UK Troops To Wear Uniforms In Gay Pride Parade
by The Associated Press

Posted: June 16, 2008 - 10:30 am ET

(London) Britain's military says soldiers and airmen will be allowed to wear their uniforms to this year's gay pride march in London.

The military said Saturday it would permit British Army and Royal Air Force personnel to show off their military affiliation in the July 5 parade.

The decision brings the forces in line with the Royal Navy, which already allows sailors to participate in uniform.

Britain began allowing gay men and women to serve openly in the military in 2000. While military personnel have been able to participate in the pride march since then, soldiers and airmen have done so in civilian clothes.

Gay rights groups welcomed the decision.

In the US gays are prevented from serving openly in the military under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"..

As a gay man, and former army solder, i'm all for gays and lesbians to serve honestly in the military. However, wearing their uniforms to a pride event is disrespectful to the uniform.

I don't think its disrespectful at all, as long as they are being professional, the same way they participate in other parades of the straight nature. These are people that are defending their country, why not support them?

quote:

Originally posted by jdknight:
I don't think its disrespectful at all, as long as they are being professional, the same way they participate in other parades of the straight nature. These are people that are defending their country, why not support them?

I support all troops, gay/lesbian/bi, or straight. I just don't understand how they can do that. To each their own I guess.

Is a Pride parade any different from a St. Patties Day parade? I mean, I totally respect your view, just wanted to pose the question.

In several major cities around the country, the Pride Parade is headed up by gay veterans Color Guard. Often they are members of their local American Veterans for Equal Rights chapter.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeF150:
As a gay man, and former army solder, i'm all for gays and lesbians to serve honestly in the military. However, wearing their uniforms to a pride event is disrespectful to the uniform.

That’s an interesting observation. What exactly brings you to this conclusion that wearing the uniform in a gay pride parade would be any different than in any other parade? While I am not a fan of gay pride parades, I do not see it as showing disrespect to the uniform. I am open to entertain your thoughts on this.

That’s an interesting observation. What exactly brings you to this conclusion that wearing the uniform in a gay pride parade would be any different than in any other parade? While I am not a fan of gay pride parades, I do not see it as showing disrespect to the uniform. I am open to entertain your thoughts on this.[/QUOTE]

Greetings IHAWKER,
To answer your question, I would have to say it was how I was raised with in a military family. Being the son of a First Sergeant, I was pretty much raised in that the uniform is an honor to wear. If someone is no longer on active duty, then by all means. Just my two cents worth. I may not like the idea of them doing it, but I'll will always suport them for serving.

Now, gay pride parades is something that I think is off center and arogent on their part.

quote:

Originally posted by klassylady25:
Now, gay pride is something that I think is off center.

KlassyLady25, gay pride parades are not my thing, but I certainly understand the motivation behind them. When you are part of a minority that has been hated, discriminated against and subjected to violence, then the natural human reaction is to band together to show the world your determination not to break in the face of that discrimination.

I hope we reach a day when your sentiments are indeed true, but only because being gay will be seen as no big deal. I don't know if that is what you were trying to say or not.

As an aside, I find the public and media reaction (basically zilch) to yesterday's first gay marriages in California to be encouraging. When the same thing happened four years ago in Massachusetts, there were headlines and gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands that the world was ending. Now, when the largest state in the nation allows gays to marry, there's nary a peep.

Motivation, smotivation....

I understand discrimination

I'm almost 54
I'm a woman
I'm a mother of 2
Grandmother of 2
I'm white
and I'm fluffy!!

Hell, I don't get a parade for any of those. As for California and their decision, I think that people consider the source. Don't you? And one more thing, the minority (squeaky wheel) is usually heard from the majority is no longer the popular vote. It's a bit like living in a whole nation of "hippies". Or from a soldiers stand point at war; if you step over enough bodies you become numb to the fact of the person that was.

Gays are old news, that we've all become use to hearing about... i.e. It's no big deal.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: klassylady25,

quote:

Gays are old news, that we've all become use to hearing about... i.e. It's no big deal.

I wish I could agree with you, but alas, as you can see from some of the posts on military.com, there is still a great deal of hatred directed at the gay community. But society is gradually getting to a place where, indeed, it is no big deal. We're sure not there yet. The younger generation, however, is far more accepting of gays and lesbians than is our generation -- as evidenced by the results of that CNN poll on gays serving openly in the military indicated in 2003; wherein 91% of aged 18-29 respondents said they favored gays serving openly in the military.

