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Last week a group of parents in the West Village were up in arms about the S&M street festival hitting a street too close to home. Yesterday the fest, which was part of New York Leather Weekend, hit Weehawken Street -- or shall we say whipped? Those in attendance perused a plethora of whips, chains, blindfolds and other S&M garb.
Those not in attendance were undoubtedly plotting a way to make sure their children are never exposed to anything more than a G-rated street fair again (many suggest moving to New Jersey). The organizer of the event told amNewYork:
"We are still here, we still belong here," said Richard Ives, a festivalgoer. "Other communities have the church group or the country club. This is like that for people who don't feel comfortable in those kinds of settings. The dynamic in the city has changed so much," he said "We are trying honor the history and the heritage of the leather movement. We are not going to hurt anybody. Unless they want to be hurt, of course."Those in the 'hood that resist this type of celebration of diversity have been calling for the removal of appointed Community Board 2 Chairperson Brad Hoylman and CB2 District Manager Bob Gormley. We received an email from Brad Hoylman with a copy of what he had been sending to those protesting, and we'd have to agree that this type of street fair is preferable to those "generic, cookie-cutter" ones.
The Colbert Report had a team on the scene, a segment that should be airing tonight -- you're not going to get that kind of coverage selling funnel cakes!
Photo via F.Trainer's Flickr.
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I love it when so-called liberals aren't so liberal.
where's al pacino?
You know how I know you're gay?
Eh ... nevermind.
I am homosexual and so can you.
Yep, it's official, the suburbanization of New York will kill this city.
Man, that was a pretty lame steet festival - stuck into the one-block Weehawken Street that is more like an alleyway than a street. I'm not criticizing the people who ran it and staffed it - they were all very nice and I'm sure did the best they could. But if having something like this is considered a victory for pluralism, we're all screwed.
Can somebody please tell me what is so interesting about New York anymore? Real estate speculator dumbells with the blessing of City Hall has destroyed every genuine cultural community in the city. I watched it happen. If this was Berlin or Paris that street fair would have been HUGE. We are on our way to a city of rich people and errand boys. And if that's not an SM scenario, you tell me what is.
I love it when so-called liberals aren't so liberal.
Generally speaking, liberals become less liberal the closer it gets to their home.
Conservatives are assholes, but at least they're usually consistent about it. They'd be against this street fair no matter where it was.
I agree with Brad Hoylman I live in the West Village and am sick of those "cookie cutter" street fairs that just sell socks and other junk. It least this has some character and is what makes the village interesting
talk about biting the hands that feed them. West villagers property values wouldn't be so high without those dirty faggots who decorate their interiors and pick out their color schemes. without those fudgepackers everyone in the west village would live like the people in the lower east side. so what if those queers like leather on their chaps? they make money for you.
I hear there was much opposition in the neighborhood about having this event on that street.
The people with children on the block opposing the event should have thought harder about where they would like to live before they picked the street between the gay bar and the x rated adult bookstore in The Village in NYC.
sick freaks
"sick freaks"
yes, those parents are
What are you people, nuts!
This is outdoors
When I first heard something about this on the radio half- asleep, I as like what's the big deal: let anyone do what they want to do in private
But to find out this was a "Street fair' ; what arrogance to want to offend others.
And the gothamist sees their point
Whoever wroote that needs to return to indiana
#15: Indiana is full of liberals... s/m enthusiasts... huh?
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH!!!
Suggestions for New York City cultural fairs that avoid those repititious '"cookie cutter" street fairs that just sell socks and other junk':
- Live "honor killings"
- Live sati or "suttee" killings conducted in Times Square (If you don't know what that is, 'google' it)
- Allow members of a certain religion to kill sheep in the streets during one of their religious festivals; Conduct it in the West Village, let's see how 'liberal' the leather boys really are!