24th Annual Gay Pride Events and Parade

[Doug Loudenback]

The Pointer Sisters are headlining this year's annual events to be conducted June 24-26 with the parade on the 26th. Be there or be square. http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/05...okcs-lgbt.html

[soonerguru]

The Pointer Sisters are headlining this year's annual events to be conducted June 24-26 with the parade on the 26th. Be there or be square. http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/05...okcs-lgbt.html

Doug, your blog post is outstanding. This seems like a real big-city gay pride event. Should be fun.

[Bunty]

Yet another music act from way back when to see before they get too old and die or retire.

[bluedogok]

Yet another music act from way back when to see before they get too old and die or retire.

I get to see Stevie Wonder at ACL Fest this year....that was a bit of a surprise act but Van Morrison was there are couple of years ago so maybe it shouldn't have been. The Eagles were the closing headliner last year.

[mugofbeer]

Did Van Morrison play more than 45 minutes? He only gave us 50 in Denver a couple of years ago

[Thunder]

I have never been to these events.

[UnFrSaKn]

I have never been to these events.

ಠ_ಠ

[Thunder]

ಠ_ಠ

What's wrong?

[HOT ROD]

sounds like fun.

Enjoy your cultural diversity OKC. And who said OKC was not cosmopolitan. ....

[HewenttoJared]

It's been a good year, lots to celebrate.

[USG'60]

Doug, in your blog you say we had a gay mayor who never admitted it. If you are meaning who I THINK you are I will maintain that we had TWO, NEITHER of whom admitted it. Like you, however, I will keep it hush hush.

[Doug Loudenback]

Doug, in your blog you say we had a gay mayor who never admitted it. If you are meaning who I THINK you are I will maintain that we had TWO, NEITHER of whom admitted it. Like you, however, I will keep it hush hush.

Sounds like we need to compare notes privately!

[king183]

Sounds like we need to compare notes privately!

Why is this any of your business or the business of anyone else?

[Doug Loudenback]

Why is this any of your business or the business of anyone else?

I understand your legitimate concern for privacy issues, king183, but gay issues are on the public agenda and history is everyone's business. Gay Pride is the topic of this thread, and for those who are public figures, like mayors, that is particularly true. Not at all intending to make an appropriate analogy because it isn't, but to flip the coin to its dark side, I'd be equally interested in knowing what mayors may have been secret members of the KKK. I'd be surprised if there wasn't at least one, if not more, but that's a topic for another day.

As to this topic, do you think that it is OK to mention that Al McAffrey, my state house representative, is gay, and that former county commissioner Roth is, too?

Where do you draw your line as to appropriate public interest in your own view of what is OK and what is not?

[king183]

I understand your legitimate concern for privacy issues, king183, but gay issues are on the public agenda and history is everyone's business. Gay Pride is the topic of this thread, and for those who are public figures, like mayors, that is particularly true. Not at all intending to make an appropriate analogy because it isn't, but to flip the coin to its dark side, I'd be equally interested in knowing what mayors may have been secret members of the KKK. I'd be surprised if there wasn't at least one, if not more, but that's a topic for another day.

As to this topic, do you think that it is OK to mention that Al McAffrey, my state house representative, is gay, and that former county commissioner Roth is, too?

Where do you draw your line as to appropriate public interest in your own view of what is OK and what is not?

Come on, Doug. That's ridiculous. Someone's sexuality is none of your business as long as it does't impact you (and it doesn't). You and USG getting together to "compare notes" on what public figure is gay seems a bit pathetic and high schoolish.

You can talk about gay public policy issues all you want, but you have absolutely no business discussing someone else's sexual orientation if that person has chosen not to have that type of information public. The idea of getting together with someone else to gossip about it is outrageous. For many, such actions are a source of unnecessary hurt.

Al McAffrey and Jim Roth are two public figures who discuss it openly and publicly often. That's their choice. Good for them. You have no business making the choice for someone else, even if it is "just to compare notes."

[betts]

In Chicago, this is the social event of the year. My daughters, neither of whom is gay, spend days thinking up their costumes and friends travel there for the event. Every apartment is full of visitors. It would be cool to see ours become at least a "must see" event for the locals.

[bucktalk]

Unless things have changed...a lot....some gay pride parades don't do much good to help how some people understand gay people. Sometimes image is everything...

[earlywinegareth]

Unless things have changed...a lot....some gay pride parades don't do much good to help how some people understand gay people. Sometimes image is everything...

Meaning what exactly? Sounds like you are stereotyping...careful.

[bucktalk]

Meaning what exactly? Sounds like you are stereotyping...careful.

Oh please....don't be a freak. Read again. Look for words like "some" and "sometimes". Its freaky how quickly 'some' people jump to conclusions without actually and completely reading a statement.

[PennyQuilts]

Meaning what exactly? Sounds like you are stereotyping...careful.

