Why we have Gay Pride

[MrFun]

A friend recently told me about a conversation he had with a straight co-worker where this co-worker could not understand the need for gay pride when straight people do not have straight pride events.

There are a number of reasons why we celebrate gay pride every year, some which include these reasons:

1. Straight people are never made to feel ashamed by others for being straight. Gay pride and other such community events for gays and lesbians is about renouncing our shame and enjoying the freedom to be who we are. It's about complete self-acceptance.

2. Gay pride events are an annual recollection of the history of our decades-old civil rights struggle. For instance, this year gay pride events across the country commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and celebrated our recent gains in the fight for equal marriage rights.

3. Gay pride events is an opportunity for more gays and lesbians to come out of the stifling closet and to enjoy their life much more fully. Straight people do not have to deal with the whole closet phenomena.

4. Many festivals, parades and other community or cultural events are conducted with a heterosexist assumption that makes it safe for straight people to socialize with one another. Gays and lesbians still enjoy those other events too, but gay pride events in particular are safer where gays and lesbians can join with one another in socializing with greater ease with much less risk of being bashed or violently attacked for being gay or lesbian.


Whenever I hear of a straight person joking or being serious about having "straight pride," I simply tell them that they have never been made to feel ashamed for being straight.

[Docfeelgood]

The difference, straights don't go to orgies just to flaunt their sexual preference.

[Zevico]

Neva mind. DELETE THIS POST.

[Japher]

I actually lose respect for gays every time I see a gay pride parade. Sry, making a mockery of yourselves does not make me think, 'oh, now there's a stand up citizen with a healthy amount of self respect. Maybe I should me more accepting of them.'

[rah]

Actually from you comment you don't sound like you're very accepting of them.

[MrFun]

Whether you're gay or straight, when you have certain kinds of events/gatherings and you combine such gatherings with alcohol, you will have some people get raunchy and sexually overt - whether it's a gathering of gay men, or a gathering of young straight men with young straight women.

For straight people one example that comes to mind are the wild college parties. And then you have other flaunting of heterosexuality at places like Hooters.

[DaShi]

Yes, but not in the streets. That's where hobos sleep.

[rah]

Spring break??? Not only on the beaches but on the streets, and they're just as if not worse than anything I've seen at a gay pride parade. (well except the babes are hotter)

[Japher]

Actually from you comment you don't sound like you're very accepting of them.

You would be wrong.

[rah]

I can only base my opinion on what you post.

[Japher]

So, what about what I said makes you think I'm not accepting of them? Or is that I shouldn't have any respect at all for them if I were to ever see a gay pride parade?

[DaShi]

Spring break??? Not only on the beaches but on the streets, and they're just as if not worse than anything I've seen at a gay pride parade. (well except the babes are hotter)

Spring break is more than just a celebration of heterosexuality (although that's a major part of it). It's also about excluding nerds, drinking in public, and doing so much blow that you've basically screwed yourself for the rest of the semester. These are American values.

[KrazyHorse]

Fun's post is nonsense. Why gays actually hold gay pride:

[Sprayber]

Spring break??? Not only on the beaches but on the streets, and they're just as if not worse than anything I've seen at a gay pride parade. (well except the babes are hotter)

Comparing Gay Pride parades to spring break doesn't help the cause of taking them seriously.

[rah]

I actually lose respect for gays every time I see a gay pride parade. Sry, making a mockery of yourselves does not make me think, 'oh, now there's a stand up citizen with a healthy amount of self respect. Maybe I should me more accepting of them.'

This is the type of thing my father-in-law used to say to justify his bigotry. He was one of the most bigoted people that I've ever met. He said the same thing about civil rights parades. "why do they need to march, they can vote already so it just makes them look silly"

The fact that you catagorize the whole parade as them making a mockery of themselves is very telling of how you feel. You may want to question yourself about how you really feel. There are quite a few positive images that come out of the coverage.

Of course after saying all that, I doubt seeing a gay pride parade is going to change any bigots opinions about gays. But if they have fun having the parade, more power to them. It's not all about taking it seriously.