A Straight Dad's Take On A Gay Pride Parade
By Guest Columnist John Kutuchief
My dad worked for his entire career in Akron Public Schools and most of it as a high school guidance counselor. He has since retired, yet remains the busiest guy I know. I asked him to share with our readers his observations from his recent trip to Toronto. Also, he took the pictures in the post.
"Last weekend I traveled to Toronto to enjoy a vibrant, people friendly city that was concluding a week long Gay Pride Celebration. Toronto hosts the largest Gay Pride event in North America, or at least so I've been told by several Canadians. It was our intent to enjoy the summer weather in an inviting city and be spectators for the annual Dyke parade on Saturday and the big Gay parade on Sunday.
"One of the many positive things Canadians seem to embrace is a clear concept of diversity and tolerance. This city is home to every conceivable ethnic group, clustered in various parts of Toronto in ways that seem to meld together in a workable tolerant community. The days that I was in Toronto, I read the Toronto Star, one of at least two dailys, and learned so much about how immigrants assimilate together in the larger community. As you probably know, Canada is really as much a 'stepping stone' to the United States....but in a legal manner, for many Asians, as Mexico is the 'stepping stone' for illegal immigrants trying to find a better life for themselves and their families. This may be one of the few similarities between immigrants coming to Canada and immigrants coming from Mexico. Lingual and cultural assimilation in Canada seems the norm.
"Toronto is a clean and vibrant city. At all hours you see people out walking, eating in outdoor cafes, sitting in open air pubs, riding the very clean and efficient subways and trams, and skateboarding, jogging, rollerblading, along the hundreds of miles of bike/walking paths that exist in the city. We were staying at a friends' home in the downtown area near Broadview and Danforth Ave, which was a 15 minute walk to the heart of the commercial and gay district in central Toronto.
"The parades at the conclusion of the Gay Pride Week are the highlights of the week and are truly a community affair. Organized by the Gay Pride community and the city of Toronto, these public displays are much 'mainstream' with the mayor, police chief, fire chief, council members, and a host of other community organizations participating in the actual parade. For example, there were a variety of organizations with people and banners or floats representing agencies in the city that serviced AIDS education or AIDS victims. Social service organizations were all part of the event and had a number of booths (large tents with displays for viewing or selling) throughout the area that attracted many of the thousands of spectators on both days. This event is so large that the last parade participants left their starting spot well over an hour after the parade had begun.
"The center of all the events was Church Street and this area plus all the side streets for a block away from Church had been cordoned off for big tents, displays, etc. It was a real conglomeration of people having fun, being outrageous, making statements in their dress (or lack of it.....many were barely clothed) and just enjoying an afternoon of "togetherness" both with the straight and gay communities.
"I came away with a strong sense of what the notions of TOLERANCE and DIVERSITY are all about. It was a strong statement of the community of Toronto saying to the rest of the world that we embrace the cultural, ethnic, sexual, and heritage differences that exist in our city, and understand that this diversity is one of the strengths that make Toronto such a people friendly place to live.
"This feeling of community is buttressed by the city itself. There are over ten miles of parkland along Lake Huron where people go to enjoy green space, water, and all the attending goodness that comes form that. Our impression is that we in the United States could learn a great deal about the sense of strong community that exists in a city like Toronto.
Celebration.....not confrontation !!
Diversity.....not division !!
Embrace......not eschew !!
Respect......not reject!!
"Lessons to be learned from our northern neighbors seem very fundamental and worth a 'pause' in our sense of existence here in the lower 48. It was enjoyable, entertaining, and educational. A trip north would be well worth your time."
My dad worked for his entire career in Akron Public Schools and most of it as a high school guidance counselor. He has since retired, yet remains the busiest guy I know. I asked him to share with our readers his observations from his recent trip to Toronto. Also, he took the pictures in the post.
