Charlotte Pride

[swampfox43]

I've always wondered, though, why these protestors who want more morality always leave the strip clubs alone. Gay pride is once a year, but that supposed immoral behavior goes on every day. I guess they being sexually active and living in sin is only really bad if it is same sex.

Seeing how many of the strip clubs have mob ties, they are probably too afraid to protest them. Just my opinion.

[uptownliving]

It was just outragiously hot yesterday at Pride but I had a really good time. It was nice to see some elected officials out there shaking hands and talking to people. I saw Mecklenburg County Commision Chair Jennifer Roberts, Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess, and CMS School Board member Trent Merchant. I also heard that Mayoral Candidate Beverly Earle was there but I did not see her myself. I can remember not too many years ago when you would be lucky to see one elected official show up at Pride.

The protestors were mainly limited to the sidewalks across the street from the event. One of my friends even posed for a picture with a protestor and their sign...which oddly enough they didn't seem to mind too much. There was one guy that walked into the middle of the event, stood on top of a chair and started shouting and waving his Bible around but security and CMPD quickly showed up and escorted him back out to the sidewalk.

Something I think they could improve on at Pride is the entertainment selection. If they could get a big name headliner then I think more people would show up and could push our Pride up to the next level.

[voyager12]

It was just outragiously hot yesterday at Pride but I had a really good time. It was nice to see some elected officials out there shaking hands and talking to people. I saw Mecklenburg County Commision Chair Jennifer Roberts, Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess, and CMS School Board member Trent Merchant. I also heard that Mayoral Candidate Beverly Earle was there but I did not see her myself. I can remember not too many years ago when you would be lucky to see one elected official show up at Pride.

The protestors were mainly limited to the sidewalks across the street from the event. One of my friends even posed for a picture with a protestor and their sign...which oddly enough they didn't seem to mind too much. There was one guy that walked into the middle of the event, stood on top of a chair and started shouting and waving his Bible around but security and CMPD quickly showed up and escorted him back out to the sidewalk.

Something I think they could improve on at Pride is the entertainment selection. If they could get a big name headliner then I think more people would show up and could push our Pride up to the next level.

Thanks for the political rundown. I did not see any of those folks and was wondering about it. I came and went early though...... Susan Burgess also had a campaign booth at Pride. The only candidate who did. So I give her credit for that. Just anectdotally from my perspective attendance seemed to be down some from last year and I would attribute a lot of that to the heat. I don't remember being quite as hot last year. The atrium is a great venue and I have been to dozens of different events there. The space is quite cavernous though and unless there is a massive crowd it always seems relatively empty because it's so spread out.

[davidclt]

. . . I came and went early though...... Susan Burgess also had a campaign booth at Pride. The only candidate who did. So I give her credit for that. Just anectdotally from my perspective attendance seemed to be down some from last year and I would attribute a lot of that to the heat. . .

We were there between 2 and 4 and the crowd seemed as big or maybe a little bigger than last year. There seemed to be more and a greater variety of vendors as well. Also, I think last year's Pride was better than any in Marshall Park and this year's had a better "feel" than last year's. The organizers did a good job in my opinion. I do think a bit broader and deeper entertainment bill might improve it slightly but everyone seemed to be in their groove and having a good time.

I will say again, it feels like the women outnumbered the men about 5:1 and my partner commented that "lesbians are homebodies but they turn out in droves for Pride." I was also surprised at the number of kids that were there yesterday.

[kewlaidkiddd]

Hi all, I read this board a lot but rarely post. I wanted to say that I attended yesterday's Pride festival and was very happy that I went as always. Granted by the end of the day I was miserably tired from the heat.

The protestors were only on the Trade Street side of the festival this year which was a plus since I was parked on the 5th street side of the festival. So I never actually saw them.

Turnout was great, and I even saw quite a bit more straight attendees this year which shows that we are getting more support in our community.

I still dream for the day that we can have a festival as strong as others... like the sheer size of Piedmont Park in Atl providing a much larger festival. But I'm proud of our city and I am definitely proud of the support that we receive here.

