DiscussionDoes Pride do us that much good -- or any -- at this point?

submitted by JulienMayfair from self.LGBDropTheT

This thought comes after watching a YouTube video that was discussing different ethnicities and their social progress in the U.S. It pointed out that immigrants from India have done extremely well financially in the United States while, at the same time, having not attracted a lot of attention to themselves.

It seems to be taken for granted these days that being represented or even over-represented is always a good thing, but is it? Do Pride festivals actually benefit most LGB people, or have they become something we do just because we feel like we're supposed to? Is it just a big party that makes money for businesses that cater to it? I read one post on AGB the other day where some young gay guy was talking about how he was looking forward to offending all the conservatives by kissing his boyfriend in front of them. I get the counter-example that straight people engage in PDAs all the time, but I don't like seeing that myself. But if Pride becomes a thing that provide photo-ops to rile up the conservative base without providing material gains for us, is it a good idea?

I remember when I first marched in a Gay Pride march in 1988. That's now 35 years ago. It was a very different time when we were fighting sodomy laws and when we needed more group solidarity. There was no internet. We needed each other's presence, being seen in public. But do we need the same thing now?

I'm open to different opinions. Do we know why we need Pride parades or Pride month in 2023?

I'm posting this as a question for discussion.

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[–]chazzstrong 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Like everything else, Pride was co-opted by corporations once they saw profit and turned into a way to weaponize people who had previously felt unrepresented into some horrid amalgamation of promoting power. I honestly do not know how the trans bullshit became such a huge focal point of the "movement" ( as in bowel ), I can't formulate a reasoning that doesn't involve Lizard People or worship of some dark, false God, I just know as soon as they realized they could animate and aim the radicals the establishment doubled down on the whole thing, biting in so deep their gums bled. The way I view it, Pride has little-to-nothing to do with the LGB community, it's all about trans this and gender that. The "pride" is now excessive and has become Hubris. June is now Trans-Hubris Month.

I also remember my first Pride event in St Louis in the late 90s, I think it was called Pridefest? I hadn't even graduated yet and was more nervous that someone I knew from my hometown would see me, so much so I don't think I even had fun. I know I came home with like 16 different bracelets and pendants I had to hide, a handful of stories about men pawing on me until they realized I was WAY younger than my size belied, and I was too young to drink or hook up so I didn't get crazy or anything, but still...what I do remember, the solidarity and just JOY from everyone of being out and open is nothing like what I see these days. It MEANT something to march then. I don't remember grown ass men in latex puppy outfits or people walking around nude in grotesque simulations of sexual intimacy. I think the worst I saw was maybe a bulge in booty shorts or topless, painted tits. And yeah, I used to be of the "don't kink shame" mindset but seeing some of the freaks parading in June every year? I kink-shame now. Especially when children are involved. I can almost literally see Pride month burning the fuse further down the line to the inevitable explosion, and unfortunately us LGB folk have situated ourselves between the bomb and the trans-lobby now fronting Pride with their ghastly flag and laughable acronym and we will be the first taken out, though I don't know by which side.

I'm just...so tired of it. So tired of all of it. All I wanted to do was live quietly, love who I want, play video games and enjoy the latter part of my life but now I'm stuck here in the center politically, socially, and all I can do is turn in circles watching the entire fucking world go insane.

[–]xanditAGAB (Assigned Gay at Birth) 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm ok with pride parades, it's not a march anymore, but more like a gay themed festival, which is more a sign of progress than anything else. I remember marching in one in NYC for what was the 25th, I think, anniversary of stonewall. Turning by the U.N. and then staring down a huge avenue of LGB people, I remember it affected me greatly to see us in such huge numbers, and perhaps for younger people having pride would still help them in some way. I don't remember crazy clothes except for floats with boys dancing in speedos, and the drag queens of course. The small parade in my borough was pretty sedate too.

I haven't been to pride in ages so I was shocked to see the fetish gear around children... I don't remember children at all back in the 90's, not enough gay parents or straight people wanting to show up. I don't think it needs to be family friendly, even if it is a public event, though I'm not sure how that would work legally.

