Day 9:What do you think about LGBT Pride? Is it helpful or hurtful? Encourage or unnecessary?
This is kind of a loaded question and there’s no real straightforward answer. I think LGBT Pride started for a very good reason: to bring awareness to the plight of LGBT individuals to the masses. And I think that showing our strength with numbers is still a good idea. It shows young people who haven’t come out yet that there is a world of people out there who love and accept them for who they are, even if their own families don’t. I think it would be a shame to lose that. However, so often Pride festivals have become nothing but a center for hedonism and debauchery. By all means, be who you are. But when you are representing the whole community, remember that that is what you are doing. There is national and international media there. Kissing, even making out is one thing, but some of the other stuff that goes on is too much for the public eye. It does nothing but give the opposition the ammunition it needs to scare people into discrimination. It fuels the fire of the “ministers” that declare “they eat the poo-poo!“So, I guess it can be oth helpful and harmful.
Is it necessary? Unfortunately, I have to say yes. I think that we should have pride in who we are and bot be ashamed of who we are. That said, I don’t see hte need to broadcast it from the rooftops at every opportunity. If you’re gay, great! Be gay! But don’t bring it up at every opportunity. People get tired of hearing it and you start to look like you’re playing the victim. Have some balls (or really solid labia, for my lesbian friends), but don’t rub it in people’s faces. There’s no need for that . But don’t shy away from it. If you feel it necessary to disclose, go for it. Don’t put yourself in harm’s way, but don’t feel the need to hide in the shadows. That’s a miserable life and I’ve been there.
I guess the moral of all this is that there is a happy medium. Out and proud? Yes. Intentionally flamboyant and over-the-top? No.
No comments:
Post a Comment