Two million expected to attend WorldPride festival in Toronto

[mentalfloss]

Two million expected to attend WorldPride festival in Toronto

This year’s WorldPride festival in Toronto is shaping up to be one of the city’s most ambitious celebrations, as Pride Toronto announced a crowded lineup of events and musical guests.

Kevin Beaulieu, WorldPride’s executive director, acknowledged that the scope of the 10-day festival (June 20-29) is larger than any Pride event Toronto has ever hosted. He said he wants it to be recognized as “a global celebration that carries on for generations to come.”


“I want WorldPride itself to be a legacy,” said Mr. Beaulieu at a media preview detailing the events. “When it’s celebrated in Madrid in 2017, and whoever hosts it after that, they’re going to say, ‘Remember Toronto? That was when it all came together.”

In addition to Melissa Etheridge and Juno Award winners Carly Rae Jepsen, Deborah Cox and Tegan and Sara, the festival will play host to Grammy-winning artist Estelle, Canadian singer-songwriter Carole Pope, Fefe Dobson, the Cliks and Parachute Club among others.

On the arts and culture front, WorldPride announced that this year’s program includes 558 collective days of LGBTQ programming by 17 major sponsors, including the Art Gallery of Ontario, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto Public Libraries and the Royal Ontario Museum.

Mr. Beaulieu also said the CN Tower will be lit in rainbow colours in honour of the festival.

“For some of our partners, it will be the first time they have programmed LGBT content during a Pride celebration. For others, who have done it before, they are taking it to a new level,” said Chrystal Dean, WorldPride manager at Pride Toronto, in a press release.

Roughly 1.2 million people attended Toronto’s three-day Pride festival last year, and Mr. Beaulieu estimates as many as two million will attend WorldPride.

“The journey started in 2009 when we were in Tampa and we wanted to see WorldPride celebrated here,” said Ms. Cox. “This country has been very, very progressive with human rights, LGBT rights, and this is the best city in the world.”

The festival is set to kick off with a free opening ceremony at Nathan Phillips Square on June 20 that will feature musical performances by Ms. Etheridge and Ms. Cox, as well as fireworks and the ceremonial rainbow flag raising at City Hall.

Two million expected to attend WorldPride festival in Toronto - The Globe and Mail

 

[BornRuff]

 

[coldstream]

What a degrading embarrassment for the city. A festival of debauchery. I guess that's what it takes to be 'World Class' these days. :roll:

 

[Twila]

That's awesome.

 

[BornRuff]

What a degrading embarrassment for the city. A festival of debauchery. I guess that's what it takes to be 'World Class' these days. :roll:

I think you are confused. Rob Ford's annual family BBQ actually takes place in Etobicoke, which while technically part of Toronto now, is in no way considered the "World Class" part of it.

 

[coldstream]

I think you are confused. Rob Ford's annual family BBQ actually takes place in Etobicoke, which while technically part of Toronto now, is in no way considered the "World Class" part of it.

I hope Rob Ford continues his boycott of the 'Pride Festival'. I'd much rather eat his burgers and drink his booze than venture down the orgiastic back alleys of T.O. during the 'Pride' Parade.

 

[mentalfloss]

I think coldthtream is trying to tell us something.

 

[gerryh]

I hope Rob Ford continues his boycott of the 'Pride Festival'. I'd much rather eat his burgers and drink his booze than venture down the orgiastic back alleys of T.O. during the 'Pride' Parade.

You speak like you know this from experience, you admitting something?

 

[coldstream]

You speak like you know this from experience, you admitting something?

Right.. i'm used to that.. from these 'great friends' of the homosexual community. The worst insult they can throw at someone is that he or she is 'gay'. If i actually was a homosexual i'd be thinking with friends like these.. who needs enemies.

At least i'm willing to propose that homosexuality in not natural, or genetically predisposed, or inevitable and it is certainly not healthy.. which provides a glimmer of hope to those caught up in a world of misery, futility, disease, depression, suicide, addiction, confusion and isolation.. that there is a way out.

That comes from facing some hard truths.. and accepting the potential of the will and of faith rather than capitulating to the 'inevitable' in defeat, disgrace and despair.. as this festival 'celebrates'. :roll:

 

[mentalfloss]

Prickly Curmudgeon club.

 

[BornRuff]

I hope Rob Ford continues his boycott of the 'Pride Festival'. I'd much rather eat his burgers and drink his booze than venture down the orgiastic back alleys of T.O. during the 'Pride' Parade.

Yonge street is an "orgiastic back alley"?

At least i'm willing to propose that homosexuality in not natural, or genetically predisposed, or inevitable and it certainly not healthy.. which provides a glimmer of hope to those caught up in a world of misery, futility, disease, depression, suicide, addiction, isolation.. that there is a way out.

Do you seriously believe that telling people that they are not natural and unhealthy would make them feel "hope"?

 

[coldstream]

Yonge street is an "orgiastic back alley"?



Do you seriously believe that telling people that they are not natural and unhealthy would make them feel "hope"?

I'd wouldn't tell an alcoholic or a drug addict that his addiction was a 'healthy' expression of a natural predisposition.. which should be 'explored' and celebrated. That is deceit.. not 'hope'.

Homosexuality is the same thing. They are all products of deep moral confusion, despair and defeat.. and distance from their true nature.. which is still made in the Image of God.

