# Video Surveillance during Gay Days at Disney **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 4, 2001, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550 "2001-06-04T17:58:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/21 "2001-06-04T23:41:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by goboy \* > \*\*Her’s a question for you: why shouldn’t the microcephalics who videotaped gay folks at Disney World be painted with the brush of hatred and bigotry? \*\* What good is it going to do you? Think about it. Everyone already knows what they did. Chances are, most people think it’s silly (or stupid, or evil) and have already moved on to the sports page. {b]I\*\* think it’s stupid. Disney knows about the “gay days” and doesn’t care. So why do these guys try to stir up trouble? Publicity and good will among the like minded. (I’m not going to call them Christian, because such hatred and frank intolerance isn’t included in “Love thy neighbor as thy self”.) So, both sides (we all know people of less restraint than ourselves on either side of this issue) resort to the same tactics. How exactly is that going to solve the problem? As a species, we’ve had millenia to realise that Hate doesn’t solve problems. How about the simpler approach of letting them look like the bigger idiots, and taking the high road? ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/22 "2001-06-05T01:15:37Z")
Because I get tired of getting stepped on. In your scenario, the bullies win; that is unacceptable. I don’t advocate violence or harming them in any way, but it is absolutely necessary to tell the bigots that their behavior is vile. I’m not letting any goddam sonofabitch tell me that I’m a second-class citizen, that my inmost nature is inferior, that I’m bad and undeserving of love. Fuck that sideways. And, yes, they are Christian. “Christian” is not a synonym for “nice”; it’s a word with a specific meaning to denote a believer in Jesus Christ. Those two may not be good Christians, but they are Christians. And you are letting off the Christian church way too easily. Did many churches set up AIDS care facilities, or did the ministers preach that AIDS was God’s vengeance on homosexuals (and apparently God is none too fond of African heterosexuals, either) Where was the Christian outrage at Matthew Shepard’s murder? Where is the church that consecrates and celebrates homosexual marriage? I have no quarrel with individual Christians, many of whom are lovely people, but the fact remains that the Pharisees are in charge of the church. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/23 "2001-06-05T01:29:12Z")
yosemitebabe, whenever I think of Gustav Mahler I also think of Tom Lehrer and his song “Alma”. Have you ever heard it? For those who haven’t, he tells the tale of a real person, Alma Mahler Gropius Werfel. As Lehrer put it, “she had, in her lifetime, managed to collect as lovers most of the top creative men in central Europe.” She was married to Gustav Mahler, Walter Gropius the architect, and Franz Werfel the author. I loved Lehrer’s introduction, “Last December 13th there appeared in the newpapers the juiciest, spiciest, raciest obituary it has ever been my pleasure to read.” Find the song if you can. Now, back to the rant. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/24 "2001-06-05T02:32:44Z")
“She bagged Gustav and Walter and Franz!” I was thinking the same thing, **Baker**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/25 "2001-06-05T02:48:52Z")
Whoa! Way to go, me! I started a _Mahler_ hijack in this here thread! Who would have thought…? 😃 I will look up the song, Baker, and thanks! ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/26 "2001-06-05T03:02:06Z")
Saint Zero, I understand your desire to be “the better person” in situations like this. I have also wanted to think I am better than arguing with people like this and kind of rise above it. The problem is this: we are not yet at the point in this country (US) where we can do that. If we sit back and turn the other cheek we run the risk of being forgotten again. Right now when you see a wrong like this you have to jump up and say “We’re going to talk about it and it’s going to be in all the papers and we’re going to protest it and you’re not going to forget about it until this bullshit stops.” And when we far outnumber the nut-jobs that promote this kind of hate, then we can take the high road. Every once in a while I find a roach in my house. I usually just step on the little pests and go on with my day, but you had better believe that if I was infested I would raise holy hell with some Bengal until the creepy little shits were gone. And right now this house is infested. Sorry goboy - I’ll give back this soapbox and let you return to your regulary scheduled rant at this time. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/27 "2001-06-05T03:41:44Z")