"Last weekend I traveled to Toronto to enjoy a vibrant, people friendly city that was concluding a week long Gay Pride Celebration. Toronto hosts the largest Gay Pride event in North America, or at least so I've been told by several Canadians. It was our intent to enjoy the summer weather in an inviting city and be spectators for the annual Dyke parade on Saturday and the big Gay parade on Sunday."One of the many positive things Canadians seem to embrace is a clear concept of diversity and tolerance. This city is home to every conceivable ethnic group, clustered in various parts of Toronto in ways that seem to meld together in a workable tolerant community. The days that I was in Toronto, I read the Toronto Star, one of at least two dailys, and learned so much about how immigrants assimilate together in the larger community. As you probably know, Canada is really as much a 'stepping stone' to the United States....but in a legal manner, for many Asians, as Mexico is the 'stepping stone' for illegal immigrants trying to find a better life for themselves and their families. This may be one of the few similarities between immigrants coming to Canada and immigrants coming from Mexico. Lingual and cultural assimilation in Canada seems the norm.
"Toronto is a clean and vibrant city. At all hours you see people out walking, eating in outdoor cafes, sitting in open air pubs, riding the very clean and efficient subways and trams, and skateboarding, jogging, rollerblading, along the hundreds of miles of bike/walking paths that exist in the city. We were staying at a friends' home in the downtown area near Broadview and Danforth Ave, which was a 15 minute walk to the heart of the commercial and gay district in central Toronto."The parades at the conclusion of the Gay Pride Week are the highlights of the week and are truly a community affair. Organized by the Gay Pride community and the city of Toronto, these public displays are much 'mainstream' with the mayor, police chief, fire chief, council members, and a host of other community organizations participating in the actual parade. For example, there were a variety of organizations with people and banners or floats representing agencies in the city that serviced AIDS education or AIDS victims. Social service organizations were all part of the event and had a number of booths (large tents with displays for viewing or selling) throughout the area that attracted many of the thousands of spectators on both days. This event is so large that the last parade participants left their starting spot well over an hour after the parade had begun.
"The center of all the events was Church Street and this area plus all the side streets for a block away from Church had been cordoned off for big tents, displays, etc. It was a real conglomeration of people having fun, being outrageous, making statements in their dress (or lack of it.....many were barely clothed) and just enjoying an afternoon of "togetherness" both with the straight and gay communities."I came away with a strong sense of what the notions of TOLERANCE and DIVERSITY are all about. It was a strong statement of the community of Toronto saying to the rest of the world that we embrace the cultural, ethnic, sexual, and heritage differences that exist in our city, and understand that this diversity is one of the strengths that make Toronto such a people friendly place to live.
"This feeling of community is buttressed by the city itself. There are over ten miles of parkland along Lake Huron where people go to enjoy green space, water, and all the attending goodness that comes form that. Our impression is that we in the United States could learn a great deal about the sense of strong community that exists in a city like Toronto.
Celebration.....not confrontation !!Diversity.....not division !!
Embrace......not eschew !!
Respect......not reject!!
"Lessons to be learned from our northern neighbors seem very fundamental and worth a 'pause' in our sense of existence here in the lower 48. It was enjoyable, entertaining, and educational. A trip north would be well worth your time."
- John Kutuchief
By Kyle - 6/29/2006
15 Comments:
awesome. my dad is a dem and liberal in ways but he'd NOT be down with a gay pride parade, nonetheless, enjoying it and what it stood for.
I went and saw the San Francisco parade this past Sunday and it was a really interesting experience - I think my feelings echo a lot of Mr. Kutuchief's sentiments. As much as I think this city is backwards at times, it is definitely on the forefront of tolerance and acceptance - things that should be reflected everyone and I hope one day will be.
Glad you had a great time in Canada. But for the celebration of tolerance issue, unless I am mistaken under the quise of hate speech you can be arrested and/or fired for verbalizing unpopular view points in Canada. What about the gentlemen that took out an ad in his local paper and quoted the bible's verses on homosexuality? He was arrested and found quilty of a hate crime and forced to pay a penalty. Do I agree with him? NO. But tolerance has to work both ways or it is merely the weapon of those in control. As we all know in Europe you can be arrested for denying that there was a Holocast or arrested for disparging a religion(read Islam). If you dont believe it ask those people currently fighting the charges. These laws are often written under the quise of tolerance. For years the right controlled the moral "code" I only hope the left will be more tolerant of views that contradicte theirs. Yes, Canada is a progressive society but you better be "progressing" the right way.
