If we aren’t careful, children at Pride could wind up exposed to bigotry and thinking that body p*licing and puritan values are compatible with Queer Liberation. ️ ️⚧️
Think of the children!!!
Big time agree with this. Even as someone that identifies as demi and is mostly uncomfortable with raunchiness, I recognize that queer liberation means the liberation of bodily expression and desire exchanges. Highly recommend people learning more about queer history before calling for the policing of bodies.
I agree, but I think there should be some effort to make non sexual areas at pride parades / festivals / etc. Because bodily autonomy and sexual freedom are absolutely important to queer liberation, but children also shouldn’t be exposed to explicit nsfw stuff.
This is going to be a long post because I want to make sure I address as many things as possible, and also my brain isn’t efficient. Here goes:
But then we are back to talking about what the Right wants to talk about. We’re back to conceeding the conversation needs to be about fear mongering in the guise of “being protective”.
Protected from what though?
Like its been some time since I’ve been to a large, in-person- Pride even because of Covid… but as far as I can recall from all the years prior - no one was brandishing dildos and vibrators, or having public genital or oral sex.
What I DO remember, is a lot of people in various elaborate outfits that showed various amounts of skin (but always still somehow more dressed than a strap bikini or a speedo). I remember people standing waving flags, or huddled together on lawns eating vendor food. I remember them kissing or holding hands. I remember dancing and I remember music… pink-washed corporate sponsored floats and free bracelets and beads… I remember and a LOT of things but I don’t recall anything that would have shocked a child of any age.
…unless that child was being raised in a very conservative household.
So I really really really need people to think here: When we agree to “think about the children” what are really agreeing to?
When we say “I agree children shouldn’t be exposed to sexual stuff at pride..” what does that agreement ~do~?
Because for practical purposes what it does is “agree” that there ARE uniquely unsafe and sexual elements of Pride. Something that I don’t think is true
- and no I can’t account for every last Queer person or Pride parade but I don’t think I should HAVE to.
Being queer isn’t inherently any different than NOT being queer. And allo-cis-hets never have to jump through these hoops and disprove these “concerns” on behalf of anyone.
-> Its almost like this is a “problem” entirely manufactured for the Queer community so bigots have a foot in the door to peddle their biases.
Just as an example ((and only an example)) of how this ideology permeats all of us (even queer folk): I see sooooooooooooooooo many “nsfw” posts here on tumblr (and other social media) - and its SELDOM tagged, or put below a Content Notice, or posted to a blog that has warnings about 18+ only…
Even the blog I am reblogging from and currently leaping my thoughts off of, actually has a nice comedic memes about “cocks” exactly below their reblog. Without tags, etc.
And I am NOT saying that not tagging or giving notice for our shit posts is inherently bad. What I am TRYING (and maybe failing) to say is: Why no concern for child safety exposure here in our spaces on the internet, but definitely concern for child safety in our physical spaces?
Because the Right can only object to what it knows about/ “is forced to see”.
If anything its easier to get “exposed to nsfw” stuff on the internet than at a festival. ANY kid can open up the internet from pretty much any device now. But any kid without a license can’t even take themself to an outdoor event. PARENTS and GUARDIANS make that call. And presumably they are making it with wisdom.
And so even *if* some Pride events were like what the Christians feared - I have to ask:
“Why are we talking about what we should be allowed to do at our own events, with own bodies, because of someone else’s ”“"beliefs”“”?“ Seems like the solution in that case would be: ‘don’t bring your kid’.”
And just so I can make sure I’ve addressed every angle - it *is* okay and even vital, that Pride events have mature aspects that talk about sex safety, sexual intimacy, and enjoyment.
We lost nearly a whole generation of Queer future-elders to Aids. We’ve lost potential elders to targeted brutalized murder.
These are OUR events, paid for in blood.
When others show up they should already KNOW what they are attending.
We really can’t afford to keep letting the same old tright excuses arguements play out over and over and over, year after year, letting allo-cis-het society chip away at our culture. Letting respectability politics govern where “the line” is at our own liberation. Let right-wingers slip into our dialogue.
For everyone’s sake we need to shut.it.down. Instead of meeting them in the middle.
There is nothing more to talk about - We are done with the bigots and their maligning thought campaigns.
I will speak on behalf of polish LGBT+ community. Today (10th of July) the president of Poland (Andrzej Duda) signed a law called "THE FAMILY CARD" established to “protect” the children. The law says that for children the most dangerous are LGBT+ people. Alcoholism, pathology, domestic violence or pedophilia are not even mentioned.
Formally they call us “ideology”, “pedophiles”, “strangers”. A lot of people threaten us. We have to deal with insults everyday. They do not listen to us at all. They want to get rid of us. They use the flag of our country against us!
They want to protect children by banning sex education. By restricting the law. By restricting human rights. By restricting the individual liberty.
Please, visit the side I linked below. You will find more info on the site, a controversial video and a petition to sign for free.
