Dear Queerty,

I was really disappointed to read the post on AOL about how you criticized the gay families at the White House Easter Egg Roll. Taking a stand at the event was an important message to send to our government, who is increasingly stripping away the rights of LGBT families. It's people like you who sit back and don't take a stand until advocates win rights for you, and then you reap the rewards. When are you going to speak up?

--J.T., Philadelphia

[Read On ...]

This picture is more depressing than a Swan Brooner marathon.

Such was the scene at the White House Easter Egg Roll, where everything got blown way out of proportion because some gay parents wanted to "bring awareness to LGBT presence" at the event. Supporters said it was important to draw visibility to gay families; detractors criticized them for turning a kids' event into a political platform.

Blah, blah blah.

Really, it's so sad to think about these little kids, having to deal with protestors and politicking and such, when they just want to play games and really don't get why all the adults have their undies in a bundle. Having fun shouldn't be this complicated when you're still in elementary school.

If the parents want to be interviewed, great. And we're quite fortunate these people had the guts to stand up and be noticed, on behalf of gay families everywhere, and set a precedence that everyone has the equal right to participate in whatever they want. Because yes, it is a sad fact that being a child in a gay family is a political statement all in itself, a statement that is made every time those kids leave the house and go to school, go out to play, interact with everyone they meet.

But at the end of the day--barring homophobes who might hunt them out and harrass them--those kids can still lead private lives. So it's not fair to shove kids in front of news cameras when they don't know what they're getting themselves into--and cannot choose for themselves whether or not to not be in the public eye. They didn't show up at the White house to prove a point. They're just there, being kids, rolling eggs down the grass with a spoon. They don't speak for you, they can barely speak for themselves.

And you don't hold them up, in the lights on display, and put them on the news.

2006 White House Easter Egg Roll Photos [JoeTresh]
White House Easter Egg Roll Pictures [Pam's House Blend]

The White House lawn wasn't the only place teeming with gays yesterday. New York homos came out in full force to celebrate the resurrection, donning crazy hats (see above) and other regalia, including fur muffs that must be a little hot for the spring weather, but since when do drag queens practice practicality? Events like this remind us why we still love New York even if we can't afford to live there.

Our friend Richard at Proceed At Your Own Risk took some wonderful photos that are worth checking out.

MEMO TO RED STATES: OUR CHRISTIANS ARE BETTER THAN YOUR CHRISTIANS [PAYOR]

After waiting in line overnight, gay families still were not allowed to the opening ceremonies at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. According to the White House, a last minute giveaway of opening ceremony tickets to "youth group volunteers" was the reason, but we are suspicious. We know that Laura Bush has met gays before, such as her former dress designer Michael Faircloth, but she apparently didn't want to meet any more this Easter, and so was whisked away before the homos and their small children were allowed to enter the lawn.

If you want the dirty details, check out PageOneQ's exhaustive interview with White House press something-or-other Dana Perino, who has the Republican knack for not even trying to answer a question.

White House changes Easter Egg Roll admit process; LGBT families 'moved from front of the line' [PageOneQ]

Easter’s just about to get a lot gayer. Each year on the Monday after Easter, kids and their parents gather on the South Lawn of the White House for the Easter Egg Roll with the one and only Easter Bunny (no, we don’t mean Karl Rove). Gay religious activist group Soulforce has sent an e-mail to its members asking LGTB families to be first in line for the festivities.

According to Soulforce, "LGBT" participants are being urged to gather at the White House gate the night before so as to be the first to enter the next morning. Volunteers will stand in line for "LGBT" parents who cannot do it themselves. Although Soulforce insists this will not be a political protest, only a gathering for families, its supporters will arrive with special "non-political" t-shirts to identify themselves as “LGTB.”

Aside from the T-shirt thing (Fox News will have an editing field day with that) we think it’s a great idea. Just a word of caution: If you go, keep your kids away from the man in the bunny suit. We’re pretty sure it’ll be Dick Cheney.

A Gay Easter [Weekly Standard]
Soulforce [Official Site}