Okay, I've never been to a pride parade in my life, so maybe this is a dumb question, but why are so many people in various forms of undress during pride? Don't get me wrong, they could walk down the street buck naked doing backflips for all I care. I'm just curious as to the philosophical reasoning behind it (if there is one). To prove that queers are hotties? To show that our sexuality is as valid for overexposure as anyone else's in mainstream society? Is it a fuck you, a "I'm so unafraid of you I'm going to walk around completely vulnerable" attitude? Enquiring minds want to know.
Don't hold me to this, but I think it's part of the in-your-face attitude that gay pride parades are for. We're here, we're queer, etc.
I could write several pages as to the reasons people participate in Pride parades and festivals in various states of undress, but I think I can sum it up simply in three words. Because they can. Lex
So many? How about, so few! I mean for every float or group of pretty people reveling in their near-nakedness, there's 20 other groups simply dressed in jeans and t-shirts (or suits if you're a politician) with some sorta message on it. Since you've never been to a parade, I think you've become wrongly influenced by either the stereotype that is shown on your local news, or by gay blogs that just want to show undressed pretty people (not that there's anything wrong with that!).
My very specualtive guess. I guess its just an easy way to express sexuality. Large groups of people in underware or less tends to be pretty sexual. What Else would be a good and easy way to do that?
I think of it like this: There's really not any difference between gay people and straight people other than sexuality. And as an oppressed minority, we need to celebrate our differences to show who we are and and we're here to stay. And the main difference that can be celebrated is our sexuality. And the way to celebrate that is to show it off... in our undies.
Margaret Cho said it really well in one of her comedy acts. Something about how when your sexual activity is repressed and looked down upon and condemned by many, when you finally get together to have sex you're bound to have a really good time. In regards to Gay Pride festivals, I think it's sort of the same thing, only instead of sex it's just getting naked. Actually, there are still way more people in clothes at Pride than without.
It makes a bold statement. If you just walk down a city's main street for half an hour, it could be taken as 'just another protest'. By being undressed, fancily dressed or otherwise, it allows for the celebration of diversity and what-not.
Because gay guys are sluts! Well, actually, I do feel that way about someone who would wear underwear/less in public- in places it isn't socially acceptable. I honestly don't understand it, though. It seems like being gay is completely about sex... :confused2: But maybe that's just the stuff I see.
