Some big-city pride marches banning cops from participating in uniform

[beschizza]

Originally published at: Some big-city pride marches banning cops from participating in uniform | Boing Boing

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[bobtato]

@beschizza

Putting aside the wild wonder of analogizing their own uniforms to the leather community

Although, I think that is not unrelated to why you get uniformed cops in Pride marches in the first place.

I’m sure it was always uncomfortable for many pooves, but in the eighties that was offset by the cheeky Tom of Finland reading it invited. If this is an older San Francisco cop, he may still think of it like that.

In the modern sanitised version of Pride, it doesn’t really read that way, nor are individual cops particulary making themselves vulnerable by showing up in uniform, so it just reads as cop pride, which no one needs to see in a parade.

[Brainspore]

@bobtato

@beschizza

Putting aside the wild wonder of analogizing their own uniforms to the leather community

Although, I think that is not unrelated to why you get uniformed cops in Pride marches in the first place.

How about construction workers, army vets, cowboys and indigenous American tribal chiefs?

Of course in practice only one group in that bunch was directly responsible for the brutal and systemic oppression of LGBTQ+ people in San Francisco and it wasn’t the cowboys.

[SoylentPlaid]

Here in Toronto they’ve been doing this on-and-off for a few years now. This year it looks like the police can march, but in years past they’ve been banned, for reasons ranging from political disagreement to the cops absolutely (some read maliciously) botching the investigation of the gay village serial killings in 2017. Expect responses ranging from “disappointed PR release” to demands for an apology from the cop union to threats to defund the Pride marches.

[Shuck]

I had read that the cops wanted to be in uniform because that way they would get paid for their participation, and the city didn’t want to spend the money. (And the cops wouldn’t participate if they weren’t being paid to be there.) Which, if true, adds another layer to the whole thing.

[Mister44]

@Shuck

I had read that the cops wanted to be in uniform because that way they would get paid for their participation,

I mean, when you see a cop moonlighting at Walmart, a grocery store, or at a construction site (where they get paid to sit in their car with their lights on), they are in uniform, but being paid by the third party.

So if they are going to do security at a parade, either the city or the people putting the parade on would have to pay them, they aren’t going to show up for free (unless they want to attend the parade, but then they aren’t doing security.)

[awfulhorrid]

No cops at pride; ACAB.
Yes kink at pride; learn your history, which of course is also another point in favor of “no cops at pride.”

[anon73430903]

@awfulhorrid

Yes kink at pride; learn your history, which of course is also another point in favor of “no cops at pride.”

Operation Spanner

[megalodon]

I don’t know what the big deal is. Nobody else in a Pride parade is whinging about wearing their work clothing in the parade. I say, if you’re a member of the police and want to march, put on a leather harness and a jock and get on with it like everybody else.

*Also, I definitely have a leather harness and a jock fetish, FWIW.

[mjlonsda]

The sense of entitlement that police forces have with respect to these parades, and that other organizations have with respect to other Pride-related events and activities, always amazes me.

I’m not a member of the LGBTQ+ community but it seems incredibly obvious to me that before that community, or any community, extended an invite to an organization to march in their parade, they would want to see that organization demonstrate its support for the community through its actions over a period of years. Not just a few nice speeches during Pride month when the organization decides to reform its image after years of not supporting the community and in the worse cases, being actively dangerous to the community.

This attitude that police forces (and certain politicians) have that its their right to participate in these events on their own terms is mind-boggling.

[anon3894935]

Axios futher reports that young LGBTQ+ people now "overwhelmingly distrust police"

Sad that we live in a country where this has to be the case, but good that they understand. This should be everybody- some groups are definitely in more danger than others, but nobody should trust the police in this day and age.

[Karyudo]

@SoylentPlaid

Here in Toronto they’ve been doing this on-and-off for a few years now.

Same in Vancouver, I think. Not sure of the current status.

[danimagoo]

If the police, as an institution or organization, had actually become allies, they would understand why so many in the LGBTQIA+ community don’t want them at Pride in uniform. That they don’t understand that speaks volumes.