Disney Fairies

Pat Robertson said on June 10, 1998, that Orlando, Fla., should beware of hurricanes, since it, and Disney World, allow Gay Days to be held there.

"I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you,'' Robertson said on his TV show, The 700 Club. In the months following the statement, Orlando was spared, but hurricanes Charley and Frances made landfall in Texas, dumping heavy rains, killing more than 14 people, and both hitting the town of Corpus Christi. Apparently even God has a sense of humor. So much for the "God hates gays" theory.

Gay Days is not sponsored by Disney, in fact, they emphatically refuse to acknowledge the gathering actually happens on their grounds. This is even though it has ballooned from a one day celebration of friends sporting red T-shirts in 1991, into almost two weeks of events and borderline wholesome fun, attracting gays from all over the country and world, who turn the park into a red sea of bopping humanity.

The pretense on the part of Disney that thousands and thousands of gays gather on their grounds just by chance every June is hilarious. Their denial has more to do with preserving their supposed "family image" and the fact that they continue to being the target of mass protests, veiled threats, pseudo boycotts, and implied violence, spearheaded by the religious right and the crazy Christers among its hardcore followers.

Who hasn't been to Disney at least once? Come on let's be serious, if anybody is out of place at the Magic Kingdom on any given day it's heterosexual adult males. Somewhere between the Main Street afternoon parade, Enchanted Castle and doing Running Man with a cartoon duck, you lose any chance to be butch. If there is a place on earth where homophobes have to concede, hands down to homosexuals, it's Disney.

While the Magic Kingdom does not openly promote or discourage the event, many inside, starting with Prime Minister Mickey, dread its arrival every year. It's a political land mine and Disney does their best to walk it very carefully. It's not the first time that they have incurred the wrath of the far right.

David Caton from the Florida Family Association announced that his organization has raised more money and will rent airplanes with banners "to warn families about Gay Day at Disney" 10 hours per day on both Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4.

"Florida Family Association wants to warn families about this offensive event before they arrive at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday," noted Caton. "This airplane banner is our best effort to accomplish that goal."

The Christian Action Network has an ongoing boycott of all Disney products -- with no impact on Disney's earnings or mass appeal. Their official declaration states that they are "shocked and outraged" that Disney has transformed this traditionally macho and Christian establishment, where men dance about in tights and make up, where cartoon animals speak and practice magic, into an anti-family values den of iniquity and debauchery like "Sodom and Gomorrah." And as in the biblical science fiction story of Sodom and Gomorrah this immoral behavior will result in complete obliteration.

The American Family Association sends undercover photographers to every gathering trying to record sexual misconduct.

Pat Robertson, again, has gone on record as officially stating that "conditions like this will bring about terrorist bombs, earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor." Apparently , in his twisted mind, the real Disneyland is a playground, full of lightness and whimsy, staffed by cartoon characters, with the soundtrack courtesy of the laughter of children riding "It's a Small World." Can there be any place more joyous and gay ...what? Oh, you meant gay in the homosexual sense? Oh no, in that case Fire and Brimstone are-a-coming!

He forgets that Disney is about fun in the purest sense and simplest form. It's open to ALL comers with no prejudice.

Known for philanthropy in many areas, this corporate giant has a refreshing closeted liberal slant. It has contributed and supported Planned Parenthood through grants and gift matching programs. Their own productions, through ABC, include television shows that feature openly gay and lesbian couples in "Grey's Anatomy" and "Modern Family" as well as sexually charged shows like "Cougar Town," "The Bachelor/Bachelor Pad," and "Desperate Housewives."

The problem I personally have with how Disney is handling the celebration is the lack of sponsorship and official recognition.

The argument is often put forth that since Christian groups congregate at Disney World, why not gays? True enough, except that the 'Night of Joy' (the Christian concert held there each year) is a hard ticket event - not open to the general public- and requires separate admission. The Magic Kingdom is closed to the public and only those who choose to be there are allowed in. Families that come to Disney World on Gay Days are not offered the same choice. Since Disney does not host the event, it's not mentioned anywhere, or to anyone making a reservation during that particular week. Believe me, if a religious group organized 100,000 Christians to go in the Magic Kingdom one day a year - and began flaunting their zealot's lifestyle in my face by preaching to me, as I try and get on a rollercoaster, I would throw a major fit right then and there.

After having said all that I almost feel sorry for the Disney Nation as the date approaches.