I recall standing back and thinking at the festival... looking at the children in attendance, thinking that one day these kids are going to grow up and maybe in that time think "I danced in a dance contest as a 7 year old at a festival for what was called 'gay pride'. Can you believe that people actually had to hold festivals like this in order to raise their voice and be heard?"

I dream for this day.

[monsoon]

......

I dream for this day.

I hear what you are saying. I remember the one we held in 1986 that also had children (all would be adults now) of Gay people and their friends there, but it had to be held in the parking lot of The Scorpio because there were not enough available finances to hold it downtown and of course in that location it was out of sight and out of mind for the rest of Charlotte. It has come a long way as this year's event demonstrates.

Unfortunately Charlotte still has a very homophobic mayor and there are members of the city and county council who are very outspoken against Gays and Lesbians. One of the county councilmen has one of the most disgusting bigoted anti-gay websites I have ever seen. However my guess is that by the time the kids at this years events are old enough to be posting on a site as adults, these homophobes will be gone and Charlotte might be a bit more tolerant place. Let's hope that in the next 20 year we make as much progress that has been made in the last 20 year.

[voyager12]

^ In that vein The Observer has a revealing catch up interview with Tom Bush today. In it he regrets making judgments on homosexuality and the whole Angels in America fiasco. It will be interesting to see how much gay baiting is done this election season for City Council and BOE seats. It did not work last time around but the tactic is so ingrained with Republicans locally and nationally they probably won't be able to resist. Having Jim Puckett and Bill James be the strongest influence on The Meck Rep Party only helps county Democrats to continue winning majorities.

Edited August 27, 2007 by voyager12

[monsoon]

^Indeed. In fact I think the tactic was the reason that Puckett lost the election as many people did not vote for him specifically due to the televised smear tactics used against Gays and Lesbians. I know several Republicans who simply voted voted for one less candidate rather than vote for Pucket. Now I just wish the local TV stations would have the balls not to run such adverts no matter how much money it makes for them. They really ought to have a policy of not accepting ANY advertising that deliberatly attempts to demonize and discredit groups of people including Gays and Lesbians. I don't hold out much hope for WCCB 18 and WSOC 9, on this matter but I did expect better for WBTV 3 and WCNC 36.

[Justadude]

I only saw the festival from my car window, but I was impressed with how classy it looked from the street. Charlotte's obviously in a kind of transition mode toward being a more accepting place, and it's important for events like Pride to put the gay community's best foot forward. I'm sure a lot of people passed by wondering what the event was -- arts festival? event reception? -- and found out later that it was the Pride event. That sets a good tone for future festivals and sows tolerence among fence-sitters.

[Charlotte_native]

I think our local media did a good job, from what I saw and read, of discussing the festival and showing it, but with little hoopla attached. I think it becomes a good sign when events like this actually aren't a big deal to everyone, but are treated as other cultural events around town. What I saw in reporting this event was quite nice and actually pretty vanilla.

They also seemed to do a good job of mentioning the protestors but not giving them more of a platform than they deserved. A dozen or so protestors don't deserved huge attention in the media and they didn't get it. The stations I watched over the weekend and The Observer mentioned them at about the level they warranted. I think *liberal media* watchdogs would pounce if no mention was made of protestors, but a small barely noticable protest should get small barely noticable press.

[voyager12]

I only saw the festival from my car window, but I was impressed with how classy it looked from the street. Charlotte's obviously in a kind of transition mode toward being a more accepting place, and it's important for events like Pride to put the gay community's best foot forward. I'm sure a lot of people passed by wondering what the event was -- arts festival? event reception? -- and found out later that it was the Pride event. That sets a good tone for future festivals and sows tolerence among fence-sitters.

