Gay Days 2015 - Help me a Dad Out

[TillyMarigold]

I worked at WDW during Gay Days for a few years. There were a lot more red shirts, it was a little more crowded, and generally speaking, people were in a better mood. We all liked working then, less disgruntled guests.

There shouldn't be any more or less inappropriate behavior, percentage wise, than any other day of the year. As others have said, Disney's rules apply equally to everyone.

 

[plumsiren]

But that's the problem... He never said he would never deal with it... just that at his kids' ages it's not something that even needs to be brought up. He wasn't looking for ways to have the talk. Just wanted to know if it was a Pride parade situation, or an average park day with potentially some questionable sights, but really no worse than some things you might see on regular days.

But it's this attitude that's problematic in and of itself: young children don't make a big deal of these things. They learn to be uncomfortable by taking cues from their parents. The fact that gay people exist and sometimes express their love and/or pride in themselves is not something children need to be shielded from.

Also, I marched in the NYC Pride parade this year - along with many, many families, as well as thousands more watching. As far as I know, none of those children have suffered as a result. This is only a big deal when you make it a big deal.

Clearly, I'm family.

 

[Benbuck6]

Inquiring about Gay Days is fine. Mentioning that you raise your kids in a conservative environment and then explaining that there are things you don't want to have to explain to your kids (ie: gay people) implies plenty to anyone who can read. I don't think you were really called any names. I don't necessarily think you were "judged" either. But sorry, the entire nature of your post implied that you think there is something wrong with homosexuality and people took offense to that. If that's not true, then you didn't do yourself any favors by yelling at people 23 posts in:

"I DO NOT WANT OPINIONS ON HOW TO RAISE MY KIDS OR WHAT TO TELL THEM!!! Sorry for yelling...I am just asking for a "what to expect."

If all you wanted was answers to your questions, you could have said thanks and left the thread after you read them. Your questions were answered within the first 10 posts... Instead, you're here to the bitter end calling people intolerant.

FYI - Did you know that there is a subforum for Gay and Lesbian at Disney? Perhaps you could have asked your question there?

Michigan, THE VERY fact I am willing to go during the time should tell you something...but I think maybe JUST maybe some people are HYPER SENSATIVE about this. and sorry, when and how or if I tell MY KIDS about the reality of homosexuals is MY business...btw, I WOULD NEVER tell someone when to start introducing their kids to life issues unless it was extreme and hurting the kid. So far, we aint doing too bad...so yes it offended me. And then you go and say well they must be a homophobe or scared their kid will turn out gay. Geez!!! C'mon, we are talking about small kids...Turn out NICE and RESPECTFUL.

Anyway, I played my part for twisting this thread - Sorry...but c'mon I wasn't the only one and you know it

 

[Missyrose]

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

Then why walk down the street every day? Why go to Disney at all? There are gay people all around you every day of your life and they will show their affection for their partners in much the same way as hetero couples. One shouldn't be any more worried about seeing PDA from a gay couple at Disney as you would at your local mall or in a restaurant. People are people, no matter whom they love.

Back in 2006, Pete (for the n00bs: owner of the site, and also gay) had a big problem with Gay Days. It's died down since then, I take it.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-gay-days.htm

Things have changed drastically and even the author of that post has said things now are nothing like it was then.

I do not judge anyone for telling their kids whatever they want about this subject. Its your choice.

But I guess I would be considered a bigot by some here it seems because its a discussion we feel is age appropriate.

Bigot - In an extended sense, a person who is intolerant of opinions which conflict with his own, as in politics or morals; one obstinately and blindly devoted to his own church, party, belief, or opinion.

Seems to me there are some very intolerant people on here.

People we are all different and all believe different things. Until we can respect each other, even in our differences, we are lost.

Better example maybe, if a homosexual wanted to go to church with me because they have kids and they heard we had an awesome kids program, and I said sure c'mon. Then I found out the preacher was going to be talking about what the Bible says about Homosexuality, but was going to do it in as a respectful and tolerant way as possible...I wouldn't tell guy/girl, "Don't worry, you wont be uncomfortable at all - its very tame and I don't even notice its different than any other sermon." I would tell them, hey this is happening this week...if you have questions go ask the pastor or I can, and we will see how he is going to handle it. You can choose whether you are comfortable or whether your kids will be. If you want to skip that week and do it another time, I totally get it.

