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Gayming-Age: It's Pride time, baby.

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Here's the thing. It's all about Tolerance. Remember that word? If you're gay you know what it's all about. I don't particularly take part in the gay pride festivities but hell if i'm gonna get pissy because other people enjoy taking part on them. To each their own.

If you hate yourself that is also your business. Just don't paint every gay person with the same brush trying to come accross with that holier than thou attitude because eveybody can see through it. Don't bitch about it. If you hate yourself and your life - deal with it.
 
Pride is fine. You want to be proud about being gay, no problem. The problem is so often, these parades equate pride as flamboyance and excess. They essentially embody the stereotypes that exist about gays and do nothing to further the idea that homosexuality does not always mean (for men, at least) that you dress in sequins, lip-sync to cher, and like to wear pastel boy shorts everywhere you go.

For those that do, whatever floats your boat, I don't care. But when a small group of individuals who don't represent the whole draw the most attention and speak out attempting to supposedly "break down barriers" and to "celebrate" their sexual orientation, they aren't doing us any favors. Instead, it essentially comes off as a completely masturbatory effort, that ends up polarising most of the people who see this on the nightly news. "There go those homos again"

Of course, it's the media's fault for latching onto the notion of gays as lisping queens, but these pride parades do nothing to help dismantle that idea.
 
Wow talk about a crowd of Debbie Downers in here. Way to take this thread seriously fellas! Aren't there already a thousand gay themed threads you can take this to?
 
You people talk as if a small loud flamboyant minority speaks for you. Honestly, do you really feel threatened about scantly clad muscle boys with feather boas and pretty boys dressed in sailor and police uniforms?

Do you feel that invisible and insignificant that you don't see yourselves capable of acting and speaking and generally presenting yourself as a well adjusted, if conservative gay person on your own? I feel personal duty of sort to make people aware that I am a good person with ideals and ethics of my own who also happens to be gay. Why the shame? If you feel shame it's really of your own doing, not because of something that's being inflicted on you.

As for what pride actually means. I'm sure I don't have to tell you of the countless cases of teenage suicides, gay bashing, murders, prejudice and blatant homophobia and hatred that other gay people have suffered ages past and still do in yours and other contries.

What gay pride actually means to me is the ability to feel glad and happy because you are gay and you live in a place where you're allowed to be gay without any fear of retribution or punishment. It's about building a sense personal self-esteem when gay youth need it most and about bringing the message forth that being gay is fundamentally ok. Is that so wrong, really? So what if they seem a bit silly and ridiculous? Let them have their fun. They are gay too.
 
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WTF? Are the NeoGAF ads context sensitive or what? :D
 
huzkee said:
Do you feel that invisible and insignificant that you don't see yourselves capable of acting and speaking and generally presenting yourself as a well adjusted, if conservative gay person on your own? I feel personal duty of sort to make people aware that I am a good person with ideals and ethics of my own who also happens to be gay. Why the shame? If you feel shame it's really of your own doing, not because of something that's being inflicted on you.
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i think they're talking more about the parade itself, where it's gonna be pretty hard to be 'significant' or 'visible' in the presence of hundreds of leather clad muscle queens lip syncing to kylie minogue and oiling eachother up like they're basting chickens.

that's cool by me, but i don't relate to it, and the fact that they are gay like me means nothing. like Mason and White Man, i find it unfortunate that the most significant 'gay event' is one which flamboyantly embodies and perpetuates all the effeminate, negative stereotypes. However misguided it is to feel like this, gay guys like that (the flamboyant, outspoken minority) actually made it HARDER for me to accept and deal with being gay, despite their efforts to the contrary.

but as i'm now coming off like a grouchy old shit,

go pride! woo! :D

edit : i also just realised i pretty much just re-wrote domo-kun's post.
 
I've been to a gay bar before... Twice!

Awesome, aweosme time!

Gwetting hit on by guys is r0x. Having 5 guys offer you a group blowjob is even more r0x.

I wish I was gay. I wish.
 
Star Power said:
Your point about being gay being "one of thousands of traits" is fine and dandy, but really that isn't the way it's viewed by the majority of people. You honestly can't be that naive! It's like saying "What's the need for the Black Power movement? Being black is just one of millions of things that makes a person who they are." Well yeah, and it would amazing if most people took your way of thinking into consideration, but the fact is that they don't. I mean, come on.. you should know! I totally agree with you about how pathetic it is that there are people who are defined soley by their being gay, and I also agree that mainstream gay culture is pretty terrible (circuit parties, excessive materialism and all of that crap), but let's be honest here.

