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

[MamaJessie]

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.

I don't see the correlation? The whole theme, gay days, is a reference to sexual orientation, making some people concerned about PDAs as people could in theory, revel in their celebration of their sexual orientation and perhaps be more huggy bear kissy face. I personally do not care but some people are awkward around PDAs and I could see why some people might think there might be more during this time.

Just the opinion of a lowly breeder...

 

[Looking4themouse]

not trying to be rude here, but your not seeing the corelation between that and grad nights does say something at least to me. Grad nights in my opinion have high chance of some filthy PDA type action if you ask me. A bunch of college kids out possibly getting wasted being overly, drunkenly affectionate.... Kids tend to get wild when they graduate and may do things they might not usually do...Does that lead to a higher than normal likelyhood for pda? but I think it's likely....I'm sure the op just heard gay days and thought well there may be more pda's because it's specfically for a group of individuals who's sexual orientation isn't straight. I don't know about you, but I do know before I actually knew anyone who's sexual orientation was different from my own I had a very different view of what the culture was like. The media plays a part in the frenzy by depicting people in certain ways. You know like where I used to work there was a park up the street where prostitutes worked, if they ever had a bust up there I never heard about it, but I will tell you what there was a full page article on a park where according to the article men were picking up other men...... So we get these stupid ideas in our head that that's the way that all people in that specific group act....It's not but we allow the idea to form in our head because that's what someone else who apparently knows more than us thinks.... I wish it wasn't true but I really believe it is.

 

[MamaJessie]

Kids tend to get wild when they graduate and may do things they might not usually do...

Well, I guess if it says anything about me it says I don't know people that go bonkers after graduating. Around here we just go out for dinner

I have to admit, when I first saw this topic I thought it was a thinly veiled anti-gay subject, which really irked me. That's why I even bothered reading it, because I was going to let OP have it. But the more I read the post I think maybe she was really just curious. That's why I defended her. Because if we are ever going to REALLY accept other people we have to be able to discuss questions openly without being scared people will think we are being hateful.

I hope gay days are great, but personally I like the pp who said every day is gay day for her. That's the way the world should be, able to celebrate your life every day.

 

[mr.bungle]

Well, I guess if it says anything about me it says I don't know people that go bonkers after graduating. Around here we just go out for dinner

I have to admit, when I first saw this topic I thought it was a thinly veiled anti-gay subject, which really irked me. That's why I even bothered reading it, because I was going to let OP have it. But the more I read the post I think maybe she was really just curious. That's why I defended her. Because if we are ever going to REALLY accept other people we have to be able to discuss questions openly without being scared people will think we are being hateful.

I hope gay days are great, but personally I like the pp who said every day is gay day for her. That's the way the world should be, able to celebrate your life every day.

I grew up in So Cal and went to Disneyland for grad night. I knew kids dropping acid and other kids doing other things they aren't supposed to. I can't speak for the gay days crowd but I don't think most mature adults would be doing any thing inappropriate. Although a lot of folks think hand holding is inappropriate. I can agree that I don't care to see ANYONE making out or something like that in public but come on, why have a preconceived notion about an incredibly diverse group of people?

 

[kimgg]

Because if we are ever going to REALLY accept other people we have to be able to discuss questions openly without being scared people will think we are being hateful.

Yes! Not everyone is raised to accept everything. Once they get to know more about things they are raised to disagree with, they often change their minds. However, if the first chance they get to start to ask questions about something they are unfamiliar with they get their hand slapped, they are much less likely to change their old opinions. Of course this works better in tthe real world and less on the Dis, however the above post is a great example.

At my job our diversity training called these "courageous conversations" because when you try to reach out to those different than you are, you risk saying something "wrong." But often people reach out with good intentions, so it is helpful to give others the benefit of the doubt. On both sides of an issue.

 

[pbrim]

I wonder how much of the "Too much PDA on Gay Day!" is observational bias. That is, some people will see a straight couple hold hands, hug, or kiss and just consider that so expected that they never even notice. Five minutes later, they won't even remember seeing it. Yet, let a gay couple do the same thing and it's "OMG!! PDA everywhere!!!!!!" If they see 10 straight couples kiss and only 1 gay couple kiss, the only one they remember is the gay kiss and tell everyone that the straights are discreet, but the gays are all over each other.

Not aiming that at any one person here, just that is a known psycological reaction that may explain why some people report a lot of PDA and others don't.

 

[Looking4themouse]

Yes! Not everyone is raised to accept everything. Once they get to know more about things they are raised to disagree with, they often change their minds. However, if the first chance they get to start to ask questions about something they are unfamiliar with they get their hand slapped, they are much less likely to change their old opinions. Of course this works better in tthe real world and less on the Dis, however the above post is a great example.

At my job our diversity training called these "courageous conversations" because when you try to reach out to those different than you are, you risk saying something "wrong." But often people reach out with good intentions, so it is helpful to give others the benefit of the doubt. On both sides of an issue.

Wow, sounds like a really cool training!!! I agree that most people start off with good intentions and then someone else misinterpreting intent gets upset and Of course after that the whole thing snowballs and we end up at war.....This side fighting that.

 

[kjs1976]

I would rather see more PDA from anyone gay or straight than see kids unnecessarily getting spanked or berated at WDW...c'mon, at WDW?

 

[Timrobb]

I would rather see more PDA from anyone gay or straight than see kids unnecessarily getting spanked or berated at WDW...c'mon, at WDW?

I AGREE!

My partner and I have been together for 15 years and have a 5 year old daughter. We go to Disney every year and have never gone during Gay Days. With that said, there are times that we will hold hands (with DD between us) and you should see the looks we get. It is really strange that people have such an odd reaction. Regardless, we aren't going to stop b/c it is important for our daughter to understand that people who love each other and are part of a family like to spend time together (and yes that means, holding hands too!).

I too have seen some pretty offensive acts of PDA (again mostly by teenagers) and have always just steered us in the opposite direction.

ENJOY your vacation and don't sweat the small stuff.