Some Thoughts on Gay Pride
Thirty years ago, the WHO stated that homosexuality was no disease. Last year, gender identity disorder was erased from the list of mental illnesses. It is June, aka Gay Pride month, so I wanted to share my thoughts on the topics.
When did June actually become Gay Pride month? When I was younger, I remember that the whole summer was considered Gay Pride season – and as far as I’m concerned, that’s still the case. LGBT+ rights are human rights that aren’t just important in June.
No Love
However, in June there are usually some signs to remind everyone of the violent riots in the Christopher Street in New York. But not in my hometown. No rainbow park benches, no rainbow flags, no rainbows at all. Local asshole politicians voted against any and all pride visibility in the city – even though studies show that the LGBT+ community is more accepted in countries where the visibility is higher. And in places where the queer community is more accepted, the suicide rate of LGBT+ people is lower. So, voting against pride visibility, in my opinion, qualifies you to be called an asshole.
No Hate
Hate against groups of people is just so pointless. Nothing good ever comes from it. I’m not saying you need to be positive all the time. Be as sarcastic and pessimistic as you want. But it’s good to be aware of your own bubble knowing that there is so much more out there you know nothing about. What you think you know is just a reflection of your own experiences so far.
If you’ve