Question about PDA at Gay Days- Read first post please!

[hugApug]

Sending good thoughts to the OP, so this is not meant to be rude. The gay community, like any other community, has a good sense of their environment and would certainly not turn WDW into the San Francisco Pride Parade(which, I love, but would make many people uncomfortable). It's a family place, that everyone is excited to be at, and they will most likely be focusing their efforts on rides and ADR's just like the rest of us.

Of course, there are always people who ignore their environment and decide to partake in PDA, but that could be a straight or gay person! Please don't let the *few* obnoxious ones slant your entire view of a very diverse community.

 

[englishteacha]

Having several gay friends, and some gay relatives, I'm pretty comfortable with all people showing appropriate affection towards each other. I do understand the OP's concern. I don't think any of us want to watch anyone, gay or straight, pawing each other! You may see more same-sex couples holding hands than you would on another day, and maybe even some smooching. I think, though, that it probably won't be an issue.

 

[kimis]

All the times we have been to WDW we have never seen PDA's---even at downtown disney. However if I did and it was offensive I would find a cm no matter who it was being offensive.

 

[aaylasecura]

Why would it be any different than any other day? Just because a bunch of straight people get together does the PDA level go up?

I had just heard reports that there was some unnecessary PDA and I wanted to confirm or deny the reports with peoples real life experiences.

 

[DanG07]

As a father of four, I would not welcome excessive PDA from any couple at WDW, regardless of sexual orientation. As a pp stated, this is WDW, not Vegas, a club or the SF gay pride parade. I would hope that all couples keep that in mind and refrain from PDA in the theme parks. Although I adore my wife and think she is gorgeous , I wouldn't dream of "pawing" her in public (not to mention in front of my or other people's kids). However, I understand that stuff happens and some couples can't keep their hands of off each other, even in front of children . As a responsible parent, I would explain to my children, if they saw PDA of any kind and asked questions, that different people have different ways of expressing themselves and try to downplay the PDA.

The bigger issues during Gay Days, IMHO, are the intolerant hetersexuals who try to make normal behaviors like hand-holding into bigger deals versus the in-your-face gay people, as Pete Werner states in his blog, who try to showcase their homosexuality. People this is 2010, not 1960. People can love whoever they want. Get over it! Heterosexuals should not flinch when they spot a gay couple holding hands just as a gay couple should not announce their sexuality by groping each other because they spot an intolerant hetersexual. Enjoy WDW, and make your respective political stands someplace else.

 

[Goofster18]

Being there for the whole week, I saw nothing out of the ordinary, other than that sea of red shirts in the parks on certain days. Which was funny when you see the families who thought wearing matching red shirts would help them stand out in crowds. A few hand holding, a few kisses, sometimes hugs, or arms around the waist, but nothing obscene. Some of it was really cute and romantic to be honest. In front of the castle pics, etc. Nothing distracting at all for me.
Have a Magical Day!!!
Goofster18

 

[aaylasecura]

As a father of four, I would not welcome excessive PDA from any couple at WDW, regardless of sexual orientation. As a pp stated, this is WDW, not Vegas, a club or the SF gay pride parade. I would hope that all couples keep that in mind and refrain from PDA in the theme parks. Although I adore my wife and think she is gorgeous , I wouldn't dream of "pawing" her in public (not to mention in front of my or other people's kids). However, I understand that stuff happens and some couples can't keep their hands of off each other, even in front of children . As a responsible parent, I would explain to my children, if they saw PDA of any kind and asked questions, that different people have different ways of expressing themselves and try to downplay the PDA.

The bigger issues during Gay Days, IMHO, are the intolerant hetersexuals who try to make normal behaviors like hand-holding into bigger deals versus the in-your-face gay people, as Pete Werner states in his blog, who try to showcase their homosexuality. People this is 2010, not 1960. People can love whoever they want. Get over it! Heterosexuals should not flinch when they spot a gay couple holding hands just as a gay couple should not announce their sexuality by groping each other because they spot an intolerant hetersexual. Enjoy WDW, and make your respective political stands someplace else.

