Gay Pride Week?

[Skroops]

I LOVE this phrase! I had to chime in and ask what Disney-like is? Do you mean killing off your brother? (Lion King) Mother being shot? (Bambi) or married off at 16 to a spouse chosen for you at birth? (Sleeping Beauty)
I could go on and on...but it just makes me chuckle.

To me, Disney is about diversity. Where kids learn about the world around them; both the good, the bad, and the what we do not agree with. It is all about how we learn, grow, and make our own choices in our lives.

I just had to chime in about that one!

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

I've never been to WDW in June but when we were there last November, there was a gay couple that we kept running into - they must have read the same touring plans that we did! We ended up on the same train on BTMRR, the same 'log' on Splash and the same row for Philarmagic. We also kept seeing them at various other times. It became quite a joke about who was following who! They were captivated by my DD and she still talks about Mike and Jeff (being 5 she asked them their names). These guys were often seen holding hands or cuddling while waiting in line but it didn't bother us at all.

The funniest bit of all was when my DD (who's VERY into the Princesses) asked the one guy (I don't know which was Mike and which was Jeff!) - "is HE your handsome prince?" They both laughed loudly and said "Most Certainly" - I thought this was an innocent and wonderfully accepting question from a five year old. If only everyone could be as accepting of 'different' people as that the world would surely be a better place!

 

[horsegirl]

I'm sorry I see it differently so please explain this to me. I will be going this year with DH for the first time. We our celebrating our anniversary. We will avoid the MK on Saturday due to the # of people who attend on a Saturday (locals too). Am I anti-gay. Oh yeah one of my favorite cousins is gay (and his SO is a great guy too), so I don't know what I am talking about?

It is the singling out of this specific group of folks that is prejudicial. Singling out gay people because of what they think the stereotype is. To put every gay person in one specific catergory is unfair, inaccurate and well lets just say, naive. Gay people are as diverese as the general population. Will there be perhaps a few inappropriate people on gay day? Sure, just like there will be any other day. The fear, disgust, and avoidance coming through some of these posts are the essence of prejudice. What do you think was behind the different drinking fountains, the sitting in the back of the bus, the segregated schools, not being allowed to vote and not serving an individual at a lunch counter was all about? Think about it. Some of the attitudes here are what leads to the oppression of ethnic and racial minorities. Only difference is that there is now some legislation to somewhat afford those with differences the rights to do what everyone else does. Unfortunately, legislation cannot change ignorance, and neither can I.

 

[melomouse]

I have to laugh. We are in such a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" World!! As long as the 70% of gay CM's keep quiet, load us on the rides, serve our meals, greet us at our resorts, sign our autograph books, everything's cool.

How dare some of the non-working people take some time off to enjoy a day to play at the parks!


On our last trip, my Asperger's son with his impaired social skills, heard a CM speak and asked first why his voice was "falsetto". After I picked myself up from the floor and apologized and explained to the CM, DS then said, "OOOH! I'm glad you told me you just had an unusual voice - I was worried you might be a transvestite or something!"

DS is 14 and is still trying to get LOTS of things straight. He's the one who came home from school in kindergarten and wanted to know why the boys refused to take the pink construction paper. Thus his education of the homophobic world we live in began...

One of the many things I love about WDW is it's one of two places on earth where DS has always been understood, supported and embraced. More than I can say for my community and the school system.

Anyway - if the OP feels uncomfortable actually seeing gay people IDENTIFYING as such, then she should reschedule. But it makes me laugh.....

melomouse

 

[freakylick]

However every human being has the right to decide what is "normal". To some that might include gay relationships, to others it might not. To condemn those that don't believe as you, makes you wrong also. Tolerance goes both ways.

Thank you for politely saying what I wanted to say all along...I just couldn't figure out how to say.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

It is the singling out of this specific group of folks that is prejudicial.

you're being prejudiced. you're singling out people who don't want to attend gay days based on their beliefs. you're also insulting them by calling them ignorant. but that is based on YOUR beliefs.

unfortunately, you're part of the problem. these days people try to cram their beliefs down your throat, and if you don't swallow them, it's your fault. some of us would rather not even sit down at the table, we're full.