 

[BornRuff]

I'd wouldn't tell an alcoholic or a drug addict that his addiction was a 'healthy' expression of a natural predisposition.. which should be 'explored' and celebrated. Homosexuality is the same thing. They are all products of deep moral confusion, despair and defeat.. and distance from their true nature.. which is still made in the Image of God.

Addiction is harmful. Being gay is not.

I know you are going to go into your whole shtick about how gay people are miserable because they are gay, but that simply isn't true. Some gay people are unhappy because people they respect tell them that they are sick, unnatural, immoral, etc etc etc, and they internalize it.

You, and people like you, are the problem.

 

[coldstream]

Addiction is harmful. Being gay is not.

I know you are going to go into your whole shtick about how gay people are miserable because they are gay, but that simply isn't true. Some gay people are unhappy because people they respect tell them that they are sick, unnatural, immoral, etc etc etc, and they internalize it.

You, and people like you, are the problem.

Quote which was well known the the homosexual community.. before it was deemed politically incorrect.

"Show me a happy homosexual and i'll show you a 'gay corpse". The deep misery and hopelessness is well known within their community.

Neither affirmation or legitimization or community or companionship.. or celebration... will change that. Hence you see the intense frustration on the part of its political lobby that is lashing out with a new McCarthyism at people 'like me'.

 

[Twila]

At least i'm willing to propose that homosexuality in not natural, or genetically predisposed, or inevitable and it is certainly not healthy.. which provides a glimmer of hope to those caught up in a world of misery, futility, disease, depression, suicide, addiction, isolation.. that there is a way out.

OMG! What year is is? Did someone just turn back time? Seriously...have you just come out of a cave or some backwoods in the middle of nowhere?

Homosexuality is natural. It is in the natural world practiced by many other animals, not just humans. We are part of nature and therefore homosexuality is part of nature.

nat·u·ral [nach-er-uhl, nach-ruhl] Show IPA
adjective
1.
existing in or formed by nature (opposed to artificial ): a natural bridge.
2.
based on the state of things in nature; constituted by nature: Growth is a natural process.
3.
of or pertaining to nature or the universe: natural beauty.
4.
of, pertaining to, or occupied with the study of natural science: conducting natural experiments.
5.
in a state of nature; uncultivated, as land.

 

[coldstream]

OMG! What year is is? Did someone just turn back time? Seriously...have you just come out of a cave or some backwoods in the middle of nowhere?

Homosexuality is natural. It is in the natural world practiced by many other animals, not just humans. We are part of nature and therefore homosexuality is part of nature.

We live in an age of confusion and lies where there is no Truth and no natural law.. only material and temporal satisfaction. It is, in fact, a pre-condition that will lead us into a new Dark Age.. back to the caves and backwoods in a search for survival.

 

[BornRuff]

"Show me a happy homosexual and i'll show you a 'gay corpse". The deep misery and hopelessness is well known in their community.

How on earth does this prove anything other than the fact that you have a twisted mind?

 

[Twila]

The deep misery and hopelessness is well known in their community.

This can be said of the heterosexual community too. Hell, it can be said of any community that has people in it.

I imagine if they were treated as the equal members of society that they are, they'd be less inclined to feel misery...sort of like how racism negatively effects those that are harmed by it...

 

[coldstream]

How on earth does this prove anything other than the fact that you have a twisted mind?

So you think they should be 'happy' in spite of themselves.

That's the message someone caught up in the gender confusion of adolescence or the capitulation to prurient impulse that is being delivered by schools, government and media now. Submit is the message.. to the most superficial and transient of gratifications.

Look at the attacks on organizations that offer cures for homosexuality. They do not press themselves on anyone, but are open to those who honestly want to rid themselves of homosexuality. They are discredited and threatened with legal prosecution and professional sanction and slander.

Those are not the actions of an open and democratic movement.

This can be said of the heterosexual community too. Hell, it can be said of any community that has people in it.

I imagine if they were treated as the equal members of society that they are, they'd be less inclined to feel misery...sort of like how racism negatively effects those that are harmed by it...

Nothing matches the rates of clinical depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, suicide, sexually transmitted disease, promiscuity of homosexuality as compared to any other identifiable social demographic. It is multiple times that and has remained constant despite being designated to the highest status that post-structural society can grant.. that of 'victim'.

 

[BornRuff]

So you think they should be 'happy' in spite of themselves.

That's the message someone caught up in gender confusion of adolescence or the capitulation to prurient impulse that is being delivered by schools, governent, media now. Submit is the message.. to the most superficial and transient of gratifications.

You have still done nothing to justify why it is in any way bad. You just seem to want us to go along with your prejudice.

"Be happy in spite of yourself" certainly isn't the message anyone is sending anyone. Society in general is accepting the fact that there is simply nothing wrong with being gay, so nothing to be "in spite" of at all.

Look at the attacks on organizations that offer cures for homosexuality. They do not press themselves on anyone, but are open to those who honestly want to rid themselves of homosexuality. They are discredited and threatened with legal and professional persecution and slander.

Those are not the actions of an open and democratic movement.

Nobody claimed it was supposed to be democratic.

If you are going to claim to belong to a specific profession, you need to abide by their rules. If you practice treatments that are not accepted by that professional organization, they are more than within their rights to kick you out.

Nothing matches the rates of clinical depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, suicide, sexually transmitted disease, promiscuity of homosexuality as compared to any other identifiable social demographic. It is multiple times that and has remained constant despite being designated to the highest status that post-structural society can grant.. that of 'victim'.

Maybe a few references would be nice here.