I don't see the parade as a "celebration of male/male anal sex" or as "rubbing it in everyone's face." It' merely us showing them that we stand for their crap anymore, that we are proud to be who we are, and that we demand their respect.

It's great that you and your boyfriend are "normal" (whatever that means), but I think it's you who has the holier-than-thou attitude. Don't take offense, but you seem to be extremely self-loathing. "I'm ashamed of being gay" ? "Why is being gay something to be proud of?" ?? Why is it something to be ashamed of? Why is it something that people keep to themselves for their entire lives? Because society has made it this way.


edit: christ i'm so tired... hopefully you can make sense of this..
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I agree with you 110%.

I am going to Pride so I can be proud of who I am. I don't care about the retarded gimps who go out and pick up tricks everyday and promote promiscuity. Granted, my first post was a joke (obviously). I believe in having a healthy and happy relationship between two males that involves monogamy, emotion and care. I don't give a shit what these hippies do when they get home, but I sure as hell am going to stand up for what I believe in.
 
White Man said:
Don't put words in his mouth. He said he's ashamed of being gay because of gay culture and lifestyle, and I feel the same way.
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Well get the f*ck over it. This is 2006. There are stupid, flamboyant, sex driven gays and there are conservative, "I'm more likely to stay at home and read instead of go party" gays. We're all different. Quit being bitter about a culture that is stereotyped as one thing but really is another.

I play Pokemon. I mean seriously. I listen to the Beach Boys all day. Seriously.
 
Domo-Kun said:
Pride is fine. You want to be proud about being gay, no problem. The problem is so often, these parades equate pride as flamboyance and excess. They essentially embody the stereotypes that exist about gays and do nothing to further the idea that homosexuality does not always mean (for men, at least) that you dress in sequins, lip-sync to cher, and like to wear pastel boy shorts everywhere you go.

For those that do, whatever floats your boat, I don't care. But when a small group of individuals who don't represent the whole draw the most attention and speak out attempting to supposedly "break down barriers" and to "celebrate" their sexual orientation, they aren't doing us any favors. Instead, it essentially comes off as a completely masturbatory effort, that ends up polarising most of the people who see this on the nightly news. "There go those homos again"

Of course, it's the media's fault for latching onto the notion of gays as lisping queens, but these pride parades do nothing to help dismantle that idea.
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If the media actually broadcasted and reported about what goes on in gay pride parades I'd bet the poll numbers would swing back to 80% of Americans being opposed to homosexuality. Those parades are truly vile.
 
Nick said:
I agree with you 110%.

I am going to Pride so I can be proud of who I am. I don't care about the retarded gimps who go out and pick up tricks everyday and promote promiscuity. Granted, my first post was a joke (obviously). I believe in having a healthy and happy relationship between two males that involves monogamy, emotion and care. I don't give a shit what these hippies do when they get home, but I sure as hell am going to stand up for what I believe in.
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that's great. seriously.

for me though, pride parades tend to focus on the flamboyant, showy stereotype of gay people, and i don't choose them as an outlet to express who i am, or how i feel comfortable with myself, as i don't relate. but whatever.

have fun :)
 
The parades do a great job of reinforcing the image that a lot of people have grown to hate.

Republicans must eat this shit up.

If you want to rally your political base, just play a tape of a gay pride event and they'll come out to support whatever legislation you want to pass. Especially if it's something that'll punk those promiscuous, effeminate, lispy fags that're ruining america.
 
McLesterolBeast said:
The parades do a great job of reinforcing the image that a lot of people have grown to hate.

Republicans must eat this shit up.

If you want to rally your political base, just play a tape of a gay pride event and they'll come out to support whatever legislation you want to pass. Especially if it's something that'll punk those promiscuous, effeminate, lispy fags that're ruining america.
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Which is why I am quite surprised that no politician or political group has. It's a pretty win-win issue for them. Video tape a 30 second TV spot showing the horrors that go on in these parades and they'd probably be getting campaign contributions flowing in faster than the mailman could deliver them.

I mean just look what happened to Pete Coors--Republican candidate for Colorado's US Senate seat. Ahead in the polls till Dem Ken Salazar started running ads pointing out that his company--Coors—the beer company--sponsored a gay pride parade in Montreal--I think that's where it was--and BOOM Salazar jumped to the front of the polls and won the election.

Just the very mention of supporting a gay pride parade cost Coors the election and won it for Salazar. Image the kind of political dynamite actually showing what goes on in a gay pride parade would be.
 
Ha ha ha, I love it when people label gays who don't accept mainstream gay culture as "self hating". I believe strongly in queer activism and political action. There is nothing activist or political about the Pride parade. It is a stupid, trashy spectacle that just reinforces every boring gay stereotype. Maybe if it involved overturning cop cars or setting straight people on fire it'd be more interesting.
 