Geez, just seems respectful is all.


.

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.

Being gay isn't a discussion about sex with children. Sheltering your kids from it won't keep them from learning about it.

Do you avoid talking with your kids about people of color because you don't feel it's age-appropriate to talk about people being born with a different skin color? Because it's no different than being born gay.

Its really ok, I should have known better...I should have simply asked who has been and messaged someone willing to talk openly about it - instead of open forum...my fault, I'll take the blame.

That's your problem, plenty of people were willing to discuss things openly about how Gay Days are as a park experience and everyone overwhelmingly said it was nothing your kids would notice and nothing much different than any other day in the parks.

But instead of focusing on the good (and helpful) first-hand reports you were getting, you decided to pick fights with people. You knew what you were doing.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

But it's this attitude that's problematic in and of itself: young children don't make a big deal of these things. They learn to be uncomfortable by taking cues from their parents. The fact that gay people exist and sometimes express their love and/or pride in themselves is not something children need to be shielded from.

Also, I marched in the NYC Pride parade this year - along with many, many families, as well as thousands more watching. As far as I know, none of those children have suffered as a result. This is only a big deal when you make it a big deal.

How I took his post was that he didn't know if there would be the stereotypical gay pride parade stuff going on, because he had heard that was something that happened, or if it was just going to be normal hand holding and such. I'm betting the kids would notice the first as something out of the ordinary and agree that they wouldn't notice the second at all. People were assuming that he was saying he wanted to shield his children from any and all homosexuality that might be in the parks, but his original post made it clear that wasn't the case. People still jumped on him and told him how to tell his children about whatever might be seen. He wasn't asking for any kind of advice on that. He just wanted to know what he was most likely to encounter. At least, that's how I took it.

 

[plumsiren]

And then you go and say well they must be a homophobe or worse scared their kid will turn out gay. Geez!!! C'mon, we are talking about small kids...

I know we've gotten so, so far off topic here, but are you saying little kids can't be gay? Because plenty of us would argue otherwise, based on our own experiences. And are you aware that the 'T' in LGBT stands for 'transgender', something many families realize their children are from a very early age?

You keep insisting you're not homophobic (please, spare me another dictionary definition and insisting you don't 'fear' anyone), but your language suggests otherwise.

 

[Benbuck6]

Actually I did listen to the 1st hand reports...and if you read the thread I said we are booking for this trip...

I was baited with opinions I bit...plain and simple. I knew better

 

[tink20]

We were at MK in 12' the Sat that was GDs. DS was 10. He noticed all the red shirts and asked me why everyone was wearing red shirts. I told him. It was for Gay Days, I didn't know if he knew what that meant, because we had never discussed it before, but we do watch Modern Family and I said for families like Mitch and Cam on MF, he said Oh okay....and that was it.

We saw no inappropriate behavior at all.

 

[plumsiren]

Actually I did listen to the 1st hand reports...and if you read the thread I said we are booking for this trip...

I was baited with opinions I bit...plain and simple. I knew better

So you were tricked into revealing your true feelings. Mmk.

 

[Benbuck6]

I know we've gotten so, so far off topic here, but are you saying little kids can't be gay? Because plenty of us would argue otherwise, based on our own experiences. And are you aware that the 'T' in LGBT stands for 'transgender', something many families realize their children are from a very early age?

You keep insisting you're not homophobic (please, spare me another dictionary definition and insisting you don't 'fear' anyone), but your language suggests otherwise.

Nope - I edited...I caught the way that read as well...I was saying Michigan was being sarcastic as if he was saying it in a sarcastic way...

 

[MichiganDVC]

Michigan, THE VERY fact I am willing to go during the time should tell you something...but I think maybe JUST maybe some people are HYPER SENSATIVE about this. and sorry, when and how or if I tell MY KIDS about the reality of homosexuals is MY business...btw, I WOULD NEVER tell someone when to start introducing their kids to life issues unless it was extreme and hurting the kid. So far, we aint doing too bad...so yes it offended me. And then you go and say well they must be a homophobe or worse scared their kid will turn out gay. Geez!!! C'mon, we are talking about small kids...Turn out NICE and RESPECTFUL.