I think a big banner along Trade St. could have been a good idea. Passersby in cars really only saw the food stands from the street. I only saw a report from TWC's Channel 14 but I think they did a very evenhanded job. During the first few hours of the festival we had a really obnoxious protestor screaming hellfire and purposely walking behind people of all ages to harass them. I witnessed it a few times and Pride volunteers asked for police help but they did not do anything until a few hours later. I don't know all the particulars and I am not bashing the police. They have to balance everyone's rights . And the officers did eventually escort out the guy who was clearly disturbing the peace and violating the noise ordinance.

It's commendable that candidates up for election Susan Burgess and Trent Merchant and supposedly Beverly Earle showed up. More important is to find out if they are willing to speak out on our behalf in public and at non-gay events. I have yet to see any gay supportive official in this town publicly denounce McCrory's insulting characterization of Charlotte Pride and his refusal to even communicate with the organizers of The Annual HRC Carolinas Dinner. If Burgess, Merchant, Earle or those not running for reelection like Roberts or Helms stood up and said McCrory's subtle bigotry is wrong it would help to further our cause for a more inclusive Charlotte.

Edited August 27, 2007 by voyager12

[voyager12]

According to the latest issue of Qnotes the Community Center board is diligently looking at new rental spaces but is not going to jump on anything too hastily. Apparently the new owners plan to break up the space currently held by White Rabbit into two storefronts in the new structure. The article said the board is thinking about trying to lease one of these spaces. I have not heard of White Rabbit's immediate plans. Also a gay sports bar has opened. Sidelines is located next to The Eagle off of South Blvd.

[Sbishop66]

The CCCP thing has me so irritated that I've emailed some friends in high places at Wachovia and BofA. They both provide a large amount of funding to CCCP. Got to hit them where it hurts: their wallet.

The emails to the banks did result in some information. An email stream did go through one of the banks resulting in phone calls to CCCP. The response back is that it is the CCCP process to post events only a week out from the event for events that they do not specifically sponsor. This had nothing to do with the purpose of the event, just policy.

[voyager12]

The emails to the banks did result in some information. An email stream did go through one of the banks resulting in phone calls to CCCP. The response back is that it is the CCCP process to post events only a week out from the event for events that they do not specifically sponsor. This had nothing to do with the purpose of the event, just policy.

Thanks for shedding light on their policies. That would make sense if they had posted the event last year when I first noticed the issue and contacted them about it. Several emails and phone calls from myself and local media went nowhere and they never posted it for that Pride. It's telling that CCP only responded when a bank got involved. I will never be on the inside in this corporate mecca That is the past though and if CCP has changed its ways permanently it's all good.

Edited August 28, 2007 by voyager12

[ontap]

According to the latest issue of Qnotes the Community Center board is diligently looking at new rental spaces but is not going to jump on anything too hastily. Apparently the new owners plan to break up the space currently held by White Rabbit into two storefronts in the new structure. The article said the board is thinking about trying to lease one of these spaces. I have not heard of White Rabbit's immediate plans. Also a gay sports bar has opened. Sidelines is located next to The Eagle off of South Blvd.

I was in White Rabbit recently and the store looked kinda empty. I would think that they could operate in a smaller space. I would rather shop in a smaller store full of items than a large space that is sparsely filled. They need to work on the rents with the new owner and stay put if at all possible.

[voyager12]

I also hope The White Rabbit is able to find a suitable spot in PlazaMidwood. They do want to stay in the neighborhood if possible. It would be nice if WR felt more like a "bookstore" though. The interior is much too dark and uninviting . Having a bright and cheery atmosphere with the focus being on books and community gatherings : poetry,book readings etc, similar to Outwrite Books in Atlanta and Outspoken in Asheville would be wonderful.There needs to be less emphasis on underwear and more on community issues.

