Gay Pride Parade costumes?

[ZackT]

I came across this point from a guy on Facebook earlier today. He found the costumes worn during gay pride parades to be distasteful, and disgusting (his words).

I don't know the guy virtually at all, it was actually the brother of one of my good friends. Regardless though, I thought about this statement and, to a small extent, I agree.

Why? Mainly because I think those costumes do more harm than good. When you have people dressing up extremely flamboyantly, or extremely scantily clad/inappropriately and parading in public, it gives the whole group a bad image, even if the majority of the group doesn't behave/dress that way.

I'm not suggesting 100% conformity either, or that folks shouldn't express themselves. I don't understand the costumes very much, in the same respect that I don't understand Lady GaGa's crazy outfits. I don't see the point to them, other than to get noticed (good or bad).

But does anyone else think that maybe a more powerful message in a gay pride parade would be "normal" looking folks, with their partners? I think that might prove more relatable to the mass population out there. See some guys wearing the same basic clothes and having similar haircuts and shit, but holding hands with their boyfriend/husband?

[Marc]

I personally hate the who pride thing.

My straight friends don't have a parade to show how straight they are, so why should gays have to prance around showing how gay they are?

If you want to fit in with society and be accepted as equal in society, then you have to behave that way also.

It's double standards...
Gay activists always demanding equality, then forcing the life style on 'non believers' how is that equality?

[writerken]

I'm not into 'queeny' but it's one day for guys to let it all hang out.

[Marc]

I'm not into 'queeny' but it's one day for guys to let it all hang out.

I do that every day!!

[ZackT]

But here's a counter-point: It's one day to let it all hang out, as you say, but it's also the one day (or one of certain days) in which the public eye is more greatly focused on us, because of the parade and news coverage of said-parade. So, if those are the days some folks choose to dress up like that as, that's how they're represented. Much like Halloween, even if you don't dress up like that every day of the year, you'll see plenty of strangers in costumes and that's how you'll remember them. The difference is, they're not representing a particular group of people, they're just 1 random person. People in parades have a purpose and are trying to represent themselves and others.

[Corsac]

There should be no focus on sexuality when it comes to living inthe world. Where some gay people do feel safer to come out at this time, it can be alienating for others. I really don't like how pride events do throw out massive stereotypes and thats why I don't goto them.

I don't need a parade to represent myself, I do so by being me. I am myself first, anything else after.

[Blue]

To me, it's no different than Sadie Hawkins day, Mardi Gras or any other parade/event that get straights dressing up and prancing about acting silly - not my thing to get involved in but, not a big deal if others want to do that.

[72jay]

I went to a gay pride parade for the 1st time this spring (I've been to a couple pride festivals before that, just not a parade)
I found it in no way distasteful or disgusting. Sure there were some crazy costumes & scantly clad guys but the majority of people in it were in normal clothes or outfits for a group they represented.

While I would very likely go to another pride festival I probably won't be going to any more parades...but for different reasons:
(I almost got found out by my mother when I went to the one this spring...can't take that sort of risk again)
(The parade was over 2 hours long...far too long to be standing in one place in the hot blaring sun, got a fairly bad sunburn...)

[ceez]

I was actually wondering if they do warn people that go that there might be some scantily clad people at the parades especially if children are going. I do think that it would help us if more lgbt people did go in their everyday clothes but it is supposed to be a fun time like Mardi Gras where anything goes.

[ZackT]

That's the thing though, no one remembers the "normal" looking people from pride parades, the photos the media puts up and touts around to the general public are of the more eccentric or unusual people in the parade, and that reflects very differently than it does to random pictures taken from Mardi Gras, for example.

I don't find them distasteful or disgusting, it's just I think a better approach could be taken. It seems very abrasive to me, to try and just shove this persona in the public's eye and expect to be taken seriously.