Orlando: Not just for kids anymore
I didn’t expect the crowds on a weekday. I didn’t even expect the variety of world cuisine.
But what I really did not expect was that we young families would be a minority in Disney Town (not to be confused with Disneyworld or Disneyland).
Let’s just say Lokes had his fill of grown men being affectionate towards each other in public for a lifetime. Especially the full-on tongue action we caught heading back to the carpark and a mini Village People reunion just outside the west entrance. Puts the recent Safeco lesbian kissing incident to shame, I tell ya.
FYI, it’s not always like this. Gay Days is on. These are times I wish I was still childless. I am not kidding when I say those dudes look like they know how to have a good time!
Truly, all the hot ones are gay (except for you, babe).
Technorati Tags: Orlando, Gay Days, Disney Town
Posted in Imperfect America
June 6th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Photos photos photos! Hahaha…
June 6th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Dear Jenn,
Food for thought: if your spouse were racist, would you have written the following sentence on your blog?
“Let’s just say X had his fill of black people in public for a lifetime.”
I’m guessing not. Well, homophobia makes some of us as uncomfortable as racism makes most of us.
Forgive my frankness. I have a lot of close friends who happen to be gay and I couldn’t help but read your post through their eyes.
I do like your blog, though, in general. Thanks for doing your bit to give Malaysia a presence in the blogosphere.
Best,
Preeta
June 6th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
My hubby is openly homophobic, there are no two ways about it and I don’t care to hide it either. He has gay friends who know about it, so honestly, it’s like having a third testicle - you whisper around it, laugh uncomfortably about it when raised, and then you move on.
Here’s the thing: If I were to say, X has had his fill of, say BET or hip-hop/rap, would that be racist? Surely not. My husband may be homophobic but he will never discriminate against gays and neither will he not elect a gay man into office just because. He is just not used to flamboyant public displays of gay affection. Heck I’m not used to flamboyant public displays of affection, gay or otherwise. We are the products of our (Malaysian) society, and that is not something one can remove simply by moving to another country. Not in two years anyhow.
Fear does not always translate into hatred. Sometimes, they simply hover at mild feelings of dismay, like when you discover that they’ve made roast beef into an ice cream (which I love btw, as roast beef). Hopefully, we will all grow to like roast beef ice cream one day. Until then, we have to contend that these things take time.
Congrats on the book, btw
June 15th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Hi Jenn! Long time no chat and stuff
I saw this and just wanted to chime in and say that the first question isn’t quite analogous to Preeta’s concern. BET and hip hop/rap are only a small and recent part of African American culture; men being affectionate with each other is, well, what being gay is all about. I think it’s entirely understandable why that statement would be construed as offensive. If I didn’t know Loke, I might’ve felt the same way.
That said, I understand what you mean about public displays of affection. I saw a couple go completely nuts for each other in the subway the other day, like no one else was watching. It was kinda hard not to stare!
PS. Also, seeing as I’ve lived in San Francisco for the past 9 years, I’ve probably desensitized myself to a lot of it. Seeing naked people in the street is not an uncommon phenomenon.
June 15th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Hey you! How’s it going?
I’d like to think there’s more to the gay culture than sex in public places but yea, I may have picked a poor analogy.
I can tell you had it been a few thousand lesbians going at it, he would’ve not have minded as much.
Lokes is nothing if not predictable!
Lokes was in SF for the Apple thing!