Suck It Up, Mr. Mayor

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I haven't been a fan of Toronto's mayor, Mr. Rob Ford since I heard that he planned to balance his big city budget by  squeezing money out of the province.

I've been casting a wary eye across Lake Ontario ever since.

But it turns out it isn't his spending of my tax dollars that has me blogging about him,  it's the fact that so far he has refused to attend the Gay Pride Parade.

Now don't get me wrong, I think the Toronto Gay Pride Parade is way too raunchy.

And I don't think it does anything to unmarginalize, (if there is such a word), gays and lesbians.

Which is too bad, but it is what it is and my little blog won't change anything.

However I believe there is a lot more at stake than my embarrassment or Rob Ford's moral disapproval.

He is the mayor of Toronto, Canada's largest city.

A leader.

A symbol.

He doesn't need to march in the parade and look as if he approves of what is going on around him.

He needs to be there to show the world that the rights of all Canadians are protected regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or their ability to act silly in public.

So suck it up, Mr. Mayor.

This one's important.

Related articles

• What Rob Ford's attendance at Gay Pride would bring (theglobeandmail.com)
• Ford sticks to decision not to attend Pride parade (theglobeandmail.com)

Toronto's Gay Pride Parade - A Commentary from Somewhere in the Middle Class

I hate seeing clips of Toronto's annual Gay Pride Parade being broadcast on the news. It makes me cringe and squirm.

I find it hard to believe there aren't a lot of gay people out there who cringe and squirm, too. Although part of the parade's mandate is that they treat each other with respect and dignity, to this viewer the emphasis seems to be on cheap, casual sex and that doesn't jive with my understanding of what the gay and lesbian community is looking to achieve - the right to lead productive, loving, spiritual lives, without fear or prejudice.

So, do I think the parade should be banned?

Absolutely not.

As a teacher I can tell you that there is too much suffering around the issue of sexual orientation especially for the children of a gay parent. The more often we see non-heterosexual people in mainstream lifestyles and activities the sooner attitudes will change.

Do I think the parade's mandate to celebrate with 'provocative, racy and outrageous events' should be toned down?

Absolutely.

The more in-your-face sexuality people see, the more attitudes will stay the same.

Get a room, guys. Pierre Trudeau said the state has no business being in the bedrooms of the nation. I say the bedrooms of the nation have no business being on main street.