I feel left out. I live in the Universal Studios area, and I was never approached by anyone from a homosexual recruitment group. What, am I not chisled enough? Does my wavy hair offend you? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/28 "2001-06-05T03:53:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fletch \* > **I remember the bible states something along the lines of judge not or be judged yourself, do not hate your neighbor, and any number of verses dealing with hate.** I always understood that as along the lines of “ **we hate most those traits of ourselves that we see in others**.” In other words, if you judge someone as intolerant then you dang well better be the most tolerant person on Earth. Did I explain that enough? For instance: I so want to condemn SPOOFE to the lower pits of hell. But did I ever make my point with sarcasim that was misinterpeted as hate? Well, I can only surpise that yes, it happened. So I will not judge as a hateful person, SPOOFE. Perhaps more inarticulate than I, (Yeah! Right!) but no less … [sarasicm] Hey SPOOFE [gotcha] again [/end gotcha.] [/sarcasim] Where was I…? Oh yeah… I’ve seen homos/queers/faggots in their natuarl habitat. It’s enough to set normal folks’ hair on end. But video taping youse guys is not my goal in life. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/29 "2001-06-05T05:52:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*Randy wore his “Nobody knows I’m gay” t-shirt. We got _such_ looks from people! What a bunch a tight-asses! There was the couple that looked like they were extras for some “Pa and Ma Kettle” movie - toothless, unkempt, really scary-looking people. And they felt entitled to point and laugh at _us_? Oh my gosh. > \*\* Well, it _is_ a pretty funny t-shirt… ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/30 "2001-06-05T06:23:16Z")
I was there. Mannequins is one of the several nightclubs located on Pleasure Island. It is often referred to as “the gay club,” even not on Gay Day, because it’s the most like a gay club, and therefore tends to draw a more predominantly gay clientele (and on Thursday nights, which is cast member night, it is _so_ gay, let me tell you). This entire weekend the place was _packed_, but then, so was all of PI - the other, more “straight” dance club, the 70’s club, the BET/urban club, the comedy club, and the streets in between them where they celebrated Mardis Gras and New Year’s Eve (sadly, the country bar is closed now, for which I was rather upset when I found out). Frankly, I didn’t see Gay Day as that big of a deal. Except for the red shirts and the occassional hand-holding, we were all pretty normal. I think most of the straight folks actually had a _better_ time because we’re a much less uptight crowd on the whole, so we tended to have more fun on the rides (and I also noticed a lot more people talking to each other in lines and such, which happens a lot at Disney anyway, but I notice it happens in the real world in the gay community a lot more often than in the straight community). There were no half-naked men in the Enchanted Tiki Room (shirts are required at all times while in the park, and CM’s will make you put your shirt back on or throw you out), there was no fellatio on Main Street, there were no stiletto-heeled drag queens in It’s A Small World. There were just lots and lots of fun people wearing red. Any other questions? I am well on my way to becoming a certifiable Disney freak, so I do know an awful lot… (Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, by the way, is no longer an attraction. IIRC, it was replaced with The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh.) Esprix ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/31 "2001-06-05T06:31:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, by the way, is no longer an attraction. _WHAT?!?!?!?!?!_ Is it gone at Disneyland too? This is dire news. (By the way, have you seen “California Adventure” next to Disneyland? I was just there. It’s kinda small, but I liked it.) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/32 "2001-06-05T06:59:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Esprix \* > \*\*there was no fellatio on Main Street/B] Dang, and I was saving my money up. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/33 "2001-06-05T07:14:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Esprix \* > Mannequins is one of the several nightclubs located on Pleasure Island. It is often referred to as “the gay club,” even not on Gay Day, because it’s the most like a gay club, \ I’ve been there and I don’t think it’s all that “gay”, it’s just the most club-like club there. Anyway, Pleasure Island, while on Disney property, isn’t IN the park itself. During the day it’s very mild mannered, the bars are closed and anyone can eat at the restaurants. At night you are carded to enter the area. I can’t recall if they let minors in, I thought not, but they’re definitely not allowed into the bars. It’s basically a big area with different bars and restaurants, a little bit for everyone’s tastes, watered down the way only Disney can do it. You wander around, drink in the open, and buy stupid glow-in-the-dark trinkets. I can’t understand why people would have a problem with some dirty dancing…ESPECIALLY after all good little kiddies are in bed. Dumb, dumb, dumb. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/34 "2001-06-05T09:27:46Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by AcidKid \* > I’ve seen homos/queers/faggots in their natuarl habitat. > It’s enough to set normal folks’ hair on end._\* “Natural Habitat”? Like what, the Serengeti? And who the fuck are these “normal folks” you speak of? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/35 "2001-06-05T11:35:13Z")
