Gay Days 2015 - Help me a Dad Out

[butterfly71076]

Buddy Satan?

Love it!!

 

[JoshuaShaw]

 

[lustergirl]

awful lot of pot stirring by the new people lately

 

[jcjen519]

Is it really that hard to say to a child who questions why 2 men or 2 women are kissing/holdinghands, "Sometimes 2 men/women love each other, Susie, just like Mommy and Daddy do." There, short and sweet.

right? This is just our son's understanding of relationships and marriage. It's how it was explained to him by us from day one. He doesn't think anything of seeing two men, a man and a woman or two women in a relationship. We don't have long detailed conversations about it, yet we were able to happen upon a nice couple (two women) getting married in provincetown, mass this summer and our son merely clapped....no questions asked. not that i'd mind questions, children are naturally curious.

 

[slickpoetry]

actually, I honestly just wanted to know if this was like "Night of Joy" where you NOTICED the difference in the crowd or as mentioned before a "Cheer Convention/Competition" done that and they were annoying, wont do it again.

but maybe just maybe I can learn something...

tol·er·ate [tol-uh-reyt]
verb (used with object), tol·er·at·ed, tol·er·at·ing.
1. to allow the existence, presence, practice, or act of without prohibition or hindrance; permit.
2. to endure without repugnance; put up with: I can tolerate laziness, but not incompetence.

I have always considered myself tolerant, as in I don't boycott Disney bc of Gay Days or believe Disney needs to handle it any differently than they do...Whatever. I tolerate some things about my 14 year old that I don't "get" all the time but whatever...he's a good kid. It means I allow it in my life even though I don't like it all the time or understand it all the time or believe in it all the time. Intolerance means I don't accept something or allow it in my life whatsoever.

So, basically am I asking those who ARE NOT the person I am to tolerate me...YES!!! All my quirks and who I am. I am ADD, even as an adult - cant help it. I have 3 windows in my office that the blinds REMAIN shut ALL THE TIME because it could literally cause me to waste an ENTIRE day of work. But my wife tolerates me even when I am jumping from conversation to conversation. Tolerate my conservative, ADD, Christian, over protective Dad self.

I don't think much of these discussions have ANYTHING to do about "tolerance" but being right and proving a point. Maybe if could all just be honest and be more focused tolerance than being right and proving our points --- well, I think we would learn a ton about each other.

Sorry my ADD rant

To be fair, I don't think your OP was that out of line. You wanted a description of what to expect, people gave it to you, and it could have ended there. I have to object to later posters who say something like "I'm not going to tell my children gay people love each other, because it goes against my beliefs" that gets me riled up. That dog don't hunt.

 

[dawnhaze]

I've never been to WDW during Gay Days but I have seen same sex couples kissing and holding hands (at other times of year). If your desire is to avoid your children knowing or asking questions about factual reality, you may want to put them in a bubble until they go to university.

I've also observed opposite sex teens with their hands down each other's pants at Epcot. Your mileage may vary.

 

[MichiganDVC]

I came to DIS today looking for Aulani hurricane threads and got sucked in by the monthly "I'm not homophobic, but should I force my kids to wear blindfolds if we happen to be near WDW during Gay Days?" thread.

 

[butterfly71076]

For SOME people- it is a big deal. For some families- couples are man and woman.

That is what the OP did not want though- people on the board telling him what he should say to his kids and "just get over it"

As as conservative, YUP- my kids have seen women kissing on TV- so yup, they notice it (at 4 and 6)
And I WILL NOT tell them "women love each other too" because that is not in our values. I will however try to keep them away from any ideas of sexuality until they are old enough to understand and until then. It is hard enough to talk to your 6 year old about teenage moms...why add gay people to that conversation- that is what the OP was saying I think-
The OP pretty much sounds like he wanted to know if it was going to be an uncomfortable place where his children will see something on more occasions than just walking down the street.
I also would not go if there was a "teen couples day" because there are things in our family that we just don't glorify.

For my family, it is a big deal and we won't go in June.
If the idea of a heterosexual man wanting to protect his kids makes you feel uncomfortable, then don't read a post from a conservative standpoint

Curious as to what show your kids were watching that had 2 women kissing? From my experience, kids that age notice things because they are pointed out to them. People aren't born intolerant, it's taught to them.

 

[Reddog1134]

Why would they ever "worry about it?" Did you "worry" about homosexuality when you were a kid? Let me let you in on a little secret...kids who are "worried" about homosexuality are probably gay and terrified that parents (like you) will kick them out of the house.

When he says "worry" I think he means it's not a concern in their lives right now. Not that it's a topic to be "worried about".

 

[plumsiren]

I've never been to WDW during Gay Days but I have seen same sex couples kissing and holding hands. If your desire is to avoid your children knowing or asking questions about factual reality, you may want to put them in a bubble until they go to university.

This is what I just fundamentally don't understand. We exist! You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube! What do you do when your child sees a man give another man a quick peck on the lips - pretend there's nothing there and that the kid only imagined it?

I came to DIS today looking for Aulani hurricane threads and got sucked in by the monthly "I'm not homophobic, but should I force my kids to wear blindfolds if we happen to be near WDW during Gay Days?" thread.