THANK YOU! To the 25,000 followers these past few years. Some of my past posting have not been censored Go directly to my tumblr page to see those images.
My websites don’t make a lot of money, and mostly support the costs of attending the events I shoot. For the rest of December I’m offering a Tumblr NSFW ban SALE of 50% off Flash4Us membership prices. You can choose $5 (monthly) or $12.50 (3 month) recurring memberships where this price will hold as long as your credit card is good, or 18.50 (six months) or $25.00 (full year) non-recurring memberships. This will be good for at least the rest of December. First, check out my samples and past update links from the url’s above, then if you want to join for ½ price follow the CCBill link below:
Its pride and every single right you have, every single piece of lgbt culture and history was created and cultivated by black trans women and drag queens. Do not forget it. ️
A drum line of anti-gay activists loudly played traditional Korean drums near Seoul Plaza on Sunday in an attempt to drown out the 16thKorean Queer Culture Festival(KQCF).
As thousands of LGBTQ supporters marched toward the reconstructed Gyeongbokgung Palace, non-affirming Christian groups protested Seoul’s annual gay pride parade, holding placards and shouting slogans like “Homosexuals rights are not human rights” behind rows of policemen. Other anti-gay protesters held cultural demonstrations, such as ballet and body worship performances.
“Our prayers will open the sky and the homosexuals will fall, we will be blessed with victory,” said Lee Young-hoon, head of the anti-LGBTQ organization Christian Council of Korea, Buzzfeed reported.
Despite boisterous protests from anti-gay demonstrators, festival attendees were having a blast inside the grassy Seoul Plaza. LGBT advocates sang and danced as local bands and dance teams performed on stage. Cardboard cutouts of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed visitors of the U.S. embassy booth for a photo opportunity. Several booths also sold LGBTQ souvenirs, including gay literature as well as rainbow-colored flags, pins and soft drinks.
A Seoul court on Tuesday overturned a police ban that prohibited the Korea Queer Cultural Festival (KQCF) from staging its annual LGBTQ pride parade.
Last month, KQCF attempted to register its 2015 pride parade with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Seoul police, however, rejected the festival committee’s application after anti-LGBTQ groups booked the same public venue, according to the Korea Observer.
KQCF subsequently tried to register the parade through the Namdaemun Police Station, which announced that it would accept applications for events scheduled to be held on June 28 (the date of the pride parade) on a first-come, first-served basis. This led to LGBTQ activists and non-affirming Christian groups to camp outside the police station eight days ahead of the registration deadline.
On May 30, less than 24 hours after KQCF organizers submitted its application for the parade, the Namdaemun police banned both LGBTQ advocates and opponents from holding outdoor rallies on June 28, claiming that they would disrupt public order and cause vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
According to E-Daily, the KQCF committee requested the Seoul Administrative Court to lift the ban, arguing that the police’s reasoning for it was invalid. On June 16, Judge Ban Jeong-woo of the court’s 13th division sided with the LGBTQ festival and overturned the ban, stressing the importance of the freedom of assembly.
The 16th Korea Queer Cultural Festival (KQCF) held its opening ceremony at Seoul City Hall Square as planned, despite fierce protests from non-affirming Christian groups.
Due to the rising number of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) cases, the KQCF committee decided to minimize the risk of infection by holding the opening ceremony with only 50 staff members. The organization also urged LGBTQ supporters to watch the live-stream of the ceremony on YouTube.
“We cannot stop people coming and joining the opening ceremony, but you should understand that we may not be able to take care of the participants,” Yun Candy, a member of the festival committee, told the Korea Observer.
Despite health concerns, many non-affirming Christians decided to rally outside city hall and protest the opening ceremony after receiving a text message from Professor Gil Won-pyoung, an anti-LGBTQ activist.
The message read: “If you want to go to the Queer Festival on 9th of June do not go to Seoul Square, go across the pedestrian walkway to the other side of the road and wear a mask marked with an X to silently (individually) protest against the homosexuals.”
Seoul police stations have banned the annual gay pride parade organized by the Korea Queer Cultural Festival (KQCF), after conservative Christian groups attempted to book the same venues as the LGBT festival committee.
Seoul reportedly began holding pride parades in 2000, with only 50 attendees, according to Oh My News Korea. Since then, KQCF has grown to be one of Asia’s largest LGBT festivals and now includes more than 20,000 participants.
However, last year, the Seoul metropolitan government allowed anti-LGBT groups to hold rallies during the 2014 KQCF Pride Parade, which led to major traffic jams and delays. Hundreds of non-affirming Christians lied down on the ground to prevent parade attendees from moving through the streets, according to the Korea Observer.
Although Seoul government officials have already approved KQCF’s request to hold this year’s pride parade, the festival organizers are still required to receive police approval.
Last month, the KQCF committee attempted to reserve the Seoul Plaza through the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for the 2015 parade, but failed after an anti-LGBT group called, “Love Your Country, Love Your Children Movement” applied for the same venue.