It’s worse than you think. You see, I have conclusive proof that not only do Disney know what gay people do, they encourage it! In fact, they go out of their way to get gay people into the park so that they _can_ do it. And they do! Right there in the middle of goddamn Main Street USA, in front of God-fearing American families, men, women and children, in plain view for all to see. That’s right! Gay people… …are you ready for this?.. …_spend money_. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/36 "2001-06-05T12:39:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*It had a picture of the Classical composer Gustav Mahler. (Grim-looking guy with wire glasses, his signature underneath his picture.) Stupid morons didn’t even know who Mahler was, and I guess they assumed because I was with the guy with “Nobody knows I’m gay” t-shirt, my Mahler t-shirt must be part of the Gay Agenda [sub]TM[/sub] as well! > \*\* If that’s a part of the Agenda and worth singling people out for am I simply lucky for getting away with wearing my “Queen: Gluttons for Punishment” shirt in the 80s? FTR it has a spiral background, in front of which stands Freddie Mercury, in a leather woman’s teddy, 12" spike heels, mardi gras mask and holding a riding crop. Along the top: QUEEN. The bottom? Gluttons for Punishment. God was Freddie a prissy bastard. I still miss him. ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/37 "2001-06-05T13:31:42Z")
Toads Wild Ride is still at Disneyland. Honest. It’s probably the second most popular “dark” ride (next to Peter Pan) in Fantasyland. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/38 "2001-06-05T13:52:12Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve seen homos/queers/faggots in their natuarl habitat. > It’s enough to set normal folks’ hair on end I thought about trying to give a reasonable response, but it occurred to me that anybody who is stupid enough to use words like “queer” and “faggot” is too much of a cretin to bother with. ---
**Author:** ![waxteeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@waxteeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waxteeth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/39 "2001-06-05T13:54:15Z")
Disney could not have an official gay day any more than they could have an official straight day. The shareholders should tell these people they have no interest in watching home movies regardless of how many people are wearing red shirts. If I organized gay day I would put out a press release stating that next year all gay people were going to wear fanny packs & sunglasses to be identified. (This idea cracks me up) Seriously the older I get the less I care anything about “gay”. I care just as much as if there were a 5’10" tall day. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550/40 "2001-06-05T13:58:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rez \* > If we sit back and turn the other cheek we run the risk of being forgotten again. Right now when you see a wrong like this you have to jump up and say “We’re going to talk about it and it’s going to be in all the papers and we’re going to protest it and you’re not going to forget about it until this bullshit stops.” And when we far outnumber the nut-jobs that promote this kind of hate, then we can take the high road. The problem you encounter by doing that is the risk of trivializing your agenda. If you focus on the little nitpicky things, you don’t generate grassroots support from a majority of Americans. The attitude of Mr. & Mrs. Joe Average is important to your cause, and if they see you getting all bent out of shape about two idiots videotaping folks at DisneyWorld, they’re less likely to be sympathetic, in my opinion. “No benefits for same-sex partners” is a big issue, and one that is likely to rally grassroots support across America. In fact, some companies now offer these benefits – Disney among them, if I’m not mistaken. “We’re being taped at DisneyWorld” isn’t a big issue, and is likely to cause Joe Average to think about the arguments his four- and six-year-old children have. “He’s looking at me!” “She’s touching my side of the car seat!” Besides, what do you really think Disney is gonna do? Let these two guys make their tape and turn it in. Disney will likely thank them, listen politely, and then put the tape in File 13. And they’ll remember that the nutjobs weren’t gay folks who had a fun time at their theme park; the nutjobs were the fundie guys who taped people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-surveillance-during-gay-days-at-disney/67550.md?page=3)