The problem now is that it is all about gender, a big club you join when you are some flavor of queer, meaning straight people can join in too. 3What was supposed to be a civil rights movement is now a gender and fetish parade/party with corporate backing. They aren't concerned with the civil rights aspect as they will exclude anyone not in agreement with queer/gender ideology. This is actively hurting us. Couple that with the kids attending and we don't look so great. For example there was video of the roof party with a toddler twerking. Also, I absolutely don't see a need for the thing called pride month... you can stagger events around the date of stonewall but calling it pride month where everyone from mass media to schools have to "celebrate" it whatever that means is overkill in my opinion.

The idea that conservatives don't get is that it was called pride because we were not going to hide in shame on that day like they wanted us to. To me it's pride in the not being ashamed sense. I think LGBTQ+ have to go back to this idea, instead of calling it a celebration.

[–]GrouchyHierophantLuGuBrious not Tenebrous 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I don't know what LGBT+ organizations used to be about, but I know that now, with the genderism they're pushing, they are about propagating a sex/death cult. And Pride is just a celebration of that. So no, I don't think we need it. What we need is an understanding of what we are and our place in society, not celebrating a death cult.

[–]SilverWolf 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Cant say I feel bad about doing something just to piss conservatives off, they get off on doing the same so its only fair to return the favor at every chance possible

[–]bucetao6969Ace spectrum | LGB should respect religion practicers 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What do conservatives do that piss you off?

[–]bucetao6969Ace spectrum | LGB should respect religion practicers 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I think pride only purpose is to remind people that "we gays in fact exist". I see no other reason to this, there's no pride in your sexuality its only purpose is mafia tacticts "if you oppose this we'll deplatform you".

I saw there was an one-day pride event near my college organized by students, and it was just a bunch of people having sex. At the end of the day this is what it comes down to, gay people having an excuse to dress innapropriately in public while reminding everyone they exist. It's fun I guess and people love sex in the end.

As in needing... not really. I doubt someone could do an anti-gay law depending on the country. And if they do you can always move to a country that accepts gay people. But the chances of an anti-gay law (as in affecting real gay people, I don't mean laws affecting LGBTQ+ in education and so on) passing anyway are unlikely. If anything only anti-trans laws oh wait those are the no transitions for minors which the left loves labelling as anti-trans.

But since the LGBTQ+ believes they are in constant attack they will keep doing the pride parades. But we all know the attacks are only against TQ+.

[–]NormalPear 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Honestly? Not much. Especially with all the drama going on (cough trans cough), and all the businesses using it to sell their products. Despite the fact, after the month is up, they'll go right back to their typical non-supportive attitudes.

[–]SerpensInferna 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What I have been thinking on for awhile is how many in the LGBT community don't understand the idea of pushback. To them, and perhaps it's the fault of the way we teach history, time is completely linear and progressive. The "right side of history" is inevitable, the "good guys always win", and they don't seem to understand that these rights are recently won and can be taken away. The fall of Roe v. Wade is but one example of many (which the LGBTQ+ doesn't even seem to really care about because it's a women's issue, so...) I get the sense they consider themselves 'untouchable'. If they really were such a threatened minority, how and why do they feel so safe poking the dragon?

For example: If you're a lesbian who doesn't toe the trans line, you better damn well keep your mouth shut about it. TRAs have openly protested lesbian-only (i.e. women-only) groups and organizations, and of course by now we are all familiar with the rape and death threats directed pretty much only at women who question them. Lesbians are, in many ways, really being driven back underground. Any public lesbian-only event or space is almost immediately set upon by rabid TRAs who are not-always-but-frequently backed by policy.

So, who really holds the power here?

Pride has become fashionable, no doubt. I would wager that a good portion of people who attend are not LGB anymore. If the original goal of Pride was to show that we're normal and just want to live our lives like anyone else, it has outlived it's usefulness.

Men prancing around in fetish gear in front of children is not a good look. "Celebrate my fetish or die, bigot" is also not a good look.

[–]ChristiDelendaEst 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Instead of moving the focus to other countries where homosexuality is still illegal, they ignored that in order to push eugenics.

[–]Eileen_Dover 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yes... Of course. I see the impact every day. It'z almost unbelievable! The world has become a perfect utopia gor lgb folks all over the universe!!2!1!!☺️🤬🤗🥴 I love how every year those soulless corporations shoe how much they truly care for lgb folks. And the movement really elevates lgb volk more than ever☺️