Edited September 3, 2007 by voyager12

[voyager12]

I emailed McCrory's campaign about my concerns regarding the nonexistent relationship between his office and the gay community including the tensions over Pride and The HRC Dinner. I got a response back stating the images on display at a booth during The Marshall Park Pride Festival were not fit for a public park and he stated that some festival organizers agreed with him. He may be right on that score but I asked him to be clearer in the future about broadly generalizing a whole group of people unfairly. Regarding the HRC Dinner it was the usual " I don't agree with the politics and I won't attend". I suggested making a general statement welcoming this major event in the vein of free expression regardless of personal views would be nice. Will never happen though since he would be dead in the water in NC Republican politics for doing so. He is still not getting my vote but at least he answered my email.

Edited September 6, 2007 by voyager12

[PlazaMidwoodGuy]

^^I feel your pain on that one, Voyager, but you're basically wasting your breath with Mayor McCrory. He will NEVER support gay and lesbian issues in this city. Period. And unfortunately most of Charlotte's voting public either doesn't care enough about his stance to vote him out of office or they fully support his attitude.

I would like to think that a barrage of emails, complaints, etc. from the community would change his mind and at least get him to remember that he was elected to represent ALL Charlotte residents, not just the straight ones, but it just ain't gonna happen. If anything, the pressure on him would need to come from corporations (Wachovia, Bank of America, US Airways) as well as individual movers and shakers in the community before it would even register on his radar. As it is, he knows full well that he can be openly anti-gay and hostile to our community and that it won't harm him one bit politically. Quite the contrary....as a Republican he is basically REQUIRED to toe the party line, which means that anything perceived as support for the gay community by him would be political suicide.

Of course, he says that he won't attend the annual HRC Gala or issue a welcome statement for it because he doesn't "agree with the politics." But I don't buy that argument. If the NAACP, a group whose politics one could also assume he doesn't agree with (with its traditional support of the Democratic Party) decided to have a state or national convention in Charlotte I guarantee you he would welcome them with open arms...if only for appearance's sake. But gays and lesbians? Fugeddaboudit.

[voyager12]

Your right of course. It's grating nonetheless. I suppose we need to appreciate the support we do have and continue working to elect fairminded leaders. McCrory does have a broad bipartisan support. I see dozens of his signs in Democratic strongholds like PlazaMidwood and Dilworth. As opposed to the county commission election and national contests when Democratic signs predominate. Our issues just don't register loudly enough on most Charlotteans radar to care either way. I am voting for Beverly Earle and I just hope she makes a strong enough showing to at least register displeasure with McCrory's endless reign.

Edited September 8, 2007 by voyager12

[Larryfla]

^^I feel your pain on that one, Voyager, but you're basically wasting your breath with Mayor McCrory. He will NEVER support gay and lesbian issues in this city. Period. And unfortunately most of Charlotte's voting public either doesn't care enough about his stance to vote him out of office or they fully support his attitude.

I would like to think that a barrage of emails, complaints, etc. from the community would change his mind and at least get him to remember that he was elected to represent ALL Charlotte residents, not just the straight ones, but it just ain't gonna happen. If anything, the pressure on him would need to come from corporations (Wachovia, Bank of America, US Airways) as well as individual movers and shakers in the community before it would even register on his radar. As it is, he knows full well that he can be openly anti-gay and hostile to our community and that it won't harm him one bit politically. Quite the contrary....as a Republican he is basically REQUIRED to toe the party line, which means that anything perceived as support for the gay community by him would be political suicide.

Of course, he says that he won't attend the annual HRC Gala or issue a welcome statement for it because he doesn't "agree with the politics." But I don't buy that argument. If the NAACP, a group whose politics one could also assume he doesn't agree with (with its traditional support of the Democratic Party) decided to have a state or national convention in Charlotte I guarantee you he would welcome them with open arms...if only for appearance's sake. But gays and lesbians? Fugeddaboudit.

