Gai Pride

[jomifl]

A nearby town has a 'gai pride'(it is in France) march today. What's to be proud of? if the gais had acheived gaidom after a lifetime of effort then it would be understandable but they claim to be born that way. Perhaps I should start a 5' 10" pride march or a shoe size 9 pride march. But what to wear? there's the problem.

[thatsmethatis]

Exactly the same sizes as me, can I join?

[coccinelle]

The Gay Prides are a means for homosexuals to be public about their sexual orientation and not have to hide. 'Proud' to be gay and not ashamed.
By the way which town is it in?

[jomifl]

Coccinelle. I am public about my sexual orientation by wearing men's clothing appropriate to the season and location, ie. I don't wear a singlet in bars (only Aussie men can get away with that).
The town is Valence d'Agen (departement 82)

[Caribeing]

That would be great march everybody who is 5 10 wearing size nine shoes I wonder how many women would be eligible. I can't go too short!

[VHG]

While I am not gay myself I am old enough to remember the era in the past of people going out at night "gay bashing" (or queer bashing as it was then). Finding places where gays meet up and beating them up for the "fun" of it.

I have also read in the past of gay people being blackmailed by ex lovers.

Also the way we treated people like Alan Turing (who worked at Bletchley Park during WW2 on the enigma code and almost invented the programmable computer himself).

He was gay, and when this was found out he was forced to take tablets to reduce his sex drive (and shrivel up his testicles). If he had not taken the tablets he would have gone to prison and not been allowed to work on these secret missions anymore. Eventually he committed suicide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

So these people at gay pride marches are proud of the fact they can now shout out that they are gay without the risk of being beaten up, sent to prison, or being blackmailed.

[Mattk]

As much as I understand why they feel the need to march I feel it also hinders their 'acceptance' into society as you get the, shall we say, more flamboyant characters on show!

[Baldric]

What's to be proud of?
I've been straight for the last 62 years,
I've never felt the need to run down the road shouting about it!

[sandyRoe]

Things have come to a pretty pass if one can't wear 'sensible shoes' without eyebrows being raised.

[jomifl]

I have to confess that I'm being a little disingenuous about my actual height and shoe size as I don't want to be victimised, sorry if I've let anyone down who was having feelings of solidarity with me but Im' really not a 6'10" size 10 kind of guy :o)

[Baldric]

Depends on the heels sandy!

[jomifl]

that should have been size 9 (thinks.. have I given the game away?)

[woofgang]

Why should they care about "acceptance" into society? I am not gay btw but can to a degree understand the issue and i bet many other women can as I was (am) a childless by choice married woman in the seventies. It wasn't illegal but the social pressure was immense. It was lucky for me that my family viewed it as entirely my and my DH's decision, as did my MIL.
I really think that Baldric and jomifli are (deliberately) missing the point

[Baldric]

Ok, and the point is?

[woofgang]

...and there you go again.....

[Baldric]

Oh Dear, 30 minutes down the line and we remain pointless!

[Canary42]

////I've been straight for the last 62 years,
I've never felt the need to run down the road shouting about it! ////

But you do feel it necessary to broadcast it on a worldwide website.

[Baldric]

Am I not entitled to a moment of 'Straight Pride'
or is that only permissible for the Gai population to celebrate their sexuality?

[jomifl]

Apologies to all, the 'gai pride' march is tomorrow, actually drove past the banner slowly enough to read it properly on the way to the shops.

[jomifl]

Perhaps the point is that it is OK for some gays to make a point of their gayness but not OK for anyone else to do the same(I can't be fagged to anyway)

[douglas9401]

Nowt wrong with gay people as a whole but flouncing, screaming queens just rip my knitting.