Is "Gay Days" something to worry about?

[pezpam]

More deep breaths. Gay Days is not about being political and having demonstrations. And seeing two men or two women holdng hands does not mean that you are then obligated to go into a deep technical discussion of various types of sexual behavior. Did you explain heterosexual sex the first time your kids saw you and your husband kiss? Didn't think so. <grin>

I'm straight and have a lovely daughter who is now 8. I have friends and family members who are involved in long-term same-sex relationships. My daughter has grown up around these relationships and to this day has never asked me for any sexual details. Please..... Kids understand that people love each other - that's a concept they grasp. Some men love women, some love men. Some women love men, some love women. Kids are ok with that when the explanation isn't accompanied by judgement or a nervous explanation of sex that they didn't ask for.

That said, I'd avoid MK on pretty much any Saturday - we schedule drives over to Grammie's house in Tampa to cover Saturdays - and a Saturday with any sort of event is a good time to hit another park. Just understand that you may run into major PDAs from teens and other heteros at any of the parks/hotels/restaurants. And that many of the people around you, including CMs, will be gay. Neither should ruin your vacation.

Have a Magical trip!

 

[Befferk]

I found this article VERY informative....

Gay Days Article

 

[Samar]

I actually think it's a good idea that WDW has a time window aimed for gay men and women in general. This way, they can be more at ease around the World instead of having people gawking at them. You see men/women holding hands and other PDA at Disney, do you shelter your kids from them as well? I understand your POV however you can't shelter them forever. People are people.

My advice is that if you think your kids will notice it, casually mention what they might see. However, I think they'll be too busy enjoying Disney to really notice or care. There will most likely be other children there with their gay parents too

 

[beattyfamily]

However, I was dissapointed and a little upset when I ran across an editorial by a Gay man who was stating why he would not be attending "gay Day" at WDW this year.
He stated that there were way too many risque PDA's and sexuality displays taking place at a place that caters to small children and families. He was rebuking the gay communies behavior and lack of respect for families that save for years to take there children to WDW only to have to explain why "that man is kissing another man" to thier six year old. He said that being gay is a right and nothing to be ashamed of but Disneyworld is not the place to make a political statement , especially a sexual one in front of all those kids.

Just wanted to say that it really sounds like you came across our very own Pete Werner's (DIS Founder/Webmaster) editorial on Gay Days. You can find it HERE

What a small world!

 

[lnh'smom]

I don't really have anything to add to what has already been said. I just wanted to say to femmegirl that I really appreciated your comments. I also read Pete's article yesterday I think and I really appreciated his open and honest opinion too.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I actually think it's a good idea that WDW has a time window aimed for gay men and women in general.

They don't. Gay Days is not a Disney sanctioned event.

Honestly, hasn't this topic been discussed to death already?

 

[Sammie]

JFI: it is very possible the article the OP referenced is the one written by the Founder and Webmaster of this website.

As to going then. I think the greatest concern is crowds. If you avoid the parks that are on the schedule you can probably avoid any problems.

Here is the article if anyone else would like to read it.

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

 

[Boston5602]

I have a thousand thoughts on all of this, but I'll just say.......I'm a 30 something Gay man for the last 10 years my sister and two nieces have lived with me since each of my nieces came home from the hospital. I want some of the people out there to know I have to be to work at 6 am 25 miles from where I live my sister gets kids to school and goes to work . I come home and most days home in time for kids to get off the school bus , we take care of the dogs, guinea pigs and fish . Then we have snack and do homework. Then dinner and and get ready for bed . Weekends its grocery shopping , laundry , and yard work along with a million other things( cheer-leading , gymnastics ). We go to Disney once a year. I just bought DVC. We go as a family and sometimes I go with friends.

The reason I put all of this down in words is so some of you get an idea that my life is just as stressed and boring as anyone else's. Please remember the only gay people most heterosexual people see in public are the stereo types.


I have been during gay days and a couple of times out of thousands of people, I have seen inappropriatly worded shirts . For the most part I think most are like me just at Disney cause I love it.


Thanks for listening

 

[CleveRocks]

If you want to stay away from PDAs of any stripe, then I heartily advise you to stay far away from WDW when the annual cheerleading competition takes place. I've read a lot of accounts of this on a website by and for CMs. I hear the cheerleader competition time is the worst of them all in terms of public displays of, um ... affection. If you can call two or three people unclothed inside a bathroom stall or in some MK bushes "affection."

 

[NewJersey]

Let me start by saying that I'm a gay young male (22). I have never been to Disney during gay days so I can't comment on what actually goes on there.

But...any kind of PDA is unappropriate in my mind unless its holding hands or something innocent like that. OP, don't freak out if you see two men holding hands during gay days...it shouldn't send your life into a tailspin. I think it's disgusting when I'm out to eat with my boyfriend or anyone frankly, and I look over and see a man and woman making out (it happened tonight). There's a time and place for everything. Maybe the OP should be more concerned with teenagers' lewd behavior.

And yes, there are going to be some indecent acts, but don't stereotype the whole gay community and think we are all like this. My life is just like a heterosexual 22 year old man's.

I think the problem is we love to bunch people into clusters and think oh well what we see on tv is how that group is supposed to act.

And about the "heterosexual white man day"....everyday is that.

 

[S'sMom]

My dh and I are straight and for the last 4 years we have gone to WDW during that time, mostly its because I teach and school is out and I need a serious break right after it ends. And also it is cheaper for us.