 

[CDizney]

Wait on a second..........(please)

Once again, to those who say bad things don't/can't happen during GP Week are wrong. Is me being pushed into the pool "accidentally" as I was walking at water's edge at the Poly by a red shirt, nice? Is being taunted and shouted at to "join the lesbians..it's better over here", nice? Was having elevators shut in our face quote "your not gay...close the door" nice? Was being told "what are you looking at?" over and over and over again for just having eyes in my head, nice? I could go on and on about the two years of experiences I've had at this event and it's not pretty. Sorry, it's what I went through and I cannot believe that no one out there has had NO run-ins during this week. Either the people I met personally while on site during these two trips that had bad run-ins also don't read this site or I must be GP bait then.

All I am saying is I will not visit during this time and I'm not saying every attendee for GP week is evil. I'm just saying I don't like being harrassed by ANYONE and I've never had this done to me at WDW but only during the GP week. Why.....I don't know but it did.

 

[orljustin]

He's the one who came home from school in kindergarten and wanted to know why the boys refused to take the pink construction paper. Thus his education of the homophobic world we live in began...

That's ridiculous to assume that a kindergartener would have any knowledge of something like this, and besides, pink isn't widely associated with a gay lifestyle.

It would probably be because boys are "taught" that pink is a girl's color, and were displaying the usual boy behavior towards girls.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Wait on a second..........(please)

Once again, to those who say bad things don't/can't happen during GP Week are wrong. Is me being pushed into the pool "accidentally" as I was walking at water's edge at the Poly by a red shirt, nice? Is being taunted and shouted at to "join the lesbians..it's better over here", nice? Was having elevators shut in our face quote "your not gay...close the door" nice? Was being told "what are you looking at?" over and over and over again for just having eyes in my head, nice? I could go on and on about the two years of experiences I've had at this event and it's not pretty. Sorry, it's what I went through and I cannot believe that no one out there has had NO run-ins during this week. Either the people I met personally while on site during these two trips that had bad run-ins also don't read this site or I must be GP bait then.

All I am saying is I will not visit during this time and I'm not saying every attendee for GP week is evil. I'm just saying I don't like being harrassed by ANYONE and I've never had this done to me at WDW but only during the GP week. Why.....I don't know but it did.

Frankly,I don't believe a word you are saying

 

[Sylvester McBean]

Frankly,I don't believe a word you are saying

wow....

 

[JennyMominRI]

wow....

You really believe people at Gay Days are physically accosting people,verbally abusing them in such a rampent way as described by the OP.. It this was happening it would be all over Disney forums,and I don't believe for a second Disney CM's woud allow this to happen.. She has eveyr right not to go on Gay day. You have every right to chose not to expose yourself or your chiden to gay day. But I don't believe that Gay people are running rampant shoving people into pools and verbally harrasing them.

 

[mickeyfan2]

It is the singling out of this specific group of folks that is prejudicial.

Who would have know I was prejudice against locals since I singled out "locals" as the reason to avoid Saturday at the MK.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

You really believe people at Gay Days are physically accosting people,verbally abusing them in such a rampent way as described by the OP.. It this was happening it would be all over Disney forums,and I don't believe for a second Disney CM's woud allow this to happen.. She has eveyr right not to go on Gay day. You have every right to chose not to expose yourself or your chiden to gay day. But I don't believe that Gay people are running rampant shoving people into pools and verbally harrasing them.

in the parks, no. but I've seen things in WDW, US, and offsite resorts that I can't recount here. sun, alcohol, and just being on vacation in the subtropics conspire to make people do some interesting things. I'm all for people having fun, two guys making out by the side of pool doesn't make me sick. old men in speedos on the beach doesn't disgust me.( well, kind of ) but I'm 37 and my daughter is 12. I do my best to shield her from what I regard as questionable behavior until she reaches the age she can judge for herself.