While I promote toelerance and acceptance I am not sure that the "progressive" element has the right to decide what
I'm of the opinion that these kind of gay pride parades don't really help gay people in a political sense. I think they prevent gay people from being thought of as professionals, business owners, or regular people and reinforce the sterotypes pictured in the post. These half naked "say it loud, say it proud" events are what lead to gay marriage bans passing with 70% of the vote here in Ohio and across the country.
For example, it is great that a gay cowboy in a red speedo and boots throws a condom to the crowd from the beefcake bus and yells some slogan about preventing AIDS. I think it would be more effective to put on pants and a shirt and talk reasonably to people.
Canada is a great place and has much to offer and we could learn some things from their people I am only concerened about true free speech. True free speech is the abitlity to say what ever the hell you want and not have it censored or muzzled no matter how vile or wrong it may be. And that is the ultimate problem-- who decides?
Kyle,
I agree with you. I have always been a supporter of gay rights but the trend towards militant outrageous behavior has cooled my interest in the topic. Sure you can act anyway you choose including being in my face but I also can walk away.
Kyle, I also agree with what you had to say about the gay population portraying themselves as professional, reasonable people. I know that the gay pride events are meant to be outrageous, but if they want to be taken seriously, perhaps this is not the best way to go about it. JMD
i wonder what gays who are involved in political activism for gay rights think about gay pride parades.
Columbus has a pretty vibrant gay community as well. Those people that I know that are active in the gay rights movement are somewhat split. Most think of it as just a once a year, fun, outdoor party--they expect that reasonable people can see through the costumes, etc. and realize this is not how they REALLY are. Other people agree with Kyle.
I think if you are prejudiced, the event will reinforce them, if you are open-minded, it will simple amuse and entertain you, which is the intent.
From what I witnessed at the San Francisco parade, I would say that the majority of individuals attending the event portrayed themselves in either a professional manner, just as any other person. Yes, obviously there were a great number of individuals dressed pretty outlandishly, especially those marching, but while probably more sexual in nature, their attire and actions were not on an entirely different level than what goes on in say a rowdy St. Patrick’s Day parade. Furthermore, while Kyle make a very valid point about how more conservative people construe these parades, I think he is overlooking the possibility that for a number of the Gay/Lesbian/Bi-Sexual/Trans-gendered individuals attending these events, this is a chance to show everyone they are not ashamed of who thy are – something many people have long tried to make them be. Just a thought.
Darwal,
I am all for pride. I am all for people being who they are. I just think the message would be better received if they would tone down the outlandish a bit.
I truly want gay people to have the same rights I do. I want them to have legal rights to get married. I want them to win that argument in this democracy of ours. I don't think these parades help and, as I stated earlier, I think they hurt.
I don't disagree Kyle, I was just offering an idea of what the motivation for them may be.
I just can't wait to see where the next family vacation will be
iam a canadaian teenager (18) of spanish, and German background.........in school iam doiong a project about canada's diversity. i came along this and i was interested to here want u guys think of the north.....after reading your comments i know that SOME of u guys just dont get it...tolerance(for me/us) is not just a word, it's a feeling, if u look at it as being tolerante it's harder to let it in and accept, but if it's a feeling, it feels normal. the main truth is the key....no matter who u are, where ur from, or what u speak....WE ARE ALL THE SAME......NO BODY is better than the other....and when u can look at some one thats different looking,style,language ect.. and tell yourself that, you are not better in any way than that person, and that that person is not better than you, u wont trully feel it.........it's a simple point.........simple
iam a canadaian teenager (18) of spanish, and German background.........in school iam doiong a project about canada's diversity. i came along this and i was interested to here want u guys think of the north.....after reading your comments i know that SOME of u guys just dont get it...tolerance(for me/us) is not just a word, it's a feeling, if u look at it as being tolerante it's harder to let it in and accept, but if it's a feeling, it feels normal. the main truth is the key....no matter who u are, where ur from, or what u speak....WE ARE ALL THE SAME......NO BODY is better than the other....and when u can look at some one thats different looking,style,language ect.. and tell yourself that, you are not better in any way than that person, and that that person is not better than you, u wont trully feel it.........it's a simple point.........simple
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