By Michael Paré, Toronto ON
Originally published in Toronto Digital Queeries
Toronto’s Pride parade, including the Dyke March is long past their prime after 23 years. Assimilation may sweep most of the quirks of gay culture under its carpet, but the Pride parade and Dyke March will not be one of them. This is not because the Pride and Dyke parades are unceasingly wonderful. No, the parades are, in fact, increasingly unbearable, general good cheer notwithstanding. These two parades are simply one of those bloated, tired institutions that can't die because they have established themselves so firmly, as a bloated and tired institution’s.
It fulfills a cheesy niche just to the left of all of popular culture's rights. The Pride and Dyke parade’s are the slightly tacky aftertaste of every Caribana parade, the off-colour whisperings beneath every Miss Toronto bikini pageant, the second thought of every Hadassah Bazaar. Surly the best float in the parade this year was not a sinking scow, full of elderly men dresssed in white, carrying bowling pins?
When we go to Gay Pride Festivals, the amount of concentration on sex can be truly sad. There are men totally naked, except for a pair of shoes and holding up crude signs. Some marchers pass out condoms and other sexual paraphernalia. Others are openly cruising, making crass sexual comments about each other or grabbing each other's bodies as they walk by. Certainly this is not everyone, not by a long shot, but it happens enough so that a casual observer might very well be inclined to think that being gay is all about sex.
It's the necessary yin of the Canadian parade scene. Stuffing its entire yang into tight cut-off shorts. Where else can Torontonians go to embrace the sagging, relentless flesh of its naked ambitions? There is nothing more Canadian than "Look at me!" and the Pride and Dyke parades is "Look at me!" and then some.
Dyke parades are special status parades; women’s liberation is dead. Lesbians have reached their goals. It’s now just a way of dividing our community. Someone needs to stand up and say, "Hey!! This is not what gay pride is about! This is not what people had in mind when they wanted 'gay liberation!'" One big parade is all that is needed.
Gay Pride festivals and parades should be family-oriented. There are many children with gay parents, more than even our own community realizes. Pride festivals should be a haven for them, too, since they also have to deal with bigotry. Gay parents should be able to bring their children so that they can meet and support each other. Straight parents should be able to bring their children to teach them tolerance and debunk any misconceptions they may have about gay people. Any straight person who wants to learn more about us and who we are should be able to attend, and after doing so, walk away with a greater understanding of the hardships we endure and how they can show greater sensitivity toward us. It should be a supportive, educational experience for all who attend.
If the Sydney, Australia Gay Mardi Gras Parade is the largest and best in the world and rates as number ten, Toronto must be a two. It looks like a big rummage sale marching down the street. Toronto should take a leaf out of the Sydney parade organizing and have everyone in costumes. Hold it on Saturday night. The street festival could continue all day Sunday. This would make it much more colourful and enjoyable weekend for the whole family.
Certainly no politician should be allowed to march in the parade during election time, as an election ploy for more votes, as if anyone was paying attention. One Politician should only be allowed at the front of the parade, if they are an honoured guest.
Why is it, every year, Toronto Pride Committee is run by whining amateur dim-wits, who pump out silly press release on attendance figures, lack of corporate sponsors and millions the event will generate for the City then waste money on two different parades? The press rates us as third in North America and fifth in the world. Shame on the Toronto Pride Committee. We should be number one period.
In the end, if we don't respect ourselves, no one else will. If we don't make our Pride parade, a united community, a place of learning, strength, and support for all ages, we can't expect respect from others to be quickly forthcoming.
Better still, let's pull the plug on all Toronto Pride parades!
"Saturday June 4, 2005 - Letter to the editor"
From: Bart Roberts" <broberts108@hotmail.com>
To: torontodigitalq@yahoo.ca
I stumbled upon your editorial while surfing the web, and have to comment on what a tired, lonely, bitter group/person you appear to be. If you ever get tired of whining, bitching and complaining about life here, please feel free to hit the 401 and move to wherever gay life meets your high standards. Don't worry about us... we will learn to somehow cope without you. Like you say, time to pull the plug.
(Editors comment Bitter "moi?" Your the first person to complain about any editorial in 7 years)
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