so tired of the constant in your face celebration of

The only "in your face celebrations" I've seen are Pride events - maybe Gay Days at WDW? But how are those any different that other events that celebrate a community, culture, or heritage? 

I hardly consider accepting LGBT people, couples, and families into the everyday fabric of our communities an "in your face celebration".  I don't think individuals, couples, and families living their lives honestly - regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity - qualifies as an "in your face celebration" either.

I agree that it a perfect world, there would be no need for people to "come out", but this isn't a perfect world.  I think coming out is often an important event in the life of someone who is LGBT because it's about being who they really are to people who are important in their lives. 

I think it is great that it isn't an issue for your family, but the fact is, it is a big deal in many families. Some people are kicked out of their families, they are not welcome in their church, faggot is spray painted on their car or house wall, some drunk in a bar call the boy a sissy girl or the girl a dike. The posters that follow any news article on anything even slightly related to something gay are some of the most disgusting things I have ever read.

When it isn't a big deal, when all of the above quits happening. When there isn't a need to celebrate, then we'll stop.

I agree with Elaine. I have many gay friends and I love them dearly.

I would absolutely accept and love my children if either of them came out as gay, but I'm not stupid enough to think that just because I am fine with it that the world is.

A gay person faces persecution from outsiders all the time. Many do not accept them. They are called abominations and told they are going to hell.

If they say something about being gay or don't hide it while out in public, they are accused of shoving it down people's throats.

So while I would accept my child and love them all the same, I would be worried for them and might lament that circumstances were different.

No one has to make an announcement about being straight.

I haven't read all the responses, but not "all" homosexual people and couples are "in your face" about it... The ones you're noticing are the ones that are choosing (as is their right), to celebrate or be vocal about something important to them... All the others who are not choosing to celebrate or be vocal as much (at the moment or ever), are going under your radar...

I think of Ellen Degeneres - she doesn't hide who she is, broke huge barriers, but is known as an advocate for animal welfare too... We get to see a lot more facets of her because of her talk show... Those facets were always there, it was the media business that decided when we got to see/learn more about her... The business side of media controls so much of what we see... Stories involving sex (or babies, or divorces, or marriages), always draw in more readers or watchers... When people stop paying money to read about certain issues, the media will stop spending as much time on them... In that sense, what you pay attention to (read, watch, Google, YouTube), is what you're going to get more of... When/as more people realize that being gay is a natural part of life and it becomes so accepted that someone coming out isn't a headline that sells, there will be a natural shift... We're just not there yet...

I think it's also important to realize that homosexuality is also a political issue... When there is discussion about laws being changed, you will always have additional attention on the issue - from both sides... Homosexuality is a very current topic because of both legislative and religious changes that are happening...

It's probably a horrible comparison, but when I was a child, wearing a helmet when riding your bike was very uncool... I'm almost forty, and my friends children are the first batch I've met that don't even question bike helmets... That simple change - about an issue everyone agreed on, took 30 years... Social issues take much longer...

Edited to fix grammar...

well then, furthermore you don't get to tell society what is a non-issue or not

the truth of the matter is the people who told others that being gay was wrong were the ones who have been making the song and dance all these years and now gay people want to have their time in the sun, its suddenly all 'who cares'

Do you know my silly other reason for liking George Takei? His last name means Bushido no ido. In English that means the well water of the Samurai. It's a very dignified name (and it was the last name of my BFF there too so I love it).

I have not read through all four pages..... I do understand where you are coming from in some ways.  I think it is because we are people that are happy with everyone living the life that they were born for and so the sometimes over the top, in your face is not needed.  However, this over the top, in your face has helped create a younger generation that is more accepting than previous generations on a general level.  I know there will always be communities and pockets that will never accept.

One example.. My dds go to an International school age 3yrs through HS.  My daughter introduced me to her friend yesterday when she came to my class (I teach there) to get money.  A bunch went out for ice cream after school.  When she came home I was asking about the boy since I had never met him before and she said he was another faculty member's son and she loved hanging out with him because he was just so comfortable with himself and is just plain fun.  She mentioned how her boyfriend and his friends are always so insecure and stiff.  I teased her and asked if her boyfriend was jealous that she enjoys this other boys company and she laughed and said , "mom, he is gay, he is not interested in me".  i expressed a bit of shock that at 13 he was comfortable and felt safe enough to come out to everyone and she laughed at me.  She said there were a bunch of kids that are gay and it is 2014, "mom"   I got a little teary actually, thinking of how these children can live a rather normal teenage life and not hide and feel bad about themselves thinking that people would not like them or be mean to them just because of their sexual preferences.  Teenaged years are hard enough!  This is all thanks to people coming out and talking about it and celebrating.  

We have always taught and have spoken with our kids about how everyone is a human being and should be treated as such. You determine who you hang out with by how they treat you and how you feel when you are with them. However, it helps when they see it in the media since parents are way uncool.

I love your story!  I wish that everyone could feel this way!  My daughter came home telling me about a friend who goes to a religious school,  where I have heard that they do not accept gay students, and he and his friends went home to take an " Are you gay test" , not a school thing something a kid brought into school, he scored 66%  and was scared to go to school and tell his friends!  He told her he didn't want to be gay... and he didn't know what he was.   He is 11.  

My daughter told him that you can like musical theatre and My little ponies and not be gay. But being gay is okay too, and you quizzes don't determine if you are gay or not!

As far as we have come... we have further to go.  I look forward to the day when we let people just be.

I don't disagree.

I haven't seen too many people comment on this and to me, it's the saddest comment in your whole post. It's easy for you to say that. It's easy for people who haven't struggled with gender identity to sit in judgment, feel smug or annoyed or skeptical. I have a friend whose child recently went through the public transition from being female to being male and I'm certain that the last thing any of them felt was that he was doing it to be "in" or that he wanted to be glorified. Living in tea party country where the KKK is making a last great stand, well, let's just say that open minded acceptance of openly living as who you are is not a sure thing.

As to some of the responses, I'm beyond sick of hearing things that suggest we live in a post racial society or that we should celebrate heterosexuality because homosexuality has become so normal. It's bullshit; smelly, goopy, nasty bullshit. Spend 2 minutes reading the comments on any article or op ed discussing issues of race or sexuality. Spend 5 minutes asking people (here, on FB, in real life) their experiences dealing with these issues. There are a lot of ugly, hateful, stupid people in this world and they spend a lot of their energy spreading their ugly, hateful stupidity around.

I would love to live in a world where it's just as normal to see the second commercial as the first. I'm not thrilled at living in a world where the second commercial is news and all over FB with one side celebrating and the other side vilifying. And I'm absolutely appalled that companies are exploiting the 'uproar'.

I don't think the OP expressed herself well but I do 'get' part of what's she's saying. The pendalum has swung from LGBT being a deep dark secret to it almost being trendy to either be LGBT or to be pro-LGBT. I think that's part of the 'normal' process as things become 'no big deal' in our society (thinking back to the civil rights movement and black pride) but it will be nice when the pendulum settles in the middle and sexuality becomes just part of who you are and no longer needs to define you