South African social conservatives aren't big on the follow-through. After about 400 people made a stink last week about small town Knysna's forthcoming gay pride parade, not one protester showed up. The gays, meanwhile, mostly followed the bum cover rule:
Event co-ordinator Juan Lerm had promised Mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies that paraders would cover up.There were lots of muscled torsos, but only one pair of cutout trousers (baring a rear set of tattooed cheeks) slipped the attentions of Pink Police marshals.
Local resident Lance Arundel, who previously marched as Archbishop of the Moon, came as Mr Bean this year. Modestly dressed in suit and tie, Arundel was enthroned on a sofa strapped to the roof of a Toyota, and waved to spectators while clutching steering wheel, mop and teddy bear.
Asked how he felt about being told to cover up he replied: "It's the law now and I think it's wholly appropriate."
We seriously doubt New York queens would be so accommodating.
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Just as a general point: gay pride parades are far too focused on sex and nudity. It's not right, it's not in the spirit of the parade and it's not fair to people who expect (and deserve) decency on their streets. Straight folks have every right to complain about the absurdly over-the-top sexual displays at most gay pride parades.
I know what you mean. I wouldn't want to see nude women at a parade. All those bouncing or flopping tits would just be too much. Oops, I think I was thinking about the chubby chaser club's float.
Actually, straights don't always have a right to complain. You can only complain if there's illegal behavior.
Public nudity isn't a crime in some jurisdictions though. In San Francisco, for instance, public nudity is only a crime if accompanied by "lewd and lacivious" acts. The courts have interpret this to basically mean sexual behavior.
However, if you're simply nude at the gay pride parade or the beach, and you're not behaving in a sexually aggressive manner, then it's actually quite legal.
Berlin reportedly has even fewer laws against public expressions of sexuality. Cruising for sex is legal there. And the police are actually around to keep neo-Nazis away rather than harrass homosexuals.
Regardless of the legal implications, the overtly sexual behaviour at gay pride parades total, utterly cheapens and distorts the initial meaning behind the parade. It's unfortunate, but it doesn't look like it's going to change.
Now there's some crack I could get addicted to.