Anyway, I played my part for twisting this thread - Sorry...but c'mon I wasn't the only one and you know it

1. Tons of people go to WDW in June. A handful choose not to because of Gay Days. A select few come on to the Disboards to ask strangers if Gay Days are too inappropriate for small children.

2. No one is telling you what to tell your children or when. We ARE trying to explain to you that if you make homosexuality a big deal/something to shield your children from, then your children WILL find it worrisome.

3. I understand your intent from your original post, but you have to understand that the yelling and carrying on about how no one can tell you how to raise your kids and being judged and intolerance, etc... might have been a little too much for people on this board who ACTUALLY face REAL intolerance on a daily basis. Hence the Gay Days: Where gay people and gay families have security in numbers and can be who they are without fear of reprisal or nasty comments.
Yeah, when you're gay in real life and spend 365 days a year wondering who you can tell, who you shouldn't, did your boss find out, etc... Sorry, but your 5 year old seeing gay people and having questions isn't exactly a childhood ruined.

 

[Reddog1134]

OP, you're being baited again. Just walk away.

 

[Benbuck6]

So you were tricked into revealing your true feelings. Mmk.

Geez, NO!!!

I said I was conservative not bait a discussion but to let people know, so IF THEY THOUGHT it was going to be to much to tell me.

Seriously...Seriously...

 

[plumsiren]

Geez, NO!!!

I said I was conservative not bait a discussion but to let people know, so IF THEY THOUGHT it was going to be to much to tell me.

Seriously...Seriously...

At this point I'll admit I was just messing with you

 

[Aurora0427]

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

OP never said he wanted to keep the gay away.

 

[Benbuck6]

1. Tons of people go to WDW in June. A handful choose not to because of Gay Days. A select few come on to the Disboards to ask strangers if Gay Days are too inappropriate for small children.

2. No one is telling you what to tell your children or when. We ARE trying to explain to you that if you make homosexuality a big deal/something to shield your children from, then your children WILL find it worrisome.

3. I understand your intent from your original post, but you have to understand that the yelling and carrying on about how no one can tell you how to raise your kids and being judged and intolerance, etc... might have been a little too much for people on this board who ACTUALLY face REAL intolerance on a daily basis. Hence the Gay Days: Where gay people and gay families have security in numbers and can be who they are without fear of reprisal or nasty comments.
Yeah, when you're gay in real life and spend 365 days a year wondering who you can tell, who you shouldn't, did your boss find out, etc... Sorry, but your 5 year old seeing gay people and having questions isn't exactly a childhood ruined.

Michigan - on #2 said I was sorry several times on that btw but once again I dont assume to know how to raise anyone else's kids and what appropriate or not and if I did I wouldn't tell them on a message board, on #3 best thing you have typed yet

 

[Benbuck6]

At this point I'll admit I was just messing with you

Lord, why couldn't we start here without all the rest of it...

 

[MichiganDVC]

At this point I'll admit I was just messing with you

I think Ben has been properly initiated into the Disboards now. He is free to explore all the other wonderful troll-filled threads such as,

"I hate FP+ and Disney - Headed to Universal!"
"Can I bring my 14 year old son into the women's bathroom?"
"What's worse? ECVs or BTGs?"
"If I pool hop to the Polynesian, should I bring my own towel?


And so on.

Enjoy, Ben! Enjoy.

 

[Aurora0427]

Exactly. I don't want people making out in front of my kid- gay OR straight. I think OP concern was are gay days at WDW like a gay pride parade on bourbon street- to use his words. Let's just get real- I've been to a gay pride parade- there are some things that I saw that I wouldn't want to explain to my kid. That being said, I wouldn't take my kid to a beach during a bikini contest with straight people either. So if the OP was concerned it was like a gay pride parade, I get why he asked the question.

Sorry, quote feature got all screwy. My post beings at exactly.

 

[Benbuck6]

I think Ben has been properly initiated into the Disboards now. He is free to explore all the other wonderful troll-filled threads such as,

"I hate FP+ and Disney - Headed to Universal!"
"Can I bring my 14 year old son into the women's bathroom?"
"What's worse? ECVs or BTGs?"
"If I pool hop to the Polynesian, should I bring my own towel?


And so on.

Enjoy, Ben! Enjoy.

Can I re-use my mugs from 2009