Pride for teens?

[HiDD]

DD(15) wants to go to Pride London.

AIBU to advise strongly against? My sense is it’s not a family-friendly event these days.

If she told teachers at school I’d taken her to Pride and she’d seen that, I’d be expecting a call tbh.

A school trip. Well now.

"The gay movement's struggles of the 1990s centred on the demand to be treated as normal members of society, just like everyone else, as we can see from these fellows wearing assless chaps"

Pride has less & less to do with LGB nowadays. It’s increasingly explicitly focused on the TQ+.

Maybe it’s different in London but I have taken my children to Manchester pride since they were little kids. They have both grown up with openly gay members of family. Both have grown up to be respectful teenagers to all members of society.

There are 2 aspects. Others will cover that I’m sure.

The London part - has she spent much time in central London yet on her own or with friends. My DD has started to make brief forays into Oxford St/Carnaby St and I’ve said she needs to keep out of Soho completely. I only let her go with 2 friends as any more and it just gets complicated in shops and groups splitting etc. So I’d be talking about that in the first instance and making her do some trial visits just shopping before tackling a whole adult festival. If she can’t follow instructions/stay in touch/keep to budget/not lose her zip card then she’s passed the first test. If she can’t manage the basics she will need to wait until next year imo

If you think you’ll have to let her go then I’d limit their group to 4 so you’re sure the group won’t split and risk being left alone etc. Have a back up plan if pick pocketed/mugged etc. Agree a plan in advance of where to view and timings/when to be home. Maybe also watch previous London Prides on YouTube and discuss. If I showed my DD the crowds alone she’d opt out. Or decide the floats/standing about with tall people “boring”. Then there’s always bribery offering something else she’d rather do the same weekend ?! Good luck.

Out of interest what age did they go on their own? My friend took her DD age 13 plus a friend and they thought it was ok. But it’s the combo of solo trip, large gathering and cenatal London that makes it extra even before concerns about the potential for bondage gear

You could say the same for women's rights, but we still have feminism?

Are other parents aware of this?

I am not sure which is worse. That they haven't consulted with parents, or that Pride has become some a queer, male, fetishistic, exhibitionist, vulgar display and people now accept that this is "normal" LGB behaviour.

As I said on another thead, a bit like some parade celebrating heterosexuality led by people re-enacting their dogging experiences as the best illustration of the practice of heterosexuality.

(Or maybe it is! Have just seen an amazing number of web sites letting "adults" know where the best dogging meet ups are )

I wouldn’t let my kids go due to the fetish and misogyny. I do make a point of teaching we are all equal and deserve equal rights and respect not hate etc. But that’s not what pride feels like. Too many lesbians openly say they feel unwelcome at pride for me to want to go or allow my kids to go.

DD has been into town with friends - all very sensible - and I’d say she passes that first test. She’s got a phone that’s not worth the bother of nicking, doesn’t carry much cash and there wouldn’t be too much damage if someone got her debit card, so as long as she can contact me/get home it’s all good.

Here's a very recent video on the topic.

Go to 24 mins for 2 'queer' people telling you that Pride is not for kids.

I’d assume DD’s friends’ parents know. When she asked if she could go, it didn’t occur to me that it might be a school thing, it only came up later when she said she had to sign up for the trip. Apparently, this isn’t the first year they’ve run it.

I can’t say I disagree too much with your view of the way Pride has gone, @IwantToRetire, and I’ve warned DD that brain bleach may be required if she’s unlucky. That said, I know it wouldn’t skew her sense of the average LGB person living their life.

@Burntt, there’s definitely part of me that is irritated at DD supporting an event that has sidelined non-compliant Ls. I love a non-compliant L; as a beneficiary of their non-compliance down the decades I feel some solidarity is due, but this is probably my issue and maybe it’s not fair to expect DD to take it on.

The problem here is mainly one of self-centred men being self centred. How unusual.

There’s a thread talking about a separate march planned by non-compliant Ls (lesbians & bis only) and trans-identifying men are squawking with outrage and threatening to protest it.

Which says it all really. I say squawking but they sound pretty sinister.

big corporate PRIDE events are generally very well run, organised, have security/police/safeguarding policies in place and are attuned to any political groups outside of mainstream dialogue
I'd be way less worried about a pride parade than any other protest, honestly.
Also, costumes can be provocative (as can slogans) but behaviour is definitely managed and wont be in any way less than you'd see in a 12 cert film! We take our kids to pride parades....

At 15 there are hardly a child. I take it they know about sex? In a few months or however long they’ll be legal to have sex. What’s the big deal? Nude bodies shouldn’t be seen a something to be disgusted by. A lot of prudes on here.

Luckily big corporates are realising that Pride isn't the big shiny rainbow it was cracked up to the and are pulling out of funding these events and so many are folding. Seems their 'we're here, we're queer, we are coming for your children' slogans didn't go down too well once the boards cottoned on.

activism isnt real unless you risk disagreement
corporate sponsorship was never LGBTQ+ backing - it was marketing
they did the same in the 90s, when everyone pulled back from gay rights

the safeguarding and policing im talking of is organised by the city the parade is in, not from corporations. Its in place regardless of HSBC pulling their money

They don't seem to police the behaviour of the men involved though do they?

They seem to apply an 'anything goes' approach.

People are sick to the back teeth of degenerate behaviour under the 'LGBT' banner. Hence advising kids to avoid Pride like the plague.

The gays are coming for children?

ive been going to pride for 20+ years

i see cheeky behaviour but nothing more, anything gross in the parade is already dealt with by stewards and police (if it happens....).
As i say, ive taken children there without incident for 20 years. How many pride parades have you been at?

The queers apparently. I have no idea if they are actually gay as what does that even mean any more?

I posted a video with more details above if you want a round up of the current situation.

Thank you, I will take a look. What is queer now days? When I was young, not that long ago, queer meant gay. But I find so many women (who are straight) now say they are queer, and some have boyfriends. Like in the case of Jameela Jamil, always had a boyfriend in public never a gf, been with her current partner over ten years but came out a few years ago whilst still with him and currently still together came out as queer. Is queer meaning bisexual? Then why not say bi? I don’t believe any celebrity needs to disclose their sexual identity but when I think of queer I think of gay. I should say I’m a few years younger than Jamil. But I don’t get it. I have gay friends, women and men and they don’t either. Can anyone fill me in please. I understand queerness can be on a spectrum but if you feel the need to discuss your sexuality why not say bisexual?

Where does one start?

Women have lost rights. T have not.