This just in: Gay Pride isn’t all that gay.
A recent survey out of Europe has found that nearly half of all Pride participants are heterosexual. Not just that, but many often join the celebration spontaneously.
The survey was conducted by researchers from the University of Gothenburg during last year’s Pride Festival in Stockholm, Sweden, but it wasn’t released until this year, as the city began preparing to celebrate it’s 18th Pride which started July 17 and continues through August 1.
Related: PHOTOS: 45 Years Of Gay Pride In 45 Amazing Images
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Researchers found that six out of 10 people at last summer’s Pride Parade were women, and four out of 10 were heterosexual.
Other results found that every third individual who partook in the celebration did so spontaneously, and that 42 percent of last year’s participants were between the ages of 30 and 49 years old compared to 35 percent who were under the age of 29.
But before you start freaking out, fellas, don’t.
The straights may be infiltrating gay Pride, but there’s absolutely no threat of them taking it over completely. Last weekend, a Seattle man tried organizing a “Heterosexual Pride” parade and nobody showed up. No, seriously, nobody. Only the event’s coordinator, Anthony Rebello, attended.
Despite heterosexual encroachment, Gay Pride is going to be just fine.
Related: Only One Person Showed Up To Seattle’s Heterosexual Pride “Parade.” Guess Who It Was.
h/t: Pink News UK
Brent Malone
I’d go and I’m straight. Party and support
Chris-MI
@Brent Malone: Agreed. Is this a problem? Straights outnumber gays something like 30 to one so it’s only natural that some bystanders would watch the parade and join the party and even kiss a gay friend or two.
JustSayin
A problem, really……
When I read the headline I was all excited about the love and support this shows.
Let’s not make problems where there aren’t any; rather warmly welcome EVERYONE like we want to be welcomed.
JustSayin
P.S. If I heard about a “Straight Pride” event I would attend it as a supportive GAY person.
I think the openness and love shown by doing so would be a great message.
Glücklich
SHOCKING NEWS: Most everyone loves a good party! Who knew?
Celtic
I doubt this applies to the U.S. where homo hate and homophobia still reign supreme. Let’s not get too excited, folks. After all, this WAS in Scandinavia where people tend to be far less monolithic, binary and hostile than the American Puritans running around telling us how we will die in hell. Scandinavia and Western Europe look at us with eyes crossed in disbelief.
Terry Purdue
Every cool person is welcome at PRIDE!
mlbumiller
6 of 10 women & 4 of 10 str8….0 of 10 gay men…. so their pride was all women and their str8 friends? So was it really a Lesbian Festival?
BlueDude
@Celtic: Yes, I was thinking the same thing, but the huge Pride events in the U.S. surely have a large Str8 attendance, as well. Positive interaction helps us to become more “acceptable” in society.
RomanHans
@Chris-MI: Stupid people outnumber smart by thirty to one so you’re in the majority there too.
AtticusBennett
YUP. another reason why the insecure gays who say “pride makes us look bad!” utterly miss the point – all the straight people there? they’re celebrating with us. put two and two together – the problem is not, nor has it ever been, The Parades. the problem is ignorant bigots. the straight folks that line the streets cheer and have a blast. the anti-gay folks sit at home saying “I HATE THE GAY PRIDE PARADES!”
make the connection.
hyhybt
Yes, there’s a problem here. “Four out of 10” is not 50 percent, that’s what the problem here is.
@mlbumiller: You’re doing the math wrong. 60% of the participants, regardless of orientation, were women, and 40% of the participants, regardless of sex or gender, were straight.
Brian Cherry
The survey was taken at a pride parade in Sweden. That’s unlikely to be the same in the U.S.
Duncan Noel Campbell
This post is missing some airquotes, I think.
Celtic
@BlueDude: I agree we have moved light years away from where we were when I came out in 1968. And while I want to believe we are regarded in a more positive light by a majority of Americans, the naysayers and haters gather most of the publicity and celebrity. At least we are not as “scary” as we once were. It was reported in 1970 that during the NYC Gay Parade that year, a lesbian wore a T-shirt that read, “We are your worst nightmare and your wildest fantasy!” I think we still are for some! Thank you for your thoughts.
