magnumpi

It's more than one day now it's a whole week. I have gone last two years in a row and I am scheduled to go this year. I get paid to go as I am busy filming badly injured RTA gay people who find the energy to get out and walk the parade or stand and watch for hours on end lol.

Always a silver, or in this case a rainbow lining to everything

Oakvillian

That's conflating two very different things. For sure, it is perfectly sound to hold a position that all marriage is outdated, that the whole institution of marriage should be abolished. But while it is still in existence, its limitation by sexual preference is a much harder opinion to justify.

And yes, especially in Ireland where same-sex civil unions have been permissible in law for a few years, the implications of this referendum are in large part connected with legal and constitutional matters, to do with taxation, inheritance, legal recognition of kinship, and all that sort of thing. For sure, there are some warm fluffy emotions flying around as well, but there are very real and practical reasons why a same-sex couple should marry rather than "just" cohabit.

Oakvillian

You two are hilarious - not.

Most folk who march in Pride parades are from the "LGBT community" (I hate that expression - it's virtually meaningless). But some marchers, and a large number of watchers and supporters, are not - they are expressing solidarity and support with people's right to exercise their freedom to be who they are, and not to have to repress their sexuality for fear of persecution or ridicule. Attitudes like yours are the reason the rest of society makes such a big thing of Pride - to show that we are not all narrow-minded or bigoted about others' sexual preferences.

If you stopped making fun of it, perhaps there wouldn't need to be a Pride parade at all?

Pica

Shard

I'm conflating things now? I did start this thread...

Pica

Nobody's "making fun" of anything! It would have been helpful if you'd read all my previous posts on this thread, you would then see that I don't deserve to be labelled as bigoted or narrow-minded.

Oakvillian

No, of course not. Comments like "how about gingers too" or (I may paraphrase, I can't be bothered to go all the way back to page 1) "why can't homosexuals stop making such a fuss?" are by no means belittling or narrow-minded, are they?

Otherwise, what you have posted on this thread seem to be expressions of yoru own boredom, or gentle barbed comments towards other posters. It's hard to tell what you really think, except that you stuck a "good post" comment on one of Magnum's comments that I thought was not a good post at all. But, of course, we are all entitled to our own opinions, which is rather the point.

Oakvillian

Sorry, that wasn't meant to be having a go at you. I just think arguments about the existence of marriage at all, as an institution, are a very different debate from the restriction of marriage to only one group of people. I do appreciate that, in the first post on this thread, you congratulated the Irish for their referendum result. No slight on your pro-free-choice-in-sexual-partner stance was intended

Pica

The "how about gingers too" comment was meant to be tongue-in-cheek as it's an old joke that's been around for a long time and I really can't imagine anyone being offended by it.
The comment about making a fuss isn't narrow-minded at all nor is it belittling.
Perhaps I should not have used the word fuss but I'm sure someone will be along soon to point out my failings

magnumpi

You see this is the diferance between your posts and other posters posts. (Except for this post I am posting now) is that you post about how other people's views are the wrong bigoted and not towing the line posts and others, like me, Shard and Connie just post about the subject matter and give their point own views. Leaving us open to ridicule.

Did I say post enough in that post ?

Shard

No worries. It true that marriage institution itself is a different debate.

Oakvillian

Ok, then, for the avoidance of doubt, allow me to express my opinion:

• I am happy that the Irish referendum result was as convincing as it was, and am fully supportive of the stand that the Irish "yes" campaign took
• I think that the amount of media coverage the Irish referendum generated, right across the world, is indicative of the importance much of society places on equality
• I think the Catholic church has done itself a huge disservice by campaigning against the referendum question, and will likely face the kind of collapse of support in Ireland that it faced in Quebec a generation ago
• I think Pride parades and similar festivals are simultaneously a cause for great celebration (in the diversity of participants and supporters) and a cause for regret (that there is enough prejudice around sexual orientation that there is a need for a parade at all)
• While of course folks are free to hold whatever opinions they choose, I am also free to call them out on those opinions if I disagree with them; I will always try to play the ball not the man, and if my post above (where I was taking issue with your attitude, not with you as an individual) missed that mark then I apologize.

Shard

Do you not think we should give the gay community a bit of a break on their celebrations and group promotion? Even if you find it all a bit much, it pales into insignificance with the real persecution that gay received in Britain until recently, and the real prejudice that many continue to endure. I suppose your comments are made sardonically, but while there are real bigots out there, it's probably better to say nothing at all rather than give out mixed signals.

Sally Redux

I meant have you asked your gay friends what they think about marriage?

Sally Redux

What actually bothers you about people having a celebration?

How do you feel about bridal departments, Anne Summers, Victoria's Secret, inebriated women wandering around town with 'L' plates on? Are these shouting from the rooftops?