Mason said:
Bigot? Don't try to pull the oppression card and get all holier-than-thou with me.

I'm gay as well. And you'll never catch me at a gay pride parade. Besides me and my boyfriend, I can think of only one other gay male I know that is normal like we are. We don't involve ourselves in "gay culture," we go around flaunting it, we don't go around telling people, and we don't act like we've been through some great strife because we are gay. Nobody asks us if we're gay because nobody can even tell.

Why is being gay something to celebrate and be proud of? It's one of thousands of traits that make you who you are. Why is this one singled out as more important and celebrated? It's incredibly stupid to build an entire subculture around something so irrelevant.

And I also ask, why is the gay culture something to be proud of? I'm ashamed to be gay because of the culture and lifestyle that is perpetrated by most gay men. Promiscuity, carelessness, egocentrism, and disease are nothing to be proud of. The sad part is a large majority of gay men probably go to these parades solely to hook up with other guys. Quite frankly, I find it disgusting.

Gay people need to find other things in their life that are actually important. I know of way too many gay people who are "gay" and that's all they are. It's what defines them. And that's really sad.

EDIT: I wouldn't want to ruin your "parade" so I'll just steer clear of posting in this thread anymore. I've said what I wanted to say.
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That's exactly how I feel. :)
 
This bears repeating.

Flynn said:
Everything you're railing against is a reaction to being pushed down and oppressed for so long. The fact that homosexuality was pushed underground for so long is terrible. We're still in the really early stages of this. Don't hate on folks that might not have the perspective or attitude that you have. I'd like there to come a day that folks don't need certain signifiers to help them find other friendlies, but we're still a long way from that.

Baby steps, dude. We're all heading the same direction.
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I'm probably not exactly the pride-parade type, but it has to be understood where people are coming from.

On the other hand, the "self-hating" accusations are beyond moronic.

So can't we all just get along? (But not browds. Get the **** out of the thread.)
 
While I don't personally like to attend gay prides I do think they serve a purpose. It is all too easy for politicians and general public to sweep the problems and issues of a minority under the rug because they are quiet about it. The only way things are going to change are if gay people show they aren't shutting up and conforming to how society wants them to be. It is this "in your face" attitude that brings controversy and as a result, exposure.

I choose to advocate gay rights in a different way but I'm not going to judge pride goers by its seedier element. Nor do I judge a race based on their worst instead of what they aspire and try to be. Promiscuity, carelessness, egocentrism, and disease are nothing to be proud of, you're right but these are hardly exclusive to homosexuals and are not what Pride is attempting to praise. So what if guys go to hookup? Does that negate the purpose, the true purpose of Pride? Definitely a crack in the armor but doesn't destroy it.
 
Jugendstil said:
Ha ha ha, I love it when people label gays who don't accept mainstream gay culture as "self hating". I believe strongly in queer activism and political action. There is nothing activist or political about the Pride parade. It is a stupid, trashy spectacle that just reinforces every boring gay stereotype. Maybe if it involved overturning cop cars or setting straight people on fire it'd be more interesting.
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I agree with you 115%. Especially if we're allowed to set straight folks' children on fire.

Also: My solution for this weekend's events turning Seattle into a hellhole? I'm going to Canada for the weekend.
 
For people who do judge me by what occurs at Pride, I simply ask them if I should judge all heterosexuals by the behaviors on display at Mardi Gras.

I'm in the camp that doesn't feel Pride accomplishes anything. It is a parade of stereotypes. Many use it as a prolonged cruising session. I understand there are also many who go to celebrate each other, to promote what they believe is positive gay culture, to demand gay rights, but all of that is lost in the spectacle.

Shame on those of you accusing others of self-hatred just because they don't feel represented by those at Pride. It is hard for me to respect a man who is asking for that respect when he's being interviewed on National TV while wearing assless chaps.

We should all acknowledge our own personal responsibility in how we are perceived as a group. Change for the better will only happen when we earn the respect of the majority.
 
Why do gays act in such an effeminate manner?
The whole camp thing annoys the shit out of me.

Be gay, OK, whatever; it doesn't bother me but if you're really loud and have that "gay accent" or act in an extremely stereotypical manner don't expect me to treat you like an equal.
 
Bowen_B said:
Why do gays act in such an effeminate manner?
The whole camp thing annoys the shit out of me.

Be gay, OK, whatever; it doesn't bother me but if you're really loud and have that "gay accent" or act in an extremely stereotypical manner don't expect me to treat you like an equal.
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Shut up.
 
