Fez Whatley’s Pride Message “Leave the Thong and Fairy Wings at Home”

fez newRadio host Fez Whatley, of the Ron and Fez Show on SiriusXM radio made a somewhat controversial  statement today to the gay community about this year’s Gay Pride Celebrations across the country.  After years of struggling with his sexual identity, Fez  came out publicly on his show in February 2012.  Since then he has frequently addressed gay rights issues during his show which airs weekdays from 11am – 3pm ET.  Here is his speech reprinted in its entirety and you can scroll down to hear the audio.

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Fez Whatley here, radio host and proud Gay man – with a message for Gays headed out to “Pride” celebrations across the country. The message is simple – Have some pride at “Pride”.

This year’s march, which should be a celebration of the proud Gay people who stood up to police brutality 44 years ago at Stonewall – is now being overshadowed by another Gay disease scare.

Instead of a show of solidarity – this is now another opportunity for straight conservative America to see us as one big leper colony.
Now that there’s another health crisis, this time with Gay Menegitis, we as Gays don’t want to give people who are afraid of us more ammo for their fear.

When we show up at the Pride March dressed in speedos and G-strings and 99.9% naked, it makes an already frightened country more afraid.  These straights and homophobes want to think that we Gays are bringing down the Republic by not caring about anyone’s health, including our own. So let’s not dress the part of an unsafe orgy.  Yes, we want marriage equality and federal protection for all people. But my fellow Gays, we can’t scare “straight” America into these things by playing to their worst fears with costume stereotypes.

We are a unique people at a unique place in history. Prop 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act are being decided now in the Supreme Court, with a chance to make the biggest sweeping changes in America since the Civil Rights movement. Let’s start acting like equal partners with straight people, not an invading army coming to pillage the traditions that we’re fighting so hard to be a part of. It’s not worth risking this chance at making history by dressing up in a thong and fairy wings.

When the Supreme Court rules in our favor – the time for excuses is over. Things will no longer be “Gay” issues. They will just be “issues”. We will have won. And with winning comes responsibility. The responsibility to no longer play the victim and to no longer shock people as a way to get attention. When the Supreme Courts decides in favor of Gay people – it’s time for Gay people to grow up.
Harvey Milk said “Gay brothers and sisters, you must come out”. He was talking about was showing America that their family members, neighbors, teachers, co-workers were Gay. His philosophy was if the people who are so afraid of us, saw us as friends and relatives, instead of a strange threat, then huge leaps could be made against discrimination. Harvey Milk was right.

Literally shoving our asses in people’s faces doesn’t accomplish that. Pride and dignity, which we’re suppose to be celebrating, does.
Think of it this way. When a young Black man is walking down the street and his pants are down below his knees and his boxers are hanging out – he’s seen as someone who isn’t concerned about equal opportunity in this country. Frankly, he’s frightening, and no one takes him seriously in the dialogue about being treated fairly.

Homophobia is rampant in this country. The people who are afraid of Gays know where they stand. They’re locked in. It’s us Gays that can bridge the gap and show all the wonderful things our people have to offer. But they won’t listen if all they see is hairy Gay guys dressed as mermaids.

This year at “Pride” – yes, let’s be ourselves. Let’s be our best selves.

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Fez Whatley
Fez Whatley
Fez Whatley was half of the Ron and Fez Show for 17 years . After playing a gay character while insisting he was straight for over 20 years, Fez Whatley came out to a national audience on the Ron & Fez Show on February 24, 2012. The classic radio story of a gay man playing a straight man playing a gay man. He announced his retirement on April 1, 2015 and since then has been living a private life but occasionally pops his head out of his Florida rabbit hole.