Gay Pride?

» dlstang - You bring up some good points....

I think the reason that you don't see "white pride" and "straight pride" events is that people of white European ancestry and heterosexual people have not, traditionally, gotten the message that they should be ashamed of who they are.

People of color and LBGT people have gotten this message over and over and over again, as well as the message that we need to assimilate with mainstream culture. Thus it makes sense that we would want to affirm our unique worth in "pride" events.

Let's face it, when you are the mainstream, you don't need special days set aside for you--every day is a pride event.

Great article, really made me think!

-- posted by dlstang

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» beatlefan79 - Re: You bring up some good points....

In response to message posted by dlstang:

As always, good point. I'm not saying that there should be "straight pride" parades, but I'm worried about the growing number of people that take "pride" too far. The heterophobes who assume that since you're straight, you're the enemy, and you MUST hate gays, because all straight people do. The large number of black people in my family who assume that all white people are secretly out to get blacks. These people seem to embrace gay/black/whatever pride with an almost religious fervor, making it...at the very least, uncomfortable...for the rest of us.

But I do remember telling a friend in high school that wanted to protest our gay/straight alliance by saying that there were no "straight" clubs in school..."Hey, ALL your clubs are straight. Every since gay person in this school that's involved in anything ran straight to Drama club, because it's the only "Safe Zone". Seen any lesbians in French Club lately?"

-- posted by beatlefan79

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» dlstang - Re: Re: You bring up some good points....

In response to message posted by beatlefan79:

I agree with what you're saying. I've met several people who took "pride" too far and became just as obnoxious as the homophobes they complained about.

(After being harangued by one such person, early gay rights activist Quentin Crisp once remarked, "What a shame that the love that dared not speak its name has now become the love that can't shut up.")

I also think in a perfect world, we wouldn't need "pride" marches for anybody, because a perfect world would foster a sense of self-worth in ALL its members. Maybe someday :-)

I look forward to next month's article.

-- posted by dlstang

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