CuriousJockAZ said
I didn't say they were "silly" for being in the band, I said I thought it was silly to have to label it "The Gay & Lesbian Marching Band" for the same reason it would be silly to label another band "The Straight Men & Women Marching Band". When I'm at a parade watching the marching bands, personally, I don't give a fuck if the marching band members are straight, gay, or whatever. Why it has to be announced by ANY group is what I find silly. Just march for god's sake, I don't need to know who you prefer having sex with.
Well since you don't understand why it's necessary, let's have an explanation:
Visibility (labels) leads to recognition and awareness. Awareness goes one of two ways, opposition or support, history reveals that support is usually the winner when it comes to civil rights and liberties. Never in history has any group received rights or privileges that didn't fight for them; becoming clearly visible and even quite garish in the public eye.
You seem to believe that we can quietly become equals in the eyes of the law but what you don't realize is that society is a completely different animal from the individuals you interact with on a daily basis. Gays and Lesbians cannot blend in yet. You might not like it or agree with it but for the time being it is unavoidable.
To achieve equality we must show ourselves off as productive members of society. A marching band is a great way to do that, it is much more wholesome and American than a gay pride parade ( I myself can't wait for them to evolve into a more mature and respectable event).
You want us to blend in and not have to label ourselves as anything? Then you need to help us fight to get to that point because we aren't there yet.