Very well put. Thank you.

 

[polineedyan]

Ok my opinion will not be in this post, so no flaming please.
I was at work the other night and two guys, brothers, came in. we got to talking and they had said how they went to wdw a few weeks earlier. the one brother asked the other brother to tell me about their prior trip (last year.)
They got to laughing and basically told me that their third brother had envited them to wdw, that he is gay and failed to tell them it was gay days.
the two men made a point to tell me that they are very comfortable around people of all sexuality, but were aghast at how open and often the affection was.
here comes the opinion part, i lied..
i rarely see pda at the parks, of any variety. so to hear that its excessive does make sense to me. we dont like june, so it doesnt affect us one way or another.

 

[CandyHead09]

UGHHH I feel the same way and lucky for you your going not only during gay days but during wedding season lots of honeymooners being all gross and annoying in front of you as you wait a half hour for space mountain! Haha I'm sorry but it is unavoidable gay or straight just dont let it bother you move about your day enjoy the vacation and the magic and turn your back to it if your trapped in line.

(sorry I got overly smiley happy I almost never use them I just realized how adorable they are haha)

 

[Luvchefmic]

As a father of four, I would not welcome excessive PDA from any couple at WDW, regardless of sexual orientation. As a pp stated, this is WDW, not Vegas, a club or the SF gay pride parade. I would hope that all couples keep that in mind and refrain from PDA in the theme parks. Although I adore my wife and think she is gorgeous , I wouldn't dream of "pawing" her in public (not to mention in front of my or other people's kids). However, I understand that stuff happens and some couples can't keep their hands of off each other, even in front of children . As a responsible parent, I would explain to my children, if they saw PDA of any kind and asked questions, that different people have different ways of expressing themselves and try to downplay the PDA.

The bigger issues during Gay Days, IMHO, are the intolerant hetersexuals who try to make normal behaviors like hand-holding into bigger deals versus the in-your-face gay people, as Pete Werner states in his blog, who try to showcase their homosexuality. People this is 2010, not 1960. People can love whoever they want. Get over it! Heterosexuals should not flinch when they spot a gay couple holding hands just as a gay couple should not announce their sexuality by groping each other because they spot an intolerant hetersexual. Enjoy WDW, and make your respective political stands someplace else.

and fwiw I think you will be raising very tolerant & loving children with your good example

 

[lorac4disney]

Went last year during Gay Days and it was not an issue at all. The only people I noticed getting carried away with PDA were the occasional straight teenagers, but CM's were relatively quick to remind them that it is a family park.

 

[arielchickenofthesea]

So sad for the other people. Looks like "the gays" did a better job of showing love and affection than "the breeders" did.

I find the term "breeders" annoying. I am straight and married and am NOT a breeder. I never wanted children and never had em. I never "bred". I am not a breeder. I am a woman. I also find the term "gay" annoying. Why does anyone have to use such terms when describing ANY social group of people? "Breeder"? "Gay"? Any label is insulting. We are individulas with proclivities to one or more social groups. That does not mean we need a label. It is annoying as well as insulting.


acots

 

[PrincessTiffany]

So sad for the other people. Looks like "the gays" did a better job of showing love and affection than "the breeders" did.

Who are "the breeders?"

 

[Looking4themouse]

Who are "the breeders?"

Breeders are the couples who are straight, with or without children. Whomever wrote that I'm sure was trying to make a point of how offensive they felt the whole gay days question was. I take it as a little passive agressive gesture on that persons part, however am not particulary insulted by it, even though I fall into the category of a breeder. I kinda find it funny....However, in my opinion, you can't teach tolerance by name calling.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

In 2008, we were at Disney World during Gay Days. We had no idea until we arrived and were informed by a CM. She actually found it pretty funny because we were in matching shirts, red shirts. My sis in law, mil, and I found it really funny because that morning for breakfast, we were in our matching shirts and split up tables. I sat with my baby, sis in law, and fil. Mil sat with 3 of the girls. And, DH, our DS, bil, and his son all sat together. They had gotten many stares and we didn't know why. We think people must have thought they were quite a cute little family, 2 daddys and 2 little boys.