Celtic
@AtticusBennett: Keep in mind this was SCANDINAVIA, not the U.S.
AtticusBennett
@Celtic: having marched in the NYC and Toronto pride parades for more than a decade, it’s safe to say that the majority of the people lining the parade routes in both of those cities are non-gay.
most visitors to toronto, in particular, have the same comment made about experiencing our parade and pride festivities – it’s as if the entire city is taking part. and it’s true. it’s not just The Gays. it’s the city. and it’s beautiful 😀
Celtic
@AtticusBennett: NYC and Toronto have always been openly gay friendly. Canadians tend to be less anxious about us homos, legislating in favor of LGBT marriage long before the U.S. I am confident San Francisco, Chicago and a few other large cities can claim a wider straight audience, as well. Still, having come out 47 years ago this summer with my first partner, the U.S. remains behind the curve with most of the civilized world.
Duncan Noel Campbell
http://gifsoup.com/view/4584974/honey-boo-boo-everybody-is-a-little-gay.html
Carlos Rodriguez
Great.
AtticusBennett
@Celtic: well, from this canuck to you – THANK YOU for being a part of the movement that’s opened the doors for me and everyone else 🙂
the US simply has that big old mess in the Middle to contend with – but the change will come.
Celtic
@AtticusBennett: Happy to support! I was very active in gay rights in DC in the early 80s, having served in the boards of two different gay rights groups. In the early 90s I had columns in a few small gay rags. I always used my real name. Figured if I had the balls to say what I wanted to say, I should have the guts to avoid a pseudonym. The big problem in the U.S. is the freaks and whackos who run to the woods after dark to get their booties plugged but come out the next day putting on the hate for gays. I can all but guarantee these pols who are holier than thou about gays are absolutely craving it. I met a few politicians in DC years ago who “accidentally” were outed. They’d then run to the gay community for solace, and could not understand why we would not embrace them with open arms after they had done so much harm to us before being caught with their pants down … literally!
GayEGO
@Celtic: I suppose it is where you are from. I am originally from Idaho and I came out in the Navy in 1960 in Washington D.C., transferred to Boston where I met my lifetime partner in 1962, and we have been married in Massachusetts 11 years. I find the south has the largest anti-gay population with spots in the midwest and the west. We do not see the discrimination here in Massachusetts but I did see it in Texas when my partner and I were visiting my sister had her family. Some of them down there act a little shocked when they find out how long my partner and I have been together and that we are married.
Dave in Northridge
This is bad news? The word “ally” has a meaning, and anyone who wants to support us is welcome. I marched in the Los Angeles parade this year with the Equality California contingent, and it honestly didn’t matter (I think 80% of us were gay or lesbian) – we were all representing the same idea.
Sam Oropeza
Support equality
Celtic
@GayEGO: I lived in Boston for 12 years, and I agree. By the way, congrats on your marriage! I was a devoted supporter for Councilor Mike Ross starting with his first run for office 1999. If one looks at all the nasty, negative opponents of gay rights most come from the South. But, most also are Republican no matter where they hail from. While Texas and that part of the South are “notorious” (Oklahoma, etc.) for gay hate, one of the hottest men I ever had sex with was the 2nd runner up to the Houston Gay Physique contest. And I can tell you that lad was hotter than tar in an August sun! My “outing” days started in 1968 with my first partner. We were together 8 years and remained very close until he died in 1996. Never found anymore to match up to him.
benandy
I noticed this at CSW in LA this June; that there seemed to be A LOT more straight attendees [inside the Festival, $20-$25 to get in w/o volunteering]. And there seemed to be a lot of YOUNG people. This reminded me of when the young parents pushing strollers began to show up at WeHo’s Halloween celebrations on Sta Monica Blvd in the 90’s, not in costume, as onlookers, except that Pride festival attendees are participants as more people make for more party/pay the bills.
Doughosier
@benandy: I noticed this as well. There were ALOT of straight couples at the West Hollywood pride celebrations.
adrianjurado310
Well if that is right,i am going to go buy things. and still say im gay.
bigrawtop
So I think the story is saying that they are mostly the supporters on the sidelines since they are spontaneously, not the guys on the floats.
