FEEDBACK

Feedback from "Brent"

I am a gay male and I am very comfortbale with who I am and don't need to ask for anyones acceptance, mainly because I am not insecure. However, I find it very interestingthat there is a gay day at kennywoodand it isnt in their schedule of events. But, the gay days will go on and all the gays will go to a place where they are ore than likely not wanted other than for the fact your organization has purchased one their wonderful group packages, so they make money and u get to advertise in your gay bars about the event and online via gay chat boards or what not. Basically what I'm tryin to say, is you don't need some gay event to bring gays together, half of the gays who will attend this thing are gonna be baltanltly openly gay and say things to people inappropriately like the situation in San Diegos Gay Pride where the gays made vulgar and rude comments to the fireman, and now they are suing the city for restitution and harrassment charges. Its one thing to be who youare, !

but why would you wana pay and go to a place where your sexuality is not acdepted and besides Kennywood is known as Family friendly, meaning families with children not drag queens and guys holding hands all day and being opnly and blatant right out shoving it in childrens faces. I'm not being hateful, i just don't understand why gays are so stupid when it comes to things like this. Think about it for a second, its like you going to my mom and dads house, they hate gays, and u just pay them to have ur gay day at their house.

From Pittsburgh Gay Days

Brent, we are glad to see gay men who are comfortable in their skin like you are. To answer your concerns about Kennywood, we were concerned ourselves when first organizing the event. We had heard about their plays having homophobic remarks and their ultra-conservative traditional family values; but it seemed fishy to us, like most rumors do. So we called Kennywood and asked them about all of these things. First we asked them about their Pirate show with the homophobic remarks and we were glad to hear that not only was it the case that they didn’t mean to be anything but entertaining with that show but also that when they found out someone was offended by it that they took all of the questionable content out of their play and reviewed their other plays for any similar content in hopes of making sure everyone can enjoy themselves (EVERYONE). Next we asked them if organizing a gay day there would be a problem and of course it wasn’t. They were actually excited to have us and have been a great help with any and everything we needed. So our sexuality seems to be accepted at Kennywood and anyone telling you otherwise is simply spreading a rumor. The family friendly thing should also extend to LGBT community members as well, considering we have families of our own, Kennywood does not deny us that. It is an amusement park open to everyone without bigotry. We applaud them for that and wish to defuse any rumors stating otherwise. As for your other comments, please try to have some faith in our LGBT community, we sure do!!!

From Ray

I was just reading over some of the statements that "Brent" made and I felt the need to respond to them. I'm not sure iif anyone knows this, but I am one of the staff members for the pghgayday.com site and one of the many contributors to the idea. Most of our staff members and our street team have done excellent work and have done alot to put out something for everyone in the GLBT community. I think we should be applauded for that effort.

When the idea for the pghgaydays.com came to my attention via the president of the organization, I was very eager to come aboard and help out in drafting the guidelines and providing the presentations necessary to show the GLBT community that we meant serious business. Our goal with the pghgayday site was to provide an ALTERNATIVE to those in our community that were becoming tired of the same old usual gay bar scene. We listened to those who had told us that they felt there needed to be a new venue other than frequenting gay bars. An idea struck us and we asked ourselve "why do we need to be seen only in the gay bar setting?" Why not SHOW the straight community that we are visible in other arenas in our life, as well?" It made sense to me and it still does. After all, isn't that what the gay community is all about...visibility and equality?

"Brent", it's nice that you are comfortable about your sexuality. However, why deny those that want to be out and open and as comfortable in their own sexuality the unique opportunity to be able to epress that the same way that heterosexuals do? We want equality, so wouldn't that equality also include gays and lesbians and their families the right to be able to express themselves as they so choose? I must admit I am not a firm believer in PDA's as i see that as being something private whether it be gay men kissing in public or a straight couple kissing in public. However, I'm not going to impose how I feel on those that think that two men or two women kissing is an okay thing. And it would be wise to look at it that way when it comes to the Kennywood event. You may not be comfortable with gays parading around wearing red t-shirts enjoying their day in the sun...that is your right. However, don't impose that view that every gay man or lesbian woman that goes is going to be all flamey and in your face about who they are. I know when i go I'm going there to have fun and enjoy myself and i don't care who knows about my sexuality. If they can't handle it, then that is their problem and not mine.

From Patrick

I wanted to take a minute to comment to "Brent" regarding Kennywood Gay Day. Not trying to promoting the event, I simply encourage Brent or anyone reading this site to visit www.gaydays.com This is the annual gay day celebration that takes place in Orlando at the Walt Disney World Resort. If you have not had a chance to attend, you just dont know what your missing. I have been to several gay themed events and can only say that when the thousands upon thousands of gay men, women and their families converge on the Magic Kingdom...... For the very first time, gays are the majority rather than the minority on that specific day. You would have to experience the liberating feeling and the comfort level felt throughout the day by the thousands and thousands who attend each year. I applaud this site, its organizers and Kennywood for having the vision although on a much smaller scale to realize how important it is for gay people and their family members to feel cofortable and safe even if for just one day while having some fun.