Gay prides doesn`t lead towards more tolerant society

Thanks, Pro. Pro begins, "Is marching through main streets of major cities while being offended from bystanders really boosting your self acceptance?" The answer is yes. We have no proof that onlookers are offended. If someone is "offended" by scantily clad gay men then they should probably not attend. I've also pointed out that it would be entirely illegal for people to get naked the way Pro has depicted (from the Netherlands parade). Most people who go out to celebrate the parade are gay themselves and therefore aren't offended. On the other hand, they DO feel acceptance because they feel they don't have to hide who they are even if they choose not to dress and act vulgarly. I've mentioned how it's human nature to want to feel accepted and that's what the Pride parade is all about. It's about not feeling like the minority for ONE day a year. This event helps with "acceptance" as it even allows closeted people to embrace their sexuality because of all the in-yer-face sexuality surrounding the event itself. Next Pro writes, "Watching gay parades makes me ask - who are they and why are they doing it? ...We can't pretend that their actions doesn`t affect other people as well." So I ask - who is this affecting? Like I said, if someone becomes offended then they simply need not attend the event. I've explained why parades exist and the mentality behind them by quoting the architects of these events themselves. Moreover I've explained how these events are not and should not be the basis of gay rights. Gays deserve equal rights because they're human beings. Even if some choose to go crazy at these parades, it's no different then straight people still having rights despite their antics at other parades and events. Are strip clubs not an embarrassment to many straight people? Are the going-ons at frat parties not an embarrassment to some straight people? Yet we don't use these actions to undermine the equal rights that all human beings should have. Just because a straight man might like to see naked women doesn't mean he's less deserving of equal rights. Similarly, if a gay man wants to enjoy naked men, it doesn't mean they're less deserving of rights either. Pro states, "But there are a lot of people who perceive these parades as an attack... Their actions [homosexuals] are so aggressive and extravert that it alomost seems they want everybody to become homosexual." Quite simply, this is a load of crap (no offense). Anyone who thinks this way is just an unfortunate individual with no capability for logic and reason. Since when are parades an attack? Is the Easter parade an attack on Islam? Is the Puerto Rican parade an attack on American culture? Is the Thanksgiving Day parade an attack on turkeys? Come on. Parades are for celebration - not politics. It's absolutely non-sensical to suggest that a gay parade has the intention of recruiting homosexuals (which is not even possible; you can't force yourself to be gay if you're not). Pro notes, "But when I talk with other people I see that they perceive the parades this way - 'Oh, these homosexuals want us to feel bad just because we don`t like them? Screw them!'" Well, as I said, it's probably true that these parades are the result of a backlash based on the fact that gays are not tolerated in society. "After centuries of oppression as an 'invisible' segment of society, gays, emboldened by the 1969 Stonewall uprising, took to the streets in the early '70s with an 'in-your-face' attitude. Confronting the worst prejudices of a world that didn't accept them, they fought back against these prejudices with exaggeration and parody, reclaiming their enemies' worst stereotypes about them and turning them into symbols of gay pride. Thirty years later, gays have won far greater acceptance in the world at large, but they keep doing this stuff anyway" [1]. Pro continues, "People feel that message from gay community is - Don`t say anything bad about us otherwise you will be called homophobic and narrow-minded person because being gay is so cool these days." Once again, this is BS. First, it's not COOL to be gay. Being gay is still highly stigmatized. Being gay DRASTICALLY affects your life for the negative. Second, indeed if one says bad things about someone *just because* they're gay then of course they're going to be called homophobic! Isn't that what the definition of homophobic is? Condemning someone on the basis of their homosexuality? Pro concludes, "Most people accept homosexuality and there is no need to organize parades like propaganda for sexual freedom." I disagree. Most people do NOT accept homosexuality. If that were true, I'd be allowed to legally marry my girlfriend. If that were true, it would not be such an awkward endeavor to "come out" to every new person I meet. If that were true, we wouldn't have ridiculous laws that prevent gays from being honest in the military. So, while I WISH this were true, it's just not. These parades aren't propaganda; they're celebrations. And just as the content may sometimes be inappropriate, again it's NO different then what goes on at the Mardi Gras parades which does not cause shame for heterosexuals and Christians as a whole, nor does it affect their capacity for legal standing in the eyes of the law. Pro's final note is, "I would like to see mutual respect from both sides - homosexuals (no being so showy) and society (as being tolerant)." That's an excellent point. However, being "showy" is not applicable to all gays, and once again heterosexuals are also showy. It's important to judge the individuals for this behavior and not the group as a whole (which I've explained). It's not gay people's job to look the part, dress the part and make straight people feel "comfortable enough" to give them equal rights. That should be automatic. If one has a problem with the events that occur at Pride, they SHOULDN'T GO, similar to how people avoid going to Mardi Gras if they don't feel like being exposed to the event's debauchery. So back to how these parades foster tolerance: At these events, many LGBT activist groups get exposure for both recruitment and press. These organizations have been successful in assisting many openly LGBT political candidates, LGBT teens in school and college, LGBT-headed families, same-sex marriages and relationships, and the media is becoming increasingly more LGBT-friendly [2]. At these parades, gays out the companies that are anti-gay friendly which brings media exposure to their discrimination (such as various hotels that have been known to act anti-gay). To save face, many companies have changed their behavior and policies to avoid the backlash. Sociologist Mary Bernstein notes that cultural goals for gays include challenging dominant constructions of masculinity and femininity [3]. So, the dress and activity visible at these events help demonstrate those ideals. Most importantly, this event brings people together. History shows us that direct activism and EXPOSURE to a cause is what garners results. The pride parade makes these things possible. For instance, this year the Stanley Cup was on display at a Blackhawks themed float in Chicago's Pride parade. Support from sports teams (the Cubs also had a float) makes straight people more comfortable with offering their support, because they see other noteworthy and "normal" organizations supporting gay people as well. These parades also reflect a tolerant society. For instance, it was a big deal when these parades were first able to be held in places like Asia. In many of these countries, LGBT organizations remain illegal, and homosexual activists face extreme opposition from the state. These parades indicate changing times and views. More in the next round :) [1] NYU history professor Dr. Henry Thorne [2] http://gaylife.about.com... [3] http://en.wikipedia.org...