 

[cleophus12]

Dad, OP, we have been several times during this time of year and hardly noticed a difference at all. I don't think you should let it determine how you schedule your trip--except for the recommended park days for Gay Days--and even then just because that park may be more crowded.

 

[MichiganDVC]

When he says "worry" I think he means it's not a concern in their lives right now. Not that it's a topic to be "worried about".

I don't think you're getting the big picture, here. "Worry," "concern," or whatever word you want to use all mean the same thing. Again, I ask why a homosexuality would be a concern to a 5 year old? It doesn't affect them at all, so what's the harm in acknowledging it?

Unless, of course, the OP thinks that his kids will turn gay if they see gay people at an early age??

 

[Benbuck6]

To be fair, I don't think your OP was that out of line. You wanted a description of what to expect, people gave it to you, and it could have ended there. I have to object to later posters who say something like "I'm not going to tell my children gay people love each other, because it goes against my beliefs" that gets me riled up. That dog don't hunt.

I got riled up because people assumed something about me that could or could not be true and began to throw around words and give opinions on child raising...I shouldn't have.

My kids DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT GAY/STRAIGHT IS - the younger ones. I DONT WANT THEM TO until an appropriate age which is not that old and IF we were thrown the curve ball of dealing with the question, which I get, for some of you is not a big deal...I wouldn't want it to in an OVERWHELMING situation. My 14 year asked when he was about 8 when the lesbian couple next door twin boys started coming to the house a bunch and after a few weeks it dawned on him they had 2 moms...we talked about it and NOTHING changed...OMG!!! sorry I brought it up now, just because I have truly seen some very hate filled responses - I didn't know THAT still was out there.

 

[Reddog1134]

I don't think you're getting the big picture, here. "Worry," "concern," or whatever word you want to use all mean the same thing. Again, I ask why a homosexuality would be a concern to a 5 year old? It doesn't affect them at all, so what's the harm in acknowledging it?

Unless, of course, the OP thinks that his kids will turn gay if they see gay people at an early age??

Maybe "concern" was a poor choice because it CAN mean "worry". I, however, was referring to this definition:

"a matter of interest or importance to someone."

Sexual relationships (hetero or homosexual) aren't generally a "matter of interest" for 5 year olds.

 

[MichiganDVC]

Maybe "concern" was a poor choice because it CAN mean "worry". I, however, was referring to this definition:

"a matter of interest or importance to someone."

Sexual relationships (hetero or homosexual) aren't generally a "matter of interest" for 5 year olds.

Exactly. So avoiding Gay Days at WDW because it might make young kids uncomfortable and ask questions they are too young to understand the answers to might seem silly, no?

 

[tajz90]

Crazy as it seems, WDW let's gays in every day of the year! Avoiding gay days won't keep the gay away!

 

[Reddog1134]

Exactly. So avoiding Gay Days at WDW because it might make young kids uncomfortable and ask questions they are too young to understand the answers to might seem silly, no?

Maybe I missed it but did the OP say he was staying away from Gay Days?

 

[linzjane88]

So from a mildly (extremely) sheltered small town Dis'er (no judgement, I just don't have a poker face and tend to get this face when seeing something out of my norm.... And sometimes this : At this point my husband usually reminds me that people can indeed see me and that I should return my face to normal )

Gone twice, both in my teens. I remember seeing a guy that was probably 6'3 wearing short cutoff shorts with a sparkly buckle that said "Brian", a girl that had to be no more than 16 wearing a shirt that said "Dip me in chocolate and throw m to the lesbians", and a handful of PDA's. THat being said I have seen plenty of inappropriate shirts and PDA's from straight people on my non-Gay Days visits.

Still haven't seen the short shorts and rhinestone belt buckle.

 

[jcjen519]

For SOME people- it is a big deal. For some families- couples are man and woman.

That is what the OP did not want though- people on the board telling him what he should say to his kids and "just get over it"

As as conservative, YUP- my kids have seen women kissing on TV- so yup, they notice it (at 4 and 6)
And I WILL NOT tell them "women love each other too" because that is not in our values. I will however try to keep them away from any ideas of sexuality until they are old enough to understand and until then. It is hard enough to talk to your 6 year old about teenage moms...why add gay people to that conversation- that is what the OP was saying I think-
The OP pretty much sounds like he wanted to know if it was going to be an uncomfortable place where his children will see something on more occasions than just walking down the street.
I also would not go if there was a "teen couples day" because there are things in our family that we just don't glorify.

For my family, it is a big deal and we won't go in June.
If the idea of a heterosexual man wanting to protect his kids makes you feel uncomfortable, then don't read a post from a conservative standpoint

you're values don't change reality. For instance, almost everything in your post offends my "values" and sense of decency. However, we don't pretend that people believing in such a way don't exist. Unfortunately that is not reality so we have to talk about it.

 

[plumsiren]

sorry I brought it up now, just because I have truly seen some very hate filled responses - I didn't know THAT still was out there.

You still don't get it. I give up. *headwall*

Maybe I missed it but did the OP say he was staying away from Gay Days?

I don't think he would have started this thread if he weren't considering it.