How come I get to hear about cool gay events only after they have
been subjected to homophobic campaigns?
This weekend the Florida Family Association hired an
airplane to fly a banner over the Orlando area warning families about the annual Gay
Days event, held the first week of June at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Apparently, the association thought that the spectre of queers dancing with Mickey warranted spending $7,000 on the banner, which read “Warning Gay Day at Disney.”
On its website the association, besides referring to Gay
Day at Disney as a celebration of “immoral lifestyles,” took aim at the Hilton
Hotel — “it would appear from
Doubletree by Hilton’s role as the official Gay Day hotel that their company is
sanctioning the celebration of the homosexual, lesbian and transgender
lifestyles.
Many American families are offended by the public celebration of such
immoral and irresponsible behavior. They are also displeased with
companies like Hilton that allow their corporate image and goodwill to
legitimize these events and their associated immoral behavior.”
I am not sure what immoral behaviour they meant. The
events I found on the Gay Day site included swimming with the dolphins,
watching the Blue Man group or Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba, book-reading events, gay rodeo and, of
course, pool parties.
More than 150,000 attended Gay Days, which celebrated its 21st
anniversary. According to Chris Alexander-Manley, president of Gay Days, the
event brings in $150 million to Disney, rival theme parks, hotels, restaurants, bars,
clubs and other local businesses.
I am not sure what effect the family association’s banners had, but with that amount of money coming in, next year they might try hot-air balloons.
Why you can trust Xtra
