-friendly?

You get extroverts in all walks of life. Not just the homosexuals. I believe the majority of homosexuals are there for nostalgia and a good time. It's the extremists that let them down. But they're the ones who seem to grab the headlines.

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

Straight people have kinks too, but don't feel the need to parade them for all to see - why should LGBT people? Why can't (daytime and public) Pride events be family-friendly?

I’ve explained why I think kinks are part of pride festivals above.

If parents find it inappropriate for children, they don’t need to take them in the same way they probably wouldn’t walk them through the Red Light District for example (entire streets open 24/7 where heterosexual women are near enough naked on display ready for heterosexual men to pay to sleep with them).

The pride parade is an 2 hour event in a city centre once a year. It’s not difficult to avoid.

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by Alf

You get extroverts in all walks of life. Not just the homosexuals. I believe the majority of homosexuals are there for nostalgia and a good time. It's the extremists that let them down. But they're the ones who seem to grab the headlines.

Hm, maybe so.

I've never actually been to a Pride parade (don't revoke my Gay Card!) but more because I can't be bothered, more than any moral objection

[Beso]

Originally Posted by BBXX

It's a very complex subject - 'Kink culture' has always been part of the LGBT community and has been part of Pride since it's inception, and hiding it away at an event meant to shine a light on the community feels counter productive.

While I think Pride Parades are a great opportunity for families to enjoy and support and for gay kids to feel part of something, that's just my personal opinion, and as a result I would feel it best it be all-age-appropriate.

However, it's important to remember Pride started as a riot and a protest and for most of history has been just that - it's never been a family-friendly event up until more recently, and there is a complexity in 'toning down' the reality of the event to suit a heteronormative society...

Here is a good article on it: https://www.businessinsider.com/kink...history-2021-6

I guess a perfect balance would be to have some family friendly acts/activities early on during a pride festival, and then the pride parade be for adults only.

Hi.


What age are these gay kids you mentioned?

[Maru]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

Hm, maybe so.

I've never actually been to a Pride parade (don't revoke my Gay Card!) but more because I can't be bothered, more than any moral objection

I have been to them and I've drawn a conclusion it's just part of the culture of them...

In the US we have Mardi Gras, which is a parade that is family safe at first that people bring kids to. They throw beads from the floats and the women are dressed really lewd. When it ends the families run off and that's when the tits come out (literally) within 20-45 minutes, so relatively quick . That's the main attraction and you have to flash people to get beads. And there's plenty of things at the shops that are highly visible, for example, you can buy like cocks and boobs hanging from necklaces (if you like penis humor, they are great). It's very similar to some of the art that is shown at Pride here, but people take their kids to this one? Mardis Gras is much worse imo, but maybe Houston Pride is tamer by comparison. Even some parts of anime conventions are worse and they also attract kids to them...