Be more open!

I noted this to one of my correspondents yesterday, and thought I'd share it with you guys.

Interesting article in today's paper about a heterosexual-pride march planned for Boston. Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of 'Stonewall' which saw the formation of the Gay Pride Movement, the march has attracted widespread mockery. Hollywood actor Chris Evans is someone leading the mockers. He suggested that the event should be renamed the 'desperately trying to bury our own gay thoughts by being homophobic because no one taught us how to access our emotions as children march'!

Don't you agree?!

- Ken

Yes, I'd have to agree. It does sound sort of desperate and silly, a bit pathetic in that it seems the poor heteros in the march just want some attention in the media too. Or it could also be typical reactionary conservative backlash by people who just don't understand the concept that diversity means differences but that differences are not about morality or immorality.

I bet there weren't many outlandish and fun costumes in the march or much nudity as with Gay Pride Marches ... those at least are fun to attend, whatever your sexual orientation.

Well the "straight pride" movement isnt about countering homosexuality or homophobia like the article implied. It's a rebutle to the lefts copying of the LGBT community and mobilizing them for their liberal agenda. Certainly there are folks who are homophobic or antigay (religous or just hateful) but they aren't involved in the organization or promotion of the "straight pride" event.

Go to any of the gay pride events and other than the celebration of individual openness (not having to be closeted, the purported main theme) theres also activists and recruiters from any number of other liberal causes there hanging on. Open boarders activists, gun control groups, communists and socialists, antifa, and Trump protesters, and Democrat voter registration groups to name a few.

What started as celebration of self identification, fighting back against any shame or stigma associated with ones sexual orientation, has been muddied down to just another liberal american hate fest. The "straight pride " event is just the logical counter protest to the left, although the concept sounds pretty silly and stupid there is a greater meaning other than "dont like dem der gays".

Like everything in America today, what started with pure intentions has been hijacked and made political.

I am a universal parade hater, especially for those in NYC. With the street closures and backed up traffic they cause and the tremendous expense in police protection, all parades and marches should be banned.

@Lex you just described the perniciousness of intersectionality. By ‘bundling’ issues one group attempts to gain supporters from other groups and the overall winners are the political leaders that pull the strings. I follow Lennon (not Lenin) on that, ‘I don’t believe in Beatles, I just believe in me.’ Ie stay the hell away from isims and movements.

Yes exactly Nurse Phillips.

While the bundling of movements may not start out with nefarious intentions, majority of the time there are hanger-ins who are undesirable. It's on all sides of the political spectrum so it's not just one group. This article is just the case of one response from the right to the left's perverting what should be a pretty positive event.

I'm of the classical conservative/ libertarian mindset that I think everyone should be able to follow their own path so long as it isnt infringing on another's rights. Like mother told us all those years ago "mind your own buisness".

What started as celebration of self identification, fighting back against any shame or stigma associated with ones sexual orientation, has been muddied down to just another liberal american hate fest.

Like everything in America today, what started with pure intentions has been hijacked and made political.

I've been to several Gay Prides in Brussels and I have to say there is no hijacking by other unrelated causes that I could see. Just a colorful parade that attracts a lot of attention, often to the delight of surprised tourists who didn't expect it. And filled with wonderful photo opportunities, with virtually everyone in the parade strutting and willing to be photographed, especially those dressed up as trans. I can take photos to my hearts content.

That is my take and perception of Gay Pride parades (in Belgium at least). Perhaps in the US things are different or people simply perceive things differently, with every little difference or divergence from 'normality' seen as a threat or insult, with 'liberal' being thrown around against anything that doesn't meet one's approval. As if that is an insult in and of itself even ...

I'd say lighten up and throw away your TV's ...

Face it we are old news. We have been buried under a heap of pride flags. Same-sex marriage is even legal in many places. That's a good thing. A pride parade is now more like a look at us we are still here and really desperately want some attention. It has become more of a freakout exhibition than a serious thing like it was at the start. Sure it's fun. Were here were Queer get used to it is more like were here were Queer please pay attention to us don't get bored with us and totally just be indifferent to us. That's actually a good thing. A fun pretty parade brightens everyone's day.

If you are proud to be gay great

I am proud to be straight

What is the difference?

If you are proud to be gay great

I am proud to be straight

What is the difference?

What's the difference? I can't remember the last time I heard of someone being beaten , killed or cast aside just for being straight. The gay community has always faced that and so much more. Gay pride is saying no matter how much hate is thrown at them the gay community will endure and has nothing to be ashamed of!

@MikeNH you would be surprised how many times I have been accused of being a Homephobe just for being a Christian I am.proud to be straight, also proud to have many of my friends who do belong to the gay community. I just wish we could live along with each other without judgment.

I just wish we could live along with each other without judgment.

That is exactly what the decades long Gay Pride movement has always been about.