The KQCF organizers then tried to register the parade through the Namdaemun Police Station, which made the controversial decision to accept applications for rallies that are to be held on June 28 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Love Your Country, Love Your Children Movement again lined up outside the police station on May 20, nine days before the Namdaemun police would even accept applications. The LGBT community spread word about the Christian group’s efforts via social media and quickly joined the line.
It makes me so proude to see a pride flag when i’m out because it reminds me of not being alone and how grateful i am to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community.
I’d be so happy if my family could mention gay people at other times than complaining about the way people dresses at pride parades. So this is what I’d love to reply to them, after telling them to fuck off:
1: I don’t agree at all, I think a parade is the time to dress up however you want. In speedos, in fabulous rainbow coloured outfits, in fetish gear or whatever you feel like. If you don’t like it nobody forced you to oogle.
2: If you’re that ignorant that you think dressing up in a certain way for once in a pride parade reflects badly on that person or lgbtq people in general, then you’re the one with the problem.
3: I’d love to be that person in an outrageous outfit at pride, because I love dressing up.
4: You’ve never actually in person watched the fucking pride parade, so the way people dress there should be like 0% your concern!!! (and it would still be the same even if you went of course, it just adds delicious irony)
can we like…get rid of the so-called leather and rubber “pride flags” ? it’s honestly ridiculous and offensive to the lgbtq community. those aren’t pride flags.
The leather pride flag is the second oldest pride flag. It has been at almost every single US pride parade and protest in history.
It’s older then you are, it’s older then I am. The leather community is responsible for pride. Leather daddies were the ones chasing away cops when they tried to arrest us for being queer in public back when Pride Parades were illegal in the US. They are still the ones chasing away cops and corporations from smaller pride events and those that aren’t sanctioned by Wells Fargo. The leather community is essential to the queer community and has a long and rich history.
Please fuck off if you’re not going to learn the actual history of pride.
And don’t fucking out your hate in our tags, asshole.
The leather pride flag represents an expression of self which is inherently queer, and a community which has been around for generations. It is not offensive to the LGBT+ community in any way. I have seen cis gay and bisexual men standing shoulder-to-shoulder with trans men, all of them united by their leather community roots. The leather community is more diverse and nuanced than you perhaps know, but that is no reason for you to shit on a community you don’t understand.
Here is a photograph from 1998, displaying the leather pride flag, the bear gay pride flag, and the rainbow flag. This is our history.
A photograph from 1988: Tony Deblase, the creator of the leather pride flag, and a gay man, embracing a fellow member of the leather community. Over his shoulder is Judy Tallwing McCarthy, a Native American woman who was part of the leather community from 1959. She co-founded the first lesbian BDSM group in Portland, along with her partner, Sashie Hyatt.
Just because youdon’t know the history, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Be humble, and always assume you have more to learn. Hatred, and outright dismissal of communities you know nothing about, is the most aggressively anti-LGBT thing I can imagine.
The leather community has always included trans people, lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals. The leather community is global and nuanced. The leather community is where many of us encounter our found families, and our lovers. For you to dismiss that is cold-hearted and ignorant. Just because queer sex is involved, doesn’t make the community dirty or bad.
Do you have any. Any idea. Any god damn clue. How kink intersects with LGBT and queer community. Queer history. Do you know why the community pushed for, and against, closing the bathhouses during the 80s? Do you know who organized awareness campaigns about HIV, even way back when it was still called GIRD. Do you know who created the safe sex pamphlets, the classes, who pushed for disclosing your health history to partners, who distributed contraceptives and condoms and dental dams at parties and meetings and baths? Do you even know where the safe sex education we have now comes from? Do you know where a bulk of the language about consent came from? Do you have any good god damn idea what the kink communities have done for us, and continue to do for us?
Keep their names out of your mouths because you clearly don’t know what the hell you’re talking about
If there is one thing I could say to young queer folks, especially young queer folks in the U.S. who are coming of age in a world that is more accepting than the one I knew growing up, it’s this:
Don’t be so quick to sanitize your queerness and make it corporate pride daytime TV-friendly. Don’t be so quick to jump on the purity bandwagon. Don’t be so quick to speak on what your community should look like before you’ve actually learned the history of your community, and always be aware that there are things you probably don’t yet know.
These things will not protect you. They never have. And all you’re doing is isolating yourself from community, from support, from the strength we all have when we stand together in a world that would gladly pick us off one by one.
Queerness isn’t as hidden or embattled now (in some places) as it once was, but make no mistake: when our existence was illegal everywhere the people you have this knee-jerk “hide the weirdos” reaction to are the very ones who would’ve had your back against the cops and the gay-bashers.
The people who made me feel safe to come out in my 20s flew the rubber and leather flags alongside the rainbow flag and often the trans flag as well. You don’t get to tell any of them they don’t belong anymore just because you don’t understand.
