Geography In each case, what are the symbols of Irishness and Englishness?

The symbols of Irishness according to the Irish-Americans who organized the parade in Boston included heterosexuality. Their definition of their "nation" did not include those with alternate sexualities. This may have been reinforced by the strong Catholic ties in the group. In the case of Blacks in the English countryside, the Black woman feels accepted as "English" when she accepts the "sense of place" from the larger society that she belongs in urban areas but not in the overwhelmingly White countryside.

Whom did you feel sympathy for in each case? Why?

I felt sympathy for both groups. Those who organized the parade were blind to the gays and bisexuals among them, and for whatever reason, alternate sexualities just weren't part of what they thought of when they thought of "Irish." But at the same time, it's hard to imagine that the gays and bisexuals should have to give up their cultural identity because of one aspect of their lives. In the case of the English, my sympathies are entirely with the Black woman: how can one Black woman threaten national beliefs? Is she so different just because she's Black? It seems to me that being gay brings far more differences along with theological problems. At least on the surface, there's a class between the subgroup...

While not acceptable to me, it's more understandable than rejecting someone solely on skin color.
3. Do you think that claims for belonging by gays and blacks are just?

Yes, I think the claims are just. The gays and bisexuals were always there among the Irish. They just went unnoticed. It is in the nature of nations to redefine themselves, and change is always uncomfortable, but in the 21st century, people don't hide their sexual preferences the way they used to if they were in the minority. They're still "Irish," and it isn't rational to think there would be no gay Irish. I also think the Black woman should feel accepted wherever she goes in Great Britain. Blacks have been a part of England for a long time now.

4. Why did some people feel threatened by the presence of gays in the Parade and blacks in the English rural area?

I think those who were threatened by the gays tied their Irishness to their religious beliefs, which view homosexual acts as sins. I also think it's easy to be nervous about what you don't understand, and many people don't understand how someone could be gay or bisexual. In the case of the Irish, their religion has taught them that it's wrong. When it comes to Blacks, since Blacks in England are equated with urban society, those living in the countryside may associate some negative…