Anyway, we have gone and we have a dd (3) and we have never seen any types of PDA at all. (Now that doesnt mean that it doesnt happen) But in our experience we havnt seen it. Matter of fact, one year without knowing it we stayed at the Grosvenor Hotel which was the host hotel. At first we didnt know this, but we figured it out after a while. Again no PDA THAT WE SAW. (Again, that does not mean that it does not happen)

Of course its all about personal preference. And I am not sure which day is the "day" at MK, but we were only there at the same time as that once that we know of.

Either way, you will make the best decision for you and your family, that is all that matters.

 

[mjmcca]

Oops! double post

 

[mjmcca]

I was there last year during gay days. There were more gay people than you would usually see. I didn't see anything too out there. The day i went to MK there were quite a few gay people there. The only complaint I had is that some of the people there were dressed more for the club scene than a theme park. I live in NYC so i see that type of dress here a lot but not usually at Disney. The kids didn't notice anything. I would go again at that time no problem.

 

[Canbarker]

This event did surprise me as well however I did a little research on their website and know where the majority of guest will be staying so I felt safe in assuming there wouldn't be any crazy parties or whatnot where we were staying.

Hetro's can be just as open with their actions as gay couples. In my opion, every person should be respectful of those around them. Any public display of affection makes me feel awkward. There is a time and place for everything.

As far as children, well my daughter's Aunt has her special partner in life. I don't think that my daughter has ever noticed the difference. Again...nothing is crazy going on over a turkey meal at home. But because we don't make a big deal of it she doesn't even notice it.

Years ago we used to go to Clearwater when the Bears played Tampa and I have to tell you there was more things going on in that pool that should of been kept to the privacy of your hotel room. Everyone was hetro.

In closing I think it will be fine. We are choosing not to go the Kingdom on Saturday for one reason that being this is the day the majority of those attending Gay Days will be going there. Many extra people. Longer lines. That is it.

My belief Live and Let Live....but always respect others rights, opinions and beliefs.

 

[tictoc]

I am heterosexual and the mother of three kids. I go to WDW every year during gay days. It is not even that noticable. I do not check the schedule to avoid those parks on those days because they have never done anything to offend me. If I did check the schedule on gay day.com it owuld be because those parks tend to be more crowded. I think you will notice that there are several homosexuals in the park those days, but your kids probably will not even notice. The thing that is the most noticable is the hand holding, but that does not even happen much. Face it, it is too hot out there to be touching each other too much. What my son noticed was that sometimes there are two men together wearing grroms ears and the closest thing I have seen to cross dressing is the men wearing bride ears or Minnie ears and visa versa. There are mainly people in red t-shirts or rainbow attire. If you have a hopper you can leave if you see something inappropriate. NOW with that being said, if you are afraid of being offended, avoid the official hotels of gayday (sometimes the Grosvenor) that is where the real no hold bard party is happening.

 

[MrVisible]

My boyfriend and I will be honeymooning in Disneyland this October during Gay Days. We didn't really plan this, it just worked out that the weekend after our wedding, on the fifth anniversary of the day we met, happens to be the gay weekend at the park.

Take a moment to imagine what that means to us. The day after we make a lifelong commitment to love and cherish and make each other happy, we'll be able to be in our favorite place in the world, and feel safe holding each others' hands. We won't feel out of place. We can be silly and goofy and buy each other Mickey groom ears, and we won't be the only ones in the park to do so.

We're not there to be political, or in anybody's face. We're there because we love each other, and we love the parks, and we just want to hold each others' hands during our honeymoon.

 

[CleveRocks]

Take a moment to imagine what that means to us. The day after we make a lifelong commitment to love and cherish and make each other happy, we'll be able to be in our favorite place in the world, and feel safe holding each others' hands. We won't feel out of place. We can be silly and goofy and buy each other Mickey groom ears, and we won't be the only ones in the park to do so.

We're not there to be political, or in anybody's face. We're there because we love each other, and we love the parks, and we just want to hold each others' hands during our honeymoon.

I'm speechless. Very nice.

 

[Cyrano]

I'm speechless. Very nice.

I concur

 

[VistaLeigh'smommy]

I have been during 2 gay weekends and I think you might want to avoid the parks.


You will see two extremes. The bring a tear to your eye older gay couple holding hands, who when you look at them you think "great for them" because you know they haven't always been able to be so free. You will see so many families who just deserve to be there with people and families just like them. All the kids from these familes are smiling and happy to be with people just like them at the happiest place on earth.

Then you see the young, childless group. (yes there are a few bad apples). I am talking 18-25 year old boys and girls who are vulger. Just like hetero teens and young adults, they are doing the exact same things on park benches, having the same discussions, but they are same sex. So you WILL see some of that, it's up to you to decide if it's something you want to expose your children to, I assume that since you made a post about it, you would want to avoid it.



We saw drag queens while we were there and heard some VERY offensive things, and we were only 20 and 22 at the time, so it's not like we are prudes. I was in shock at some of the things people were saying in magic kingdom.




I just wanted to add that nothing ruined our day, or put us in an awkward position, or made me put more thought into it. We are young and very liberal. I just feel that it's tough on these boards because everyone says "same sex couples do it, so you shouldn't care" but, I did see some things that were inapropriate and if you care or not, they do happen.

But the worst par is that it was WAYYYYYYYYYYY to crowded!

 

[majortom]

But, I don't think Disney would let all that leather/mask type in in full regalia!! Sorry, couldn't resist....just got a mental picture.

Well, given that they will not even admit adults in costume on Halloween, I think you will not have to worry.

/carmi