Show Pride, Not Your Penis

(Please be aware that this brief commentary contains links to images that contain nudity and may be offensive to some readers. If in doubt or nudity offends you, DON'T click the links.)

I've never quite understood why the gay community in Toronto felt it was necessary to have a parade every year to show their pride in being homosexual. I'm heterosexual and to my knowledge there are no parades for us to celebrate our sexual orientation, nor would I need to ride a float to announce it and force it on others.

I'm not against the gay community and I'm not a religious man, I just believe there must be a moral standard we abide by even in these modern times. I have known many gay people and aside from what goes on in their personal lives and having some different interests, we're really the same. In fact, a few of them refuse to attend the parade in Toronto due to the disgusting displays and nudity that is flaunted year after year.

Seriously, if I was to organize a parade in my town and walk down the street with my penis bouncing in the breeze, I'd expect to be arrested. However, in Toronto this is a common occurrence during the Pride Parade and the police seem to look the other way. I guess tourism dollars are more important than enforcing our public decency laws.

Nudity doesn't offend me in the least. I don't have a problem with the human body and I'm certainly not a prude. Perhaps it is my upbringing but I don't understand why these individuals feel compelled to show off their reproductive organs at a public event that underage children can attend. Can't you be a proud gay man or woman without removing your pants? Sure some can...but why can't they all?

The topless women don't bother me or the men who are also topless but wear skimpy bikini briefs. At least they have their most private areas covered.

I don't have a problem with politicians who support the gay community like NDP Leader Jack Layton who actually participates in the parade but where are his moral values? If he is fine with this then I can't respect him and certainly would never vote for him.

If they are going to continue the tradition of the Gay Pride Parade in Toronto then I wish them the best of luck and continued success if they feel that it's necessary. Have fun and bring smiles to those who attend the event. I just wish the organizers would take a stand and force the participants to wear pants at the very least. If that's what it takes to be gay, then I'm glad I was born a heterosexual man.

Good Answer Miss California

If you don't mind, I'd just like to chime in with my two cents on this Miss California versus Perez Hilton gay marriage issue.

First, perhaps you should watch the short video before reading any further.



Before I go any further I have to ask these questions...who is Perez Hilton and what qualifies him to be a judge on the Miss U.S.A. competition?

OK...I know the answer to one of those questions and I'm being sarcastic. I understand Hilton is a well known entertainment blogger in the U.S. who is openly gay. I still don't know why he was a judge though. Surely they could have found some washed up celebrity with nothing to do that night. How about Isaac from The Love Boat?

Now for the record, I'm not an overly religious person and when it comes to individuals who are gay or lesbian I couldn't care less what they do in the privacy of their own homes. It's not a lifestyle choice I'd make but I don't think I have a right to deny them of their choices, the same as they shouldn't be able to affect my decisions either.

About the only thing that bothers me about their lifestyle is the Gay Pride Parade. I don't get to have a Heterosexual Pride Parade so why should they be so special?

But I didn't want this to be a debate over Gay versus Straight. For me, after viewing this video I was proud of Miss California for speaking her mind and answering the question honestly. I don't know what made me smile more....hearing her answer, or seeing the look of defeat on Hilton's face when he didn't hear the answer he expected.

Here's a guy who saw an opportunity to further his own agenda. He didn't care about who wins or loses. He looked at this as a chance to help the battle cry of homosexuals who want the right to be married and it didn't go as planned.

Here in Canada...the last time I checked...it was legal for men to marry men and women to marry women. I don't know if they have all of the same benefits and legally binding paperwork but they can stand up scream, "We're here, we're queer and we're married."

Poor Perez was ready to stand and shout hallelujah if he'd heard the "politically correct" answer he expected. Instead, the lovely Miss California became his instant arch-nemesis by not following his script and singing the praises of equality of all people.

Should gay marriage be allowed? It's not up to me to decide, but everyone is entitled to their opinion even when it might not be one you agree with. So I applaud Miss California for speaking her mind and sticking to her beliefs. She proved that having character is much more important than having a crown.