US Troops March in San Diego Gay Pride Parade

[KYTOP]

For the first time, it is believed, 200 members of the US Military openly march in a Gay Pride Parade. Truly a Day to be Proud.

San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper link:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/16/troops-turn-out-san-diegos-gay-pride-parade/

Atlanta Journal Newspaper link:

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/troops-march-in-san-1019898.html

[Guest EXPAT]

Nice !

I should have gone down today. It's such a beautiful day here today too.

[RA1]

At first glance at the headline I was worried. I thought it said marched "on" not "in". That would have been a revolting development.

Best regards,

RA1

[Lucky]

We went to the San Diego Gay Pride Parade and Festival for the 4th time this weekend. Although I did see many people wearing NAVY t-shirts, I did not get to see the contingent of soldiers. From the interviews I saw on 2 different San Diego TV stations, many if not most of the marchers were no longer on active duty, nor did any active duty marchers agree to be interviewed by the TV. Nonetheless, it does mark some progress.

The parade and festival itself were downhill from previous years. The parade was so G-rated that any Christian family could have taken the kids. Sure, there were a very few guys in their underpants, but that was as raunchy as it got. The folks at the beach were probably showing more skin.

The festival entrance price was raised to $20. Would you pay $20 to go to the mall? Because that is what it was like- most of the booths were selling things. Approximately 30% of the spaces marked for exhibitors were empty, unlike in previous years when they were full. Porn stars were virtually absent. The enclosed leather section had nothing going on.

I am not normally into twinks, but, there was one young man there who could not have been much more than a day over 18 who was doing acrobatics with some other guys. He did a series of backward flip-flops that were well executed and all the more interesting because not only was he exceptionally beautiful, with a nice little gymnast frame, but his bikini underwear was the thinnest it could be and left little doubt what it covered. So, all hope is not lost. (I doubt the beach had an outfit like his!)

Going to an event like this is as close as I get these days to gay teens, and I both admire them for being out so young and fear for them as the ones out are often the ones who are the most flamboyant. Given how cruel teens can be to each other, the flamboyant ones must take some tough ribbing from their school mates.

No Helix booth this year with its young stars shocking passerbys with their boyish looks.

[MsGuy]

Maybe next year the Marine Corps will set up a recruiting booth in one of those empty spaces.

[Lucky]

Some considered it a modest improvement when the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel became a sponsor of this year's gay pride weekend. The hotel had previously been the subject of a boycott because the owner, Doug Manchester, had donated $100,000 to the Prop 8 folks.

So I was surprised to see in this year's pride program that the hotel, now sold, was a sponsor and offering rooms starting at $250 a night. Well, I stayed there, but got my room on Priceline for $100.

There was nothing at the hotel to take note of their sponsorship of pride, nor was there anything that I saw at the Festival. Purely a public relations gimmick, and a scam if you actually paid $250 for your room!

[Lucky]

This was my favorite poster at the Pride festival. The photo there actually had him showing pubic hair. Alas, he was not there.