Noticed you didn't debate the fact that I understood "discrimination" lol

Of course. Women still suffer from discrimination, particularly in the workplace, and definitely in the military.

Dupont... I'm teasing you this morning... try smiling once in a while.

Hell, even as a gay person I think gay pride parades are a bit...extreme. I would seriously not want to see some dudes in all leather being led around by a naked dude with a chain.

Bit creepy.

But hey, this is a free country, and I'm entitled to my viewpoint, but that doesn't mean because im disturbed by something, that I can prevent it from happening because I don't want it to happen.

All I have to do is not go.

(psst, there is a hidden message in here

Canadian military personnel march in the Gay Pride parade for the fist time

TORONTO — Hundreds of revellers danced, shimmied, and strutted their way through downtown Toronto Sunday in the Gay Pride parade - and for the first time, members of the Canadian Armed Forces were among them.

"It's a huge thing for me personally," said Warrant Officer John McDougall, a parade participant who has been an openly gay member of the military for 13 years. "To be able to be in public and be recognized not just for being a soldier, but for being a soldier who happens to be gay is amazing."

McDougall and his colleagues joined 5,000 drag queens, bikers, and scantily-clad men who marched in the parade in front of more than one million spectators. Other participants in the flashy celebration included Liberal MPs Bob Rae and Belinda Stronach, Toronto Mayor David Miller, and Federal NDP leader Jack Layton.

Toronto Pride Executive director Fatima Amarshi said that the Armed Forces initiated their participation in the parade.

"We're all familiar with stories of lesbians and gays in the military and the struggle that they've had," she said. "So for the military to turn around and recognize its soldiers, the diversity within its ranks and the need to have a presence at Pride means a tremendous amount."

Earlier this month, the Gay Pride festival in Hamilton, Ont., banned the Canadian military because of alleged human rights violations around the world.

The decision ignited a furious backlash within some in the gay community who claimed that the military has changed since it overturned its discriminatory policies against homosexuality in 1992.

"Different members of our community have all kinds of different opinions on the military, and they will make sure they are heard quite loudly," Amarshi said.

She added that she didn't notice any "substantial" negative reactions to the military personnel in Toronto's parade.

Though the parade is seen as a chance to let loose and party in Toronto's streets, it also highlighted some of the political messages that permeated Saturday's Dyke March - a smaller, more grassroots parade that included a fist-fight between several women and a papier mache version of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Many participants in the Pride parade called for more support for people living with HIV/AIDS or held signs chiding the government for cutting funding to social programing.

Gareth Henry, the International Grand Marshal of the parade who left Jamaica after being persecuted for his sexual orientation, said that the parade "is not about a party."

"Pride Toronto is very unique in having a human rights component to the whole thing, where we can highlight the human rights violations that happen in some countries," he said.

Henry decided to live in Canada because of the violence he faced as a homosexual in Jamaica. He said he'd been the victim of homophobic violence at the hands of that country's police and had received several death threats.

"Canada mirrors the experience that I want to see in Jamaica," he said.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ioXlt4ame_A5hd6Fb2Wo9_smF7sA

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/29/gay-pride.html

Eric Alva this year's Grand Marshal in Chicago Pride Parade

Chicago Gay Pride Parade
Tribune wire reports
June 29, 2008

An estimated 400,000 people are expected to gather in Chicago's Boystown neighborhood as the city celebrates its 39th annual gay pride parade.

The theme of Sunday's march is "Live, Love, Be Proud" and it culminates a month of pride events being held around the community.

This year's grand marshal is Eric Alva, a gay rights advocate and ex-marine from Texas who came out in 2007. He was the first American who was injured in the Iraq war and has been a vocal opponent of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

Pride parades commemorate a three-day riot in New York City that many credit with sparking the modern gay rights movement.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-gay-parade...29-ht,0,899234.story

For those who don't know, Eric Alva was an openly gay Marine who was the first casualty of the War in Iraq (OIF); his Purple Heart was personally presented to him by the Assistance Commandant of the Marine Corps, and he was visited in his Walter Reed Hospital bed by SecDef Rumsfeld, and President and Mrs. Bush.

I do not agree with this.
The uniform is a very special thing.
If it's OK in a gay parade then what about a skinhead nazi parade or event. Or maybe a muslim demenstration parade against America.

It is very disrespectful.
I don't support it being worn in a parade against gay lifestyle either.

The uniform needs to be respected and guarded.

This is just another example of gays wanting special rights and priviledges.