Richard T. Nolan says ‘We’re not all drag queens’ in his letter to the Palm Beach Post: “In Monday’s Post there was a decent story (‘Something to be proud about’) about last Saturday’s Gay Pride Fest in Lake Worth. The one picture, however, was of a grotesque, unshaven drag queen identified as ‘Momma.’ I am certain that the majority here and in most locales mistakenly equate this depiction as representative of male homosexuality. I would urge that discretion be used by participants in such public events, simply for reasons of public relations strategy/education. I realize that for ‘idealists,’ this discretion would seem too compromising, but I’m a pragmatist. This did not advance ‘the cause’ or educate the public. (Even ‘good-taste’ drag is not intrinsic to homosexual orientation.) Is it too much to ask gay people to plan public events in ways that educate the public positively, such as by including two dads or two moms with their children? If one were to equate that picture … with homosexuality, the public cannot be faulted for saying that they don’t want ‘THAT’ in human service occupations, as a model for children or living next door.”
Honey, a Gay Pride Fest without drag queens is like Easter without Jesus.
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Gene Eliasen makes a point-;that I happen to agree with-;in the Minneapolis Star Tribune: “As a gay man, I got quite a chuckle out of your April 2 story about the ‘Straight Pride’ T-shirt controversy at Woodbury High School. It is a perfect example of the PC chickens coming home to roost. I have no doubt that there’s some underlying attitude this kid is trying to express; however, he should have every right to do so. This is yet another example of those in our community who preach tolerance -;to a point. As soon as you disagree with them, all bets are off.
“The sad fact in this situation is that this kid and the rest of the students at Woodbury are going to be distracted by the ensuing lawsuit, the endless publicity and the name-calling from both sides. What they are not going to be doing is what they should be doing at school—getting an education.”