 

[JennyMominRI]

in the parks, no. but I've seen things in WDW, US, and offsite resorts that I can't recount here. sun, alcohol, and just being on vacation in the subtropics conspire to make people do some interesting things. I'm all for people having fun, two guys making out by the side of pool doesn't make me sick. old men in speedos on the beach doesn't disgust me.( well, kind of ) but I'm 37 and my daughter is 12. I do my best to shield her from what I regard as questionable behavior until she reaches the age she can judge for herself.

And see,I totally support your right ad your OP's right to chose not to expose them to gay day...You also have every right to voice your opinion on that..I also could see more *questionable* behaviors at off site resorts,as would be illustrated by goings on at a swingers convention in Orlando last month..I just have a very hard time believeing disney would sit bak if these sort of things were rampant on property..If repeated incidents are happening to one person (unless she's wearing her Homosexuals are evil shirt,which might make her a target for nasty comments),then there should be lots of other people reporting theses sort of incident(hysical and verbal attacks).. I seriously doubt Disney would let it happen
I have heard people speaking of excessive PDA"S and things like that.I've never heard about taunting ,pushing etc and I've been to Gayday at DL

 

[Sylvester McBean]

I don't know what the OP saw. florida's like las vegas, things happen here. I've seen things in WDW resorts and DTD parking lots. I laugh, because I'm definately no prude. I've stated it before, do what you want. but at the same time, I'm trying to be a good father teaching my daughter morals. it's a hypocritical job. I don't take her to gay days for the same reason I don't take her to 'a night of joy' at universal. I don't want her to be surrounded by jesus freaks. I'd be a lot happier if people kept politics, race, religion, and sexual preferences to themselves.

 

[skyhawk]

It is the singling out of this specific group of folks that is prejudicial. Singling out gay people because of what they think the stereotype is. To put every gay person in one specific catergory is unfair, inaccurate and well lets just say, naive.

I do not mean to equate the different groups, but let's look at it this way:

What if the KKK or the American Nazi Party was having a convention at WDW, and I chose not to go because I disapproved of there values....would that make me prejudiced? Perhaps, but you may say that "that's understandable", but living in a free society means that we have to allow people to express themselves, but I also have the right to not listen without being called intolerant.

 

[DisneyDotty]

I don't take her to gay days for the same reason I don't take her to 'a night of joy' at universal. I don't want her to be surrounded by jesus freaks.

Please don't be offended by my response here...

Those are two issues I would have never thought I'd see compared!

I (think) I agree with your point--can't all of this just be a non-issue? Someday, someday...

 

[horsegirl]

I do not mean to equate the different groups, but let's look at it this way:

What if the KKK or the American Nazi Party was having a convention at WDW, and I chose not to go because I disapproved of there values....would that make me prejudiced? Perhaps, but you may say that "that's understandable", but living in a free society means that we have to allow people to express themselves, but I also have the right to not listen without being called intolerant.

This is the same argument someone posted earlier about heroin addicts. Putting gays in with these groups is in itself a very negative association. The Nazis exterminated 6 million people and the KKK lynched and terrorized with the same ideology that propelled the Nazis. How can they even be put in the same discussion with gay people, who just happen to love someone of the same sex. You are equating the different groups. I cannot agree with this type of rationalization.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

you're right, my points got kind of convoluted there.

nice catch.

maybe someday all people will respect the rights and values of others. in the meantime I have to pump gas next to some teenage kid thumping bass out of his car while it spews the F-Bomb out of the speakers, while people are around him with kids in the car.

and people don't support the death penalty.

 

[skyhawk]

OK - I agree, the Nazi or KKK example was a bit extreme, so let's take this as an example.

If there were a National Republican Week at WDW, where there would be people praising George Bush, wearing tee shirts, and lauding all things Republican. There may be thousands of these people at the resorts or on line talking about how wonderful he is. And let's assume someone is a staunch Liberal that happens to despise George Bush and everything he stands for. Is it wrong for that person to wait a week until all the Republicans have departed? Why not wait a week so he doesn't have to listen to all the propoganda that all those Republicans have the right to express? And if he does wait, does that mean he is intolerant? I mean there are some very nice Republicans.......