Dee Smith
Cool! Supporting their fellow humans.
scotshot
@JustSayin: It’d be the equivalent of a white pride parade. I doubt the “love” would be returned in any way shape or form.
scotshot
@benandy: In the early to mid seventies Halloween was mostly celebrated by gays, it was “our” holiday. Str8s saw people having fun and joined in. A good example of the more the merrier.
Billy Budd
Here in Brazil, gay pride turned into another carnival. Everybody goes to it and the true meaning and purpose of the event was LOST.
Clark35
Most LGBT people I know stopped going to pride parades years or decades ago. But some still go to the bars with friends.
@Billy Budd: Yes it is like that in other countries as well.
Giancarlo85
I don’t really see the problem with this. Some try to claim the true meaning and purpose of the event is lost, but I think that’s bullshit. People are showing up to support the community. Why would you reject that support? Also keep in mind many straight people who show up are supportive parents too (and are often part of organizations such as PFLAG).
Some here need to get off their high horse (like Clark), and get back to reality.
dali
Perhaps straight people like a freak show? Just saying.
martinbakman
@dali: Perhaps they do. But also, perhaps straight people realize that gay peoples’ rights align with all peoples’ rights.
Ridpathos
I would have though 90% of them people there would be straight. There’s always just so many people in the pictures, and I know there’s not that many gay people around.
Also almost all of my straight friends have been to a gay pride parade. I’m gay, live right next to San Francisco, and I still haven’t gone.
meghanada
@JustSayin: Participating in Pride is not proof of support. Many people go there for something a lot more basic than political support for the gay cause – to party, to gawk at the freaks, to show off how rad they are. For Christ’s sakes, straight men will even act in GAY PORN, and STILL be homophobic! There’s no basis whatsoever to romanticize intruders who are taking over our spaces.
@Ridpathos: “There’s always just so many people in the pictures, and I know there’s not that many gay people around.”
No, you don’t actually know that, genius.
meghanada
@JustSayin: “P.S. If I heard about a “Straight Pride” event I would attend it as a supportive GAY person. I think the openness and love shown by doing so would be a great message.”
Yeah, the message that you’re a moron and a useful idiot for majoritarians enamored with their imagined victimhood.
Some gay people are just dying to get their approval cookies, eh?
Giancarlo85
@meghanada: Just another holier than thou queen talking like it knows more than everyone else. First off, you have no proof for anything you say and secondly you don’t know more than others.
scotshot
@Billy Budd: From almost the beginning there were political and rights groups who marched, but the majority were people who came to stand up for themselves and celebrate, there were hot almost naked guys & bare chested Dykes on Bikes, there’s not that much difference between then and now than you seem to think.
scotshot
@Ridpathos:” What you think” isn’t rooted anywhere in reality.
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Needs more c0ck ’n’ ball torture community imput and scat floats (floaters?) STAT!
“HETERONORMATIVE HEGEMONY!!!..APPROPRIATION OF QUEER SAFE SPACES!!! etc etc etc — “Political” “Queer” “activists” grinding their teeth
meghanada
@Giancarlo85: Weak. And funny, because it seems cranky old man is the one mood nature has endowed you.
junesxing
@Brent Malone: seems to me that pride is for everyone. After all, the rainbow means inclusive and the original meaning of the parades was to be proud of yourself and who you are.
Giancarlo85
@meghanada: You’re the one that is weak. And stupid on top of that.
Redpalacebulleaglesox
I think it is important for those of us who used to called FLAGs (Friends of Lesbians & Gays) show our support publicly, especially those of us who are part of religious groups. We must demonstrate to those who claim that our religion in any way, shape manner or form considers LGBTQI to be anything less that equally loved in God’s eyes that they don’t speak for us, they speak solely for themselves. In the denomination my church belongs to, the United Methodist Church, we just saw a pastor forced to leave his congregation due to his sexuality. This cannot be allowed to stand by those of us who know in our hearts and souls that this is not God’s word, this is the word of a few self-absorbed individuals who claim authority over the rest. Such promotion of personal agendas cannot be allowed to stand.