This just struck me, as it is London Pride today yet I chose to stay in bed and watch Waterboy and Dog the Bounty Hunter instead...
Are you proud of your sexuality? and if so, do you see any worth in Pride festivals?
I always feel a bit aggrieved to go to Pride... hence I've never truly been other than getting slightly pissed as a parade trundled by. I've always been a bit skeptical about how floats full of speedos and sequins really relate to me or the LGBT history which Pride is meant to show.
Maybe I'm just bitter as I could never pull off such sequined speedos!
I've got no particular beef with Pride, especially in places where the prevailing public opinion is still that you should be ashamed. (For example, Poland and Russia, where going on a pride march is actually quite brave.)
But it's also a tad counter-productive. I don't think we should all have to become boring in order not to shock the Daily Mail readers, but there's no denying it's the most stereotypical people who are the most visible at Pride, which doesn't always help.
And as for being proud, not in the slightest. I regard my transsexuality as an embarrassing medical condition. And even if it carried less social penalties, it'd hardly be worth being proud of. That'd be like having Eczema Pride or something.
I used to be of the opinion that gay pride was ridiculous - like blonde pride, or something, because I see my sexuality as something largely physiologically incidental, not choice, etc. However, I now believe that gay pride isn't even about being proud - it's about having a platform from which to not be ashamed, and not feel like a sore thumb. The key positive about pride for me is being able to walk down a street hand in hand with the person I love, as I am, without feeling incredibly intimidated. Day after day the world is a straight pride and nobody even realises; I like having a day or two where I don't have to be that conscious of the prospect of being leered at or shouted at or looked at like I'm a freak or beaten up at a bus stop. Pride isn't just about visibility - it can give people the glorious opportunity to be invisible, normal.
Pride for me has always felt a bit like the celebration of struggle - I think a feeling of having pride in what we have achieved against the odds is one of the most potent aspects, its certainly the one that makes me feel emotional. It also acts as a kind of showcase for LGBT culture and creativity.
Unfortunately I do think this feeling is being dissolved in commercialism and profiteering more and more so every year. When clubs and businesses take over organizing and producing the event I think most of the point is lost. Those at the grassroots of LGBT communities need to take a more active and creative part, although this could just reflect the growing commercialization and apathy of LGBT peoples in general.
I still get a feeling of immense pride whenever I'm part of a great sweep of gays flooding a city in daytime though, its makes one feel very powerful.
well, I've never been to a pride festival so i can't comment first hand but from seeing pictures of modern prides I don't see how a bunch of guys prancing around in spandex short shorts and fairy wings has anything to do with what pride is about and it actually made me a little ashamed rather than proud. However, Liz u made a good point i've never rly looked at it from that point of view before makes a lot more sense
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Mrs Doyle: I have cake!
Father Ted: No thanks, Mrs Doyle.
Mrs Doyle: Are you sure, Father? They've got cocaine in em!
Father Ted: WHAT?
Mrs Doyle: Oh, no, not cocaine. God, what am I on about. No, what d'you call them. Raisins.
Prides have just turned in2 commercialised piss ups... most people going 2 them can't tell you the slightest little bit of the history & achievements they r 'celebrating'.
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Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
While Pride has undoubtedly become little more than a meatmarket and drink and drugs binge for the LGBT community- nothing wrong with that of course. I do feel there is a difference in the meaning of the word pride when referring to gay pride. While there is the ego-reinforcing pride as a matter of belief that you are something special the pride that gay pride symbolises of coming to terms with who you are will always be important to me.
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"I am but too conscious of the fact that we are born in an age when only the dull are treated seriously, and I live in terror of not being misunderstood."
Oscar Wilde
I'll be marching at pride with my employers (look out 4 the sexy screw suit!), as a celebration of the fact that up until 5yrs ago LGBT folk had no rights in the workplace, could be fired for loving who they love and discrimination in the workplace against LGBT ppl would just be swept under the carpet, I experienced that.
Now there's active recruitment of LGBT folk, legislation protecting our rights to earn a living free from discrimination, equal opportunities, equality & diversity training covering our needs, effective support networks for LGBT staff and in my workplaces case equal pay for everyone of the same rank & year of service.
In the spirit of pride & all that, I'm proud of those before me who made it possible for me to work in a much better environment even tho some of them never have seen the changes they managed to influence & I'm proud to work for employers who value me for me.
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Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
I do like the concept which pride supposedly stands for a group of individuals standing up for their rights reminding society that the battle for equality is ongoing and that we are humanbeings just like them then we finish the march and go get pissed and shag the nearest thing with a pulse ce la vie.
Im not suggesting that all LGBTs do this however there is a majority.
I'm no prouder to be gay that I am to have browny green eyes or to breathe oxygen. Maybe when there are marches for those things, I might get interested, but I doubt it....
I don't discount it's importance for the hundreds and thousands of people who do go and take part, but for me, I just don't get it.
I went once (1990?) to the London Pride March and was pretty bored. I think probably because it was a day where stereotypes were indulged and totally rubbed into the faces of folk. I'm not one for stereotypes, really.
I'm always in two hearts about pride... on side A i think it's important to be visible, we exist, and if the flag of queerness is a rainbow - so be it. No one is suppressing what I'm able to say or show on account of the colour of my eyes. But on the side B, i just thought leeds pride missed the point a bit... i liked the march, but we were pretty much herded into the gay ghetto, they may as well have put barbed wire round the party... I had a good time, but I think it'd be better held somewhere that isn't used to people being as queer as they are straight. I'd love it to be a bit more contributive and more of a push for mixing. But that'd be a bit too confrontational I suppose. We can't be having confrontational protests. Whatever next?
See, I have the problem with the rainbow, too. But that's another story.
The point about the eyes is that it's an arbitrary thing. I didn't choose to have eyes this colour; I didn't choose to be gay. I just am and it's that fundamental and that unchangeable.
Eye discrimination does happen, incidentally. In some parts of the world to be born blue or green eyes is an affront to God(s). Analogous to ginger hair or being left handed; the devils work.....
Ahh yeah the left handed thing, I remember a school trip where we went 2 an old cotton mill & they were making us write (the staff were dressed in period costume & were treating us like the kids who worked in the mills) and I got told off for being left handed as I had the devil in me, before they told me 2 write with my right hand. Got in alot more trouble from my actual teacher for telling them where to go.
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Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
