Gay Pride Father's Day Weekend

Every year in Bisbee, we have what is known as 'Gay Pride Weekend'. Ok, fine, no big deal. Bisbee is a more left than right, more gay than straight kinda town. Last year and this year, it has specifically been advertised as being "on Father's Day Weekend". As a straight woman, married to a straight man, something about this offends me. I have no problem with people being gay or what have you, but why does this event have to be on Father's Day weekend? I realize there are fathers out there who, after having children, decided they were gay or they adopted children, but which is more important to you, being a father or being gay? Two celebrations are always better than one anyway. To me though, I don't feel like I can go into town this weekend if I want to celebrate Father's Day without the gay identifier overshadowing it all.

On another note, last year's 'Gay Pride Weekend' went a little over the top. Bisbee is a pretty weird place to begin with, especially after dark and on Halloween (that's another story), but sponsoring S&M events for the Gay Pride attendees to participate in is rather tasteless. If you don't want to be seen as a freak by society, then don't emphasize it. Keep your sexual habits and tastes in the home. This goes for straight people, too, so don't think I'm singling anyone out here.

The best thing about this year's 'Gay Pride Weekend' is the exhibition of the Aids quilt. I remember seeing this quilt sometime in the 1990's, so it must be huge by now. The pieces are displayed separately and will be in various locations around town. I suggest everyone check this out as a reminder that Aids has not been cured, only made tolerable by modern medicine.