Although you could tell some couples were gay, there was nothing much else to notice. The kids didn't see anything that they felt the need to ask us about and they are all prone to lots of questions. It was just people at the parks, like any other trip for us.

 

[aaylasecura]

I find the term "breeders" annoying. I am straight and married and am NOT a breeder. I never wanted children and never had em. I never "bred". I am not a breeder. I am a woman. I also find the term "gay" annoying. Why does anyone have to use such terms when describing ANY social group of people? "Breeder"? "Gay"? Any label is insulting. We are individulas with proclivities to one or more social groups. That does not mean we need a label. It is annoying as well as insulting.


acots

It is unfortunate that society is like this, but it some cases (that are not mine) calling someone gay or straight or breeder or whatever term you can think of may be the nicest way that the person can put it. There are rude people out there that would use profanity or crude terms. Yes, breeders may not be the right term, and I'm not trying to defend or not defend the poster, but the term could have been worse. If it bothers you, do what I do when I'm called things I don't like and just either ignore it or come up with a witty response that makes you feel better but doesn't cause hurt feelings. I apologize if that post hurt your feelings. Like I have said over and over again and again, I was merely asking questions in this thread to confirm or disprove reports I had heard elsewhere.

 

[TagsMissy]

Op... I have to ask. Did you pose this same question about Grad Nights? Or any other scheduled event nights/days?

I guarantee you that you are going to find more outward PDA during grad nights than you will at Gay Days.

 

[vjgkam]

We booked our once in a lifetime Disney trip and only found out afterwards that we scheduled during Gay Days. I was aprehensive going into the parks, but I didn't see any PDA's while we werer there. However, some of the shirts the gays and lesbians were wearing were seriously offensive. I'm surprised Disney allowed it, and was equally surprised that grown men and women would werear shirts with such shocking messages on them in a park where they knew children would be present. My take is that those wearing them (and it was a very, very small percentage) have a very low self image and are screaming for attention. I sent an email to Disney with some of the messages (I won't post them here because they were offensive) and haven't heard a thing.

 

[Looking4themouse]

It is unfortunate that society is like this, but it some cases (that are not mine) calling someone gay or straight or breeder or whatever term you can think of may be the nicest way that the person can put it. There are rude people out there that would use profanity or crude terms. Yes, breeders may not be the right term, and I'm not trying to defend or not defend the poster, but the term could have been worse. If it bothers you, do what I do when I'm called things I don't like and just either ignore it or come up with a witty response that makes you feel better but doesn't cause hurt feelings. I apologize if that post hurt your feelings. Like I have said over and over again and again, I was merely asking questions in this thread to confirm or disprove reports I had heard elsewhere.

Yes but ignoring the problem does not solve the problem.... There are nice ways to get your point across and teach someone something they may not know, while I agree that getting bent about something of this nature doesn't do anyone any good, teaching someone something might. I believe intollerance to come from fear, either of a lifestyle they are not familiar with,(people who are gay, lesbian, bi, swingers, or if a person is in a monogomous relationship with more than one person, or maybe a person who has had a sex change) different ways of expressing oneself ex multitudes of earings or a multitude of tattoos or maybe different colored hair, which are more obvious ones. If we want to break a cycle of hatred we have to start by teaching each other tolerance of different lifestyle choices. Oddly enough I think we Americans have further to go than many other countries with this.

 

[mr.bungle]

Just pointing out again- not trying to be offensive.

yukiphnk- I have read some reports (that were probably biased anyways) that said there was more PDA. I'm just trying to confirm or disprove facts. You make a good point, there are is always PDA in the parks.

soonerfan2008- They are friendly, right! I do know some gay people and they're so nice. Other people are nice too!

Believe it or not, when I go to Disney, I rarely see PDA anyways. I don't know what I was concerned about! I guess just curious.

Even so, it's not a necessary thread.