Pride parade/festival for teens?

[Anonymous]

OP did you take your kid? How was it?

WE took DD who is almost 6 and she loved it.Last time we took her she was almost 2.
We went to family friendly area and had a greay view point in the shade.
We watched for about an hour and a half then went and got dinner.

[Anonymous]

We took our 12y old yesterday and he LOVED it. He came home decked out in beads, stickers, sunglasses,etc. He has already put his pool ID onto the rainbow lanyard from TD Bank and is talking about getting a Pride shirt for next year. Maybe he just loved the festivities of it,maybe he loved the free stuff, maybe he is gay. But seeing him having a blast was awesome!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We took our 12y old yesterday and he LOVED it. He came home decked out in beads, stickers, sunglasses,etc. He has already put his pool ID onto the rainbow lanyard from TD Bank and is talking about getting a Pride shirt for next year. Maybe he just loved the festivities of it,maybe he loved the free stuff, maybe he is gay. But seeing him having a blast was awesome!

You are a wonderful mum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We took our 12y old yesterday and he LOVED it. He came home decked out in beads, stickers, sunglasses,etc. He has already put his pool ID onto the rainbow lanyard from TD Bank and is talking about getting a Pride shirt for next year. Maybe he just loved the festivities of it,maybe he loved the free stuff, maybe he is gay. But seeing him having a blast was awesome!

We got the rainbow lanyard too, not sure what we will do with it yet. Oh and we got the fold up sunglasses which DD loves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pride events can be overtly sexual.

So are movies, TV, and life. You mean seeing homosexuality.

I know, terrifying to see gay people kissing. Your child will be scared for life.

Actually my BIL is gay and finds these events diminish the community and promote stereotypes that are not accurate. Most gay people are not marching in leather whips or promoting their sex life everywhere. Most gay people want to be accepted as the same as everyone else and this stuff promotes fringe elements. Gay people are everywhere and people don’t know it because most they just live life.

[Anonymous]

we went with our step daughter who came out 2 months ago it was great

[Anonymous]

No we don't go. That overtly sexual, half naked, raunchy atmosphere is not what I want my kids idea of being gay to mean. I prefer my kids think that LGBTQ people are just like everyone else rather than the circus / freak show aspects of pride. Sexual orientation is about more than gyrating and being naked and being overtly sexual.

When I was a teen, my work hosted a large LGBTQ event. It was awful. Very overtly sexual with us as teens having to watch displays of sexual activity, mock sex, crude sexual comments to us as teens, grabbing and slapping the butts of teen guys working. Hundreds of men and women (mostly men) who made me see LGBTQ in a whole new light. I would never expose my kids to that with straight people, why would I expose to that with LGBTQ people.

[Anonymous]

Reston had its first Pride event last week— fun and family-friendly. You may want to mark your calendar for next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No we don't go. That overtly sexual, half naked, raunchy atmosphere is not what I want my kids idea of being gay to mean. I prefer my kids think that LGBTQ people are just like everyone else rather than the circus / freak show aspects of pride. Sexual orientation is about more than gyrating and being naked and being overtly sexual.

When I was a teen, my work hosted a large LGBTQ event. It was awful. Very overtly sexual with us as teens having to watch displays of sexual activity, mock sex, crude sexual comments to us as teens, grabbing and slapping the butts of teen guys working. Hundreds of men and women (mostly men) who made me see LGBTQ in a whole new light. I would never expose my kids to that with straight people, why would I expose to that with LGBTQ people.

You’ve never attended a music festival? My DD was an intern at two different local radio stations and now is employed by a third. Drunk adults sometimes cross barriers regardless of sexual orientation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No we don't go. That overtly sexual, half naked, raunchy atmosphere is not what I want my kids idea of being gay to mean. I prefer my kids think that LGBTQ people are just like everyone else rather than the circus / freak show aspects of pride. Sexual orientation is about more than gyrating and being naked and being overtly sexual.

When I was a teen, my work hosted a large LGBTQ event. It was awful. Very overtly sexual with us as teens having to watch displays of sexual activity, mock sex, crude sexual comments to us as teens, grabbing and slapping the butts of teen guys working. Hundreds of men and women (mostly men) who made me see LGBTQ in a whole new light. I would never expose my kids to that with straight people, why would I expose to that with LGBTQ people.

You’ve never attended a music festival? My DD was an intern at two different local radio stations and now is employed by a third. Drunk adults sometimes cross barriers regardless of sexual orientation.

Nope, we have never been to one of the music festivals where the atmosphere is all about sex and sexual activity. I wouldn't take my kids to that either. I have been to many music festivals but they are just people dancing, singing, swaying, and drinking.

[Anonymous]

Gay Mom of a 5yo here.

We watched the Parade for 2 hours and saw 2 groups that were overly sexualized, I am ok with my 5 yo seeing this because we told her the Parade was to celebrate being yourself and being different and im pretty sure those peoples clothing options went over her head. The rest of the parade was very family friendly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pride events can be overtly sexual.

So are movies, TV, and life. You mean seeing homosexuality.

I know, terrifying to see gay people kissing. Your child will be scared for life.

Actually my BIL is gay and finds these events diminish the community and promote stereotypes that are not accurate. Most gay people are not marching in leather whips or promoting their sex life everywhere. Most gay people want to be accepted as the same as everyone else and this stuff promotes fringe elements. Gay people are everywhere and people don’t know it because most they just live life.

I agree. It takes the stereotypes and goes over the top. I heard a gay man say that since gay people were once seen as perverts and deviants, the pride parade is their opportunity to reclaim perverts and deviants - hence the flamboyance, the BDSM aspects, the nudity, the overt sexual aspects. Whatever the cause, I don't think it is a place for kids and not the right idea about what sexual orientation really means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pride events can be overtly sexual.

So are movies, TV, and life. You mean seeing homosexuality.

I know, terrifying to see gay people kissing. Your child will be scared for life.

Actually my BIL is gay and finds these events diminish the community and promote stereotypes that are not accurate. Most gay people are not marching in leather whips or promoting their sex life everywhere. Most gay people want to be accepted as the same as everyone else and this stuff promotes fringe elements. Gay people are everywhere and people don’t know it because most they just live life.

I agree. It takes the stereotypes and goes over the top. I heard a gay man say that since gay people were once seen as perverts and deviants, the pride parade is their opportunity to reclaim perverts and deviants - hence the flamboyance, the BDSM aspects, the nudity, the overt sexual aspects. Whatever the cause, I don't think it is a place for kids and not the right idea about what sexual orientation really means.

If you had everyone dress in their normal clothing and not be flamboyant it wouldnt be much of a parade, just a bunch of parents pushing strollers.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- we didn't to go for various reasons. Maybe next year! (Although I am still curious about the festival vs the parade).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pride events can be overtly sexual.

So are movies, TV, and life. You mean seeing homosexuality.

I know, terrifying to see gay people kissing. Your child will be scared for life.

Actually my BIL is gay and finds these events diminish the community and promote stereotypes that are not accurate. Most gay people are not marching in leather whips or promoting their sex life everywhere. Most gay people want to be accepted as the same as everyone else and this stuff promotes fringe elements. Gay people are everywhere and people don’t know it because most they just live life.

Right, which is why most of the Pride parade consists of people who aren't doing these things.