Mayor Welcomes Disney Gay Days Visitors

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | 6-04-03 | Melissa Harris

[Colofornian]

Mayor welcomes Gay Days visitors

By Melissa Harris | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted June 4, 2003

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer kicked off the annual Gay Days celebration Tuesday night in a historic and symbolic step toward ending years of bitterness between City Hall and the gay community.

"It's wonderful to finally have a mayor accept us in public as well as in private," said Marty Chapman, 48, an Orlando attorney who served on a grass-roots committee that proposed the ordinance.

Dyer told more than 700 people at the Orlando Museum of Art that he was proud the city was one of only eight in Florida to prohibit discrimination against gays.

"I'm the first mayor to attend this event, and I promise this won't be my last," Dyer told the cheering crowd.

Ever since Gay Days began with a gathering at Walt Disney World in 1991, the event has sparked ire from many conservative and religious groups.

Gay Days, for which visitors travel to Central Florida to enjoy its many tourist attractions, still creates a stir among those who argue the event sanctions an immoral lifestyle.

"This is not a pride or political event," said Chris Alexander-Manley, of Gay Days Inc., which is expecting the largest crowd in the event's history. "It's a nice tourist event and is a boost to the economy."

Melissa Harris can be reached at mharris@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-6269.

[Colofornian]

You can freep a poll at the Sentinel asking if you agree with the mayor's decision to speak at the opening of Gay Days (the city's first mayor to do so).

Now would Disney World be open to sanctioning a Swingers Day at Disney World? Would the Mayor come and speak at that? Or would he "discriminate" against those folks' multiple partner sexual orientation?

Where does licentiousness stop? Once you open the door to embracing and sanctioning any lifestyle and any alternative sexual orientation, ya can't close the door.

[darkwing104]

Note to self: Avoid Disney for whole month.

[ex-Texan]

"Hey, Mr. Mayor . . . Will we be able to find you in the public restrooms after your Gay Day speech ?"

[End Times Sentinel]

Geez, I don't see what your problem is with "Gay Days" at Disney World, just stay out of the public restrooms and you won't have any problems... ;-)

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[End Times Sentinel]

You stole my thunder, FRiend!

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[Arkie2]

The Mayor is out of the closet. Is he in the public restrooms with his buddies?

[Juan Medén]

The Baptists were right. BOYCOT DISNEY!

[Zavien Doombringer]

Hey Mr. Mayor!

[biblewonk]

Ever since Gay Days began with a gathering at Walt Disney World in 1991, the event has sparked ire from many conservative and religious groups

There are a lot of liberal democrat union thugs with families out there too that also don't like gay days. My dad worked a union factory here in CR and they were all flaming democrats and they also hated homos and anyone that didn't work for a living. Liberals seem to be strange bedfellows, so to speak.

[appalachian_dweller]

>> Note to self: Avoid Disney for whole month. <<

How about forever. They won't see any of my money, ever again. I refuse to watch their movies.

[mommybain]

When my 13-year-old son asked me recently why I didn't care for things Disney any more all I had to do was explain Gay Days to him. He got it.

[Gopher Broke]

Tell Mayor Dyer what you think of his endorsement of the homosexual agenda.....send him an email by clicking HERE.

[Guillermo]

What exactly are they "celebrating?"

[Joe Hadenuf]

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer kicked off the annual Gay Days celebration Tuesday night in a historic and symbolic step toward ending years of bitterness between City Hall and the gay community.

Get out of Florida fast.

[HELLRAISER II]

At $52.00 per person, I think i'll avoid it completely. The lines are just to damn long and it's to damn hot to stand in line, especially if I had a bunch of fags all around me.

[Onelifetogive]

I am all for "Gay Days" and more publicity of it. Gays have as much right as anyone else to go to Disney. If they will all go the same week. More publicity will make sure fewer families go at the same time.

The more there that one week, the less will be there when the rest of us go to Orlando.

[GOP_Proud]

The heck with a month. Soince they started this crap I don't buy Disney, I don't see Disney (including movies and ABC), and I sure as heck don't patronize DWorld or Dland. I work at avoiding this company. Everyday I seem to add some other tie in to the list. Disney is buried in the fine print everywhere.

[Mears]

Walt Disney must be rolling over in his grave!!

[darkwing104]

Sad to say if I had to avoid places in Florida where there has been some kind of Gay Pride event I pretty much would have to move to Alabama. (Nothing against Alabama)

[Darnright]

"I am all for "Gay Days" and more publicity of it. Gays have as much right as anyone else to go to Disney. If they will all go the same week. More publicity will make sure fewer families go at the same time."

My philosophy is live and let live, but I find it ironic the "festival" is held the first week most schools let out for the summer.

Coincidence? That's ok, Myrtle Beach is closer and more fun, IMHO.