Nick said:
Shut up.
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Homosexuality doesn't bother me at all but effeminacy gets on my nerves to no end.

Why do so many gay men seem to think they need to act like women just because they're gay?
 
Bowen_B said:
Why do gays act in such an effeminate manner?
The whole camp thing annoys the shit out of me.

Be gay, OK, whatever; it doesn't bother me but if you're really loud and have that "gay accent" or act in an extremely stereotypical manner don't expect me to treat you like an equal.
Click to expand...


So its okay to be gay as long as you're straight? Got it. Go play in traffic for awhile.
 
Bowen_B said:
Homosexuality doesn't bother me at all but effeminacy gets on my nerves to no end.

Why do so many gay men seem to think they need to act like women just because they're gay?
Click to expand...
Quit life.
 
Bowen_B said:
Homosexuality doesn't bother me at all but effeminacy gets on my nerves to no end.

Why do so many gay men seem to think they need to act like women just because they're gay?
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How about letting Gayming Age enjoy one ****ing thread on gay pride ****ing weekend without your trolling about your personal issues?
 
My friend does drag once a year for the AIDS charity drive at the local dance club. He's 33 I believe. I told him I'd come watch him and because the vast majority of the entry fee/drink profits go to AIDS charity. I am standing watching the stage waiting and someone comes up behind me and grabs my but. I turn around, ready to scowl at whoever felt they were welcome to invade my person and see this woman. Obviously its a drag queen but shes talking to me like she knows me and I have no idea who she is. I soon figure out it was my friend, but damn, those guys do good work back there with the makeup and wigs. If i ever need to go undercover I know where to go.
 
This thread needs a good derailing.....

I think Peter has something he needs to tell us:

peter_moore_xbox_360_2.jpg


SF_Pride_Drag_Queens.jpg



if only I had photoshop on my laptop =(
 
Mason said:
Bigot? Don't try to pull the oppression card and get all holier-than-thou with me.

I'm gay as well. And you'll never catch me at a gay pride parade. Besides me and my boyfriend, I can think of only one other gay male I know that is normal like we are. We don't involve ourselves in "gay culture," we go around flaunting it, we don't go around telling people, and we don't act like we've been through some great strife because we are gay. Nobody asks us if we're gay because nobody can even tell.

Why is being gay something to celebrate and be proud of? It's one of thousands of traits that make you who you are. Why is this one singled out as more important and celebrated? It's incredibly stupid to build an entire subculture around something so irrelevant.

And I also ask, why is the gay culture something to be proud of? I'm ashamed to be gay because of the culture and lifestyle that is perpetrated by most gay men. Promiscuity, carelessness, egocentrism, and disease are nothing to be proud of. The sad part is a large majority of gay men probably go to these parades solely to hook up with other guys. Quite frankly, I find it disgusting.

Gay people need to find other things in their life that are actually important. I know of way too many gay people who are "gay" and that's all they are. It's what defines them. And that's really sad.
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I completely agree. Pride parades embarass me.
 
Wait, seriously... do gay clubs really have "better" music? i'm sick of the top 40 club mix crap in most clubs i've been to. What type of music (house aside i'm assuming) is played at gay clubs?

Edit: Love my new tag, but i was kinda hoping for "Snake felt a hunger for Meryl blossom within his loins." :/
 
aoi tsuki said:
Wait, seriously... do gay clubs really have "better" music? i'm sick of the top 40 club mix crap in most clubs i've been to. What type of music (house aside i'm assuming) is played at gay clubs?

Edit: Love my new tag, but i was kinda hoping for "Snake felt a hunger for Meryl blossom within his loins." :/
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Some do. I guess it depends on where you're located. In Reno, there is exactly one gay club in town (I'm too young to go in, but I'm not interested anyway) and they play Top 40 crap only.
 
Geez, what a thread.

I'm in a weird position because this will be my first year going to the parade in Chicago and I'm 24. I'll be going with a group of friends. I can't say I'm exactly the stereotypical gay, as I used to be in the camp of "don't go to clubs or do any gay things, there is more to me than that", but honestly, you can do that sort of thing and have fun and still be a boring gay guy.

The problem with this board is that a big group of people on the OT have a very elitist attitude about everything. It's always been this way, when it comes to movies, music, religion, or even gay issues.

Screw that, I won't feel bad about going to the parade, even if my fellow Gayming-Agers have harsh words about it or the people that go there. I want to experience it for myself, good or bad.
 
It's a fun experience, I think. You get to meet new people, experience new things and make new friends along the way. If you get off by going online and saying "I'm better than that." then that's your thing.
 
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