Problem: Gay Pride

The first weekend of October is the weekend our family stays away from Disneyland, thanks to "Gay Days," a non-Disney-sponsored activity comprising (last years quote) approximately 30,000 gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transsexuals wearing bright red t-shirts descending on the park en masse. This year we were certain to find other things to do -- even though we pay over $1000.00 a year for premium passes so we can enjoy the park on Saturday mornings as a family -- because the last two years we've lived in Anaheim, we've mistakenly shown up on Gay Day, to our great dismay.

Much like General Pace, (see previous blog entries,) I believe homosexuality is inherently wrong, that gender is predetermined and granted to us by God, and that same-sex marriages are a mockery of the institution given to us by the Lord. Fine. But I also have a close female friend with a girlfriend, and am happy to give my money to Disney, notorious for extending benefits to homosexual partners as well as legal spouses. Another individual's sexual partner selection is NOT my business, and there are a great many homosexuals who would scream just such a chant. Those same individuals, however, wear obscene t-shirts remarking on their sexual preference to Gay Days and hold parades and activity days like the one held in September in Folsom, California (an hour outside of Sacramento, oddly enough where there exists the California state penitentiary), comprised of what they claim were 400,000 people reveling in homosexual sadism and masochism via "leather pride day."

Allow me to repeat: your sexual preference is none of my business. So please DO NOT MAKE IT my business by throwing it in my face!

Mass media understood that covering Leather Pride Day in Folsom would make a bad showing for gays -- photos can be found online of men spanking one another with leather paddles while wearing leather thongs, and of leather-clad gays performing oral sex on one another along the parade route, among other things even less mentionable -- so the activities were not aired on television, nor printed in newspapers. Still, in an area where numerous young families have moved thanks to inexpensive housing, this occurred, and families were forced to either stay at home or leave the town for the day, so as not to expose their children to such behaviors.

Mass media also refuses to cover Gay Days at Disneyland; no one wants to see 30,000 gays taking over a family park, offending the thousands of other people who were not aware that homosexuals had designated that weekend as 48 hours of Disney fun for gays everywhere. Imagine being the parent of a couple young children thrilled to see Mickey and visit Disneyland for the first time in their young lives -- looking forward to Disney living up to their Year of a Million Dreams campaign and enjoying their first-ever Disney experience -- and discovering that everywhere you look, men are groping one another, women are french kissing each other, and t-shirts with perverse pictures and expressions are on a couple hundred people your children encounter throughout the day. Last year, when we mistakenly showed up to Gay Day on a Saturday morning, some of the bright red t-shirts I saw included a giant arrow pointing to the head of the wearer with the phrase "Male Depository" beneath it, and a stick-figure picture of two men in a variety of male-to-male sexual positions. I only thank God that my son was two at the time, and could neither read nor understand the point of the pictures on the t-shirts. But I could...and so could thousands of other children in the park that day. Among the worst offenders was a t-shirt graced by the statement "I love ----", (use your imagination) in computer-esque characters.

I am offended even to type these things.

And more offended at having to be subjected to the "pride" shown by homosexuals. Not only do I not want to see overt displays of homosexuality, I DON'T CARE IF SOMEONE IS GAY! They are still the children of God, still capable, competent, caring individuals, and every bit as much a human being as am I. I do NOT, however, feel a need to tolerate an individual's need to display obscenity.

I would be JUST as offended to see a man spanking a thong-clad woman in public...just as offended to see a woman groping her husband in line for a ride at Disneyland. But here's the thing...we DON'T see those things! We don't get together for Straight Pride parades, don't celebrate Straight S&M day, and don't have Straight Days at Disneyland. It is just as unnecessary for a gay man to put "I like men" on a t-shirt as it is for me to put "I like men" on mine. NO ONE CARES.

I AM intolerant, and I'm happy to say it. I do not tolerate public obscenity...but I'm also happy to say that I'm am unprejudiced in my intolerance. I am unwilling to tolerate obscenity from anyone, be they black, white, gay, straight, tall, short, well-studied or entirely foolish. Free speech? Fine. Corrupt the minds of my innocent babes? I'm the mama bear, and you're dinner.

How do we solve the problem? Speak your mind. You don't need to judge the people, but there is no harm in asking someone to cover the expression on their shirt while your children are present, or to abstain from sexually oriented acts while you and others are present. Use your freedom of speech to request a removal of the indecency, or to ask that certain activities cease. Be prepared for a slew of swear-words and a great deal of anger to be directed at you, but if you can handle it, don't hesitate to speak up.

However, do not criticize, because people putting on such displays are generally looking for a fight. They want to be obscene and unchallenged so they can go home and laugh about it, or better yet, obscene and challenged, so they can have their say. A non-threatening, non-judgemental request to abstain is usually best.

Have gay friends? Broach the topic. You may find that they agree completely and are willing to make that opinion known to other gay friends, or that they see your point of view and will limit their Gay Day t-shirt to being red and reading "Gay Day 200-." It's worth a shot, right? At least, it's worth a shot for my kids. I'm sure yours are just as worth it.

Problem solved,
Mommy