I can't say that I am a gay supporter as I don't know what that would require. I do know that I have no negative feelings against gays. I have members of my family that are gay. We are very close. I have a very close personal friend that is gay also. I look at gay people as people that are just people that do something differently in their bedroom than I do. Again, that is O.K. with me. I think that gays should enjoy the same things in life as anyone else without hassle. My point is, why should you feel that the mayor is obligated to address a gay function? Sure, gays voted for him. But they voted for him as voters, not 'gay'voters. I am a fisherman, should I demand that he speak to fishermen because we voted for him? People need to stop looking at themselves as being special. We are all special. Comparing his willingness to speak to a NAACP group is different. The NAACP represents a group that were oppressed in society years ago because of their race. Gays are the same race as everyone else. They have a unique lifestyle. That is fine, but I don't think that the mayor should be obligated to address your group. If he does fine. Otherwise, get over it. I would like to see the day when gayness isn't even an issue.

[monsoon]

.....The NAACP represents a group that were oppressed in society years ago .....

If you don't think Gays are oppressed in this country then I recommend that you go and actually talk to some of your Gay friends. For God's sake we just had a president who got elected by Gay baiting religious zealots by promising to change the US Constitution to specifically deny Gays and Lesbians rights. It's not missed by many in this community that McCroy was one of Bush's attack dogs at the 2004 GOP primary who got up and spouted all kinds of hateful things directed to anyone who wasn't a hard core Republican.

A Gay couple where one is employed by this city does not have domestic rights for their spouse and it is McCroy who has actively campaigned to prevent it from happening. This is is a very real example of how Gays are treated differently and it is not a "lifestyle" as you so ignorantly dismiss it as.

Your analogy to "fisherman" is a transference which is irrelevant as far as this subject is concerned. Anyone can choose to fish, even bigots, but you don't choose to be Gay or Lesbian.

[Charlotte_native]

I can't say that I am a gay supporter as I don't know what that would require. I do know that I have no negative feelings against gays. I have members of my family that are gay. We are very close. I have a very close personal friend that is gay also. I look at gay people as people that are just people that do something differently in their bedroom than I do. Again, that is O.K. with me. I think that gays should enjoy the same things in life as anyone else without hassle. My point is, why should you feel that the mayor is obligated to address a gay function? Sure, gays voted for him. But they voted for him as voters, not 'gay'voters. I am a fisherman, should I demand that he speak to fishermen because we voted for him? People need to stop looking at themselves as being special. We are all special. Comparing his willingness to speak to a NAACP group is different. The NAACP represents a group that were oppressed in society years ago because of their race. Gays are the same race as everyone else. They have a unique lifestyle. That is fine, but I don't think that the mayor should be obligated to address your group. If he does fine. Otherwise, get over it. I would like to see the day when gayness isn't even an issue.

He writes welcome letters to all functions that come to the Convention Center except the HRC event. That is the only one and all they have been asking for is the same welcome everyone else gets.

[voyager12]

On a very uplifting note openly gay Charlotte based Judge John Arrowood was appointed to serve on the the N.C. Court of Appeals last week by Gov Easley. He is the first openly gay elected official to hold statewide office in North Carolina. There was no outright visible opposition. The focus was properly put on the man's exemplary qualifications to do the job not his personal life.

Edited September 10, 2007 by voyager12

[Charlotte_native]

On a very uplifting note openly gay Charlotte based Judge John Arrowood was appointed to serve on the the N.C. Court of Appeals last week by Gov Easley. He is the first openly gay elected official to hold statewide office in North Carolina. There was no outright visible opposition. The focus was properly put on the man's exemplary qualifications to do the job not his personal life.

John is a great, honest, and fair attorney. He'll do an outstanding job in this role.

[elvigy]

...I have a very close personal friend that is gay also...The NAACP represents a group that were oppressed in society years ago because of their race. Gays are the same race as everyone else. They have a unique lifestyle...

Ouch. With friends like these...

Seriously, though, there is nothing at all unique about my lifestyle. And you seem to think that blacks no longer suffer from oppression either. But more to the point, the mayor is supposed to represent all of Charlotte's citizens, not just the ones he likes. Granted, he will not agree with all the various viewpoints, etc, but it is his job to speak to and for all Charlotteans. By ignoring gays and hoping we'll just go away, or at least quit bugging him, he's not living up to his responsibilities, IMHO.