Gay pride events mostly just exist as a fun festival sort of thing. People have fun and that is really all it is about. We aren't living in the Stonewall era anymore. What gay pride started as and what it has morphed into are completely different things. Gay acceptance has come an awful long way and there's still some room for improvement, but gay pride is far from necessary. It is just a nice event in the summer for LGBT folk to meet up, hang out, and mostly party.
I'm also bisexual and I've marched in two parades myself. I used to go to gay pride stuff every year, but I'm just kind of over it.
Then educate yourself about the history of the gay rights movement, which tragically is ignored in school curricula. Obviously a huge part of pride will always be having fun and celebrating and you're welcome to do so without considering the very real and practical reason for its existence. And it's straight up stupid to act like homophobic bigotry has been solved enough for pride to no longer be useful. You're just wrong. The simple fact that every pride march reliably has a group of religious protesters reminding marchers that they hate them proves that you're wrong
And no I won't just shut up :P If you think gay pride marches serve no point but to be happy then you don't get it.
RoadsterUFO posted...
I dont owe anyone any engagement of sorts for stuff like this. The only thing I owe them is non-aggression. For people that go on about having so much pride about themselves, the often really go out of their way to look for the validation of people that dont care about their sexuality or look for the validation of people that hate them because of their sexuality (Ex: Evangelical Gays Are Bad Bible Thumpers). In my case, I fall into the former. Id rather hear people tell me what their hobbies and interests are. I find that I can often have nice conversations with gay people about my hair and hair products or perfumes or colognes. Talk to me about stuff like that or what bands we enjoy that we have a mutual interest in.
The topic in question is pride marches and being open about your sexual orientation, not hair and perfume and whatever else you think gay people like to talk about with you. "Don't let me know that you're gay, just talk to me about hair and perfume and other things I think gay people like talking about." Not every conversation needs to happen on your preferred terms. And why does it bother you so much for gay people to be openly gay.
nobody said you owe participation in gay pride marches. In fact you should probably stay away from them since you have such a problem with gay people being open.
I know all about the history of the gay rights movement. I'm well aware of how much things have changed since Stonewall.
I used to go to gay pride every year. For the vast majority, it is just a fun celebration.
I never once saw protestors at any gay pride event I attended. I assume because their numbers are insignificant.
You sound really sanctimonious and full of yourself. Gay pride events aren't what really solves homophobia. Don't act like you're changing the world by attending one. The majority are there to drink and have fun. The fact that the majority treats it that way is a sign of the progress made.
Ending arguments with "you just don't get it" is downright stupid. More than that, it is incredibly lazy. I don't think they serve zero purpose beyond a celebration, but it isn't a huge difference. ---
just tell them all your base doesn't belong to us because we were getting stoned...they'll understand-Ken156