Pride as opposite to shame, which is one of the drivers of living in the closet. If that word doesn’t do it anymore for you that’s good because that means your circumstances are more benevolent towards queer people than the ones that prompted pride to be named like that. In that case you can choose another word, like “liberation” or any other that addresses the issues queer people face in your context.
Edit. And I mistaked the reply to post for the reply to comment button. Again. This meant to answer to @[email protected]
I understand why LGBT+ people feel the need to draw attention to themselves, as historically they were persecuted. Now, however, it seems a way to other ourselves and have a superiority complex. That’s just how it feels to me, uncomfortable. If other people want to be loud and active in making sure everyone knows and cares that they’re LGBT+, even though most people around them would already accept and give them equal rights to cishet people - sure, whatever. People can do what they like. It just seems to me like an antisocial, rather than respect/acceptance-related thing to do.
You know what happens if you are not loud and active in making sure everyone knows and cares that you are LGBT+? That everybody will know and care that you are heterosexual. Because that’s still society’s default setting. What society expects you to be and projects upon you. When I was young(er) I felt more uncomfortable when everyfuckingbody asked me when was I going to get a girlfriend than I was when I started drawing attention on my being gay at the pride demonstrations. If you don’t like the pride you are free to not go, of course. But pride is necessary for a lot of people. Critisising it as a non-participant comes accross as demobilising because the criticism of pride is exactly the same every year since it started, and people lose a lot of energy jumping back a couple of decades to address an already addressed issue.
Tbf, as a bi person myself, I don’t get why anyone should be proud of their sexuality. You didn’t choose it, it’s not something you did, what is there to be proud of? Obviously we should accept LGBT+ people, but no need to be proud, or have a whole month to commemorate it.
Pride parade and days have to be understood in a sociohistorical perspective. Gays , or afro americans, or women, or trans have been seen as less than human and treated socialy and legally as less than white adult men. It might be normalized and accepted today in California or Toronto, but this statu quo is really weak and only in appearance. Many still just “tolerate” minorities. We still have to fight for acceptation and being seen as real humans and also fight for an international presence, and also show our support for oppressed people around the world. I also had your mentality, but when you learn about history and actual oppression, you understand that the fight is not over.
Because for so long, LGBTQ+ people have been made to feel ashamed for who they are as a person. Society has scolded them for something they can’t help. It’s not about being “proud of their sexuality”; it’s about no longer being ashamed, and showing pride in themselves. And for all of the people who came before that had to suffer, or lose their lives, for being “gay” or “homo” or whatever, we celebrate their sacrifices and achievements.
J avais pas compris j ai cru que le drapeau était breton. Je pensais que c’était encore un tacle sur les breton (mérité bien-sûr)