I have a lot of friends and family who are gay. That doesn't mean I want to see them acting ridiculous in public - any more than I would want heterosexual people acting that way. When people see a celebration of "gayness" and it amounts to public "lewdness," it supports a stereotype that is unfair to the vast majority of gay people. Last I checked, there isn't a celebration of heterosexuality that involves getting out on floats and behaving in a manner that would make ANYONE who was sober uncomfortable.

You can't equate it to what happens at Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras in intended to push the boundaries beyond what is acceptable. That is the whole point. It is people doing things they wouldn't normally do just before lent. When you see gay folks celebrating their sexuality in the same manner as heterosexuals do when they are deliberately pushing the limit (as in Mardi Gras), it leads to a belief by many that this sort of depravity is what defines gay people. If you know gays, you know that isn't true. But if you don't, this suggests that to be gay is to act like a pervert in public. You may not like what I am saying, but think about it. It is one thing for gay folks to walk hand in hand, wave, give each other kisses and hugs, hold signs, etc. It is another to behave in such a hedonistic manner that even gay parents don't want to bring their kids to the parade. If they want to celebrate their gayness by acting like out of control heteros at Mardi Gras, that is one thing. And they are free to do that. But pretending it doesn't support an inaccurate stereotype is unrealistic.

[bluedogok]

Last I checked, there isn't a celebration of heterosexuality that involves getting out on floats and behaving in a manner that would make ANYONE who was sober uncomfortable.

I guess that you haven't been to some of the larger biker rallies...."adult spring break" is what comes to mind. In fact a year or two ago the fairgrounds where the Republic of Texas (ROT) Rally is held became 18 and over during the rally after some furor by one of the county commissioners. This was after the event had pretty much had the same atmosphere for the previous 12 or so years.

[PennyQuilts]

I guess that you haven't been to some of the larger biker rallies...."adult spring break" is what comes to mind. In fact a year or two ago the fairgrounds where the Republic of Texas (ROT) Rally is held became 18 and over during the rally after some furor by one of the county commissioners. This was after the event had pretty much had the same atmosphere for the previous 12 or so years.

My feeling is that if they want to just break out, go to Mardi Gras with the heteros. I don't know about you, but hedonism is not the way I define/see being gay. Gay is just a same sex lifestyle - they have families, children, they love each other, they work, pay the rent, etc. I guess it comes down to how people want to celebrate their gayness, I guess. I just think the sexual part of it is not the biggest thing and it doesan't help to highlight that, particularly in a hedonistic way unless that is the way they want to be defined, I suppose.

[soonerguru]

I have a lot of friends and family who are gay. That doesn't mean I want to see them acting ridiculous in public - any more than I would want heterosexual people acting that way. When people see a celebration of "gayness" and it amounts to public "lewdness," it supports a stereotype that is unfair to the vast majority of gay people. Last I checked, there isn't a celebration of heterosexuality that involves getting out on floats and behaving in a manner that would make ANYONE who was sober uncomfortable.

You can't equate it to what happens at Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras in intended to push the boundaries beyond what is acceptable. That is the whole point. It is people doing things they wouldn't normally do just before lent. When you see gay folks celebrating their sexuality in the same manner as heterosexuals do when they are deliberately pushing the limit (as in Mardi Gras), it leads to a belief by many that this sort of depravity is what defines gay people. If you know gays, you know that isn't true. But if you don't, this suggests that to be gay is to act like a pervert in public. You may not like what I am saying, but think about it. It is one thing for gay folks to walk hand in hand, wave, give each other kisses and hugs, hold signs, etc. It is another to behave in such a hedonistic manner that even gay parents don't want to bring their kids to the parade. If they want to celebrate their gayness by acting like out of control heteros at Mardi Gras, that is one thing. And they are free to do that. But pretending it doesn't support an inaccurate stereotype is unrealistic.

I disagree. While I agree with your central premise -- that publicly outrageous and sexually suggestive behavior is not necessarily synonymous with being gay -- it is a part of gay culture, and a part that straight people shouldn't be so uptight about, frankly. Why? Because it's fun and entertaining and celebratory. I often hear this argument: "Why do they have to wear their sexuality on their sleeve?" This question belies an understanding of the point of a gay pride parade.

Make no mistake: being gay in Oklahoma is still a challenge for many people, particularly in this repressive political and religious climate.

The Mardi-Gras-esque celebration is at once a celebration of the uniqueness and humor of gay culture and a repudiation of this repressive cultural undertone permeating so much of our public discourse.

[Lord Helmet]

some gay pride parades don't do much good to help how some people understand gay people.

Ummm, what's there to understand?? They're just people like anyone else except they happen to be interested in the same sex. It's pretty simple really.

[Thunder]

Its true. A lot of them are out there nude, near nude, wearing extreme kinky sexual outfit, having sex on floats, etc. Just common knowledge that I've learned over the years.