I think part of the problem is that many people seem to confuse wanting lack of judgement with wanting approval. Not just with regard to sex, but with everything. I can not judge something while also not explicitly approving. In my view, as long as you're not abusing anyone, everyone consents (and is old enough to consent), IDGAF what you do. Literally. Outside of places like Zity, close friends, and people I might want to fuck, I really don't give a shit what anyone else does. I hope you're happy and everyone is getting what they need, but it's not my business to condone or condemn. If you want to have an orgy with two clowns, a mime and the tooth fairy, good for you. I don't want to join, or hear the details, or even really know that it happened, but that doesn't mean I don't think you should do it if it's what you're into. If you're forever waiting for everyone to pat you on the head, you'll never be happy.

MittenKitten, You said it perfectly! Although If there is clown sex going on I'd be interested in hearing about it. I'm 99% sure it wouldn't do anything for me but out of curiosity I'd certainly listen.

Wow. This is the first thread on this site where I was incredibly disappointed in many of the responses I found. This “straight pride” marches are not about countering the so-called “liberal agenda”. They certainly are not an attempt gay people to “stay relevant” as suggested. In Today's society, both in the United States and around the world gay people are still marginalized, harassed, beaten, jailed, legislated against and face homophobic hatred both overt and subtle.

There never has to be a straight pride day. Because, let's face it, Every Day is Straight Pride Day. The “straight pride” movement is anti-gay at its core. Gay Pride isn't about “waiting for approval” and it is not about getting special privileges or taking anything away from anyone else. It is about demanding fundamental rights and protections under the law. And yes, it is also a celebration! It is a day when gay people, and the people who love them can stand up to march, dance, sing with pride. Suggesting that the parade a purported opportunity for gay people to walk the streets without clothes is just another form homophobia. There are as many and varied types of people under the LGBTQ+ (I wish even this lovely site would get that right, it's LGBTQ+) banner, as there are people in America and around the world today. The rainbow stripes of the LGBTQ+ flag is a celebration of diversity within the gay community.

The only reason for scheduling their event to coincide with the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots is a homophobic one. The Stone Walls riots were, literally the first time gays (to be specific, it was trans people that night at the Stonewall Bar in NYC) stood up to the systematic and constant harassment & abuse by the police. That harassment and abuse continues today in my country, the United States, as it does in every country around the globe.

I am saddened that persons on a site such as this, for folks on the fringes of sexual expression come to find commonality, would try to demean the Gay Pride Movement and lump it all as part of a “liberal" agenda/movement(s). Or that the Gay Pride movement is somehow not smart enough to recognize that we as a group aren't smart enough to see that we are been high jacked by other political operatives and political groups. @tex to call a Pride Parade a “liberal america hate fest” may be the most offensive thing I have read on this thread and site. To be clear, all of these ideas and statements are homophobic and cannot be made palatable by the tacking a meager statement of support at the end.

I thought they had the churches to rail on about heterosex. Is it a bit boring there now ??? And why aren't the churches on board ??? I would have thought the holier than thou getting sucked off by altar boys brigade would be all over this.

I'm not a fan of big public events. Regardless of whether they are political events or purely for entertainment purposes. Or both come together in the event. I have no problem at all with people taking to the streets and celebrating, expressing themselves politically or simply having fun, for example at carnivals, the Love Parade or Christopher Street Day. Although I don't particularly like events like these, I've never had the feeling that approval is expected or even demanded of me. There is often talk of pride, including in this discussion. I don't know if there is any reason to be proud of being homosexual, heterosexual, transgender, non-binary, bisexual, asexual or anything else on the human spectrum. All people have a personality and all deserve the same respect and the same rights. The reality is that not all people have the same rights. This is not only the case in dictatorships and states where human rights are frequently violated, but also in democratic states such as the USA or Germany.

My doctor recently outed me in his medical opinion without any medical or other objective reason. He wrote his statement because he was asked to do so by an authority. I had previously applied for a severely disabled person's pass from this authority.

My disabilities have nothing to do with my being transgender. Nevertheless, I now have to live with the fact that in a small town, members of the authorities are informed about one of my many characteristics by the medical opinion, and precisely about the characteristic which is the most intimate one and which makes me vulnerable. I never outed myself since I‘m living formal as man. There was no need to do so and it is the only way to avoid discrimination.

I have often thought about how a society can become more tolerant. I don't see a solution. The presence of LGBTQ+ people in public has not led to more tolerance. Rather, I have the impression that counter-movements feel spurred on by this to express their contempt for people who do not conform to the "normality" defined by the majority.

What would lead to more impartiality and perhaps also more understanding is not a solution for good reason.

Everyone knows people who belong to a minority in some way, e.g. LGBTQ+. Very few people know about it and they don't even realize it. Why not? Because these people, who do not fulfill the social norm in any way, are normal. In other words, they think, feel and behave completely normally. Paradoxical? No, absolutely not. The technician, the dustman, the doctor, the baker, the parcel carrier and many others we meet every day can be trans men. Anyone who doesn't know this thinks they are "normal" men (cis men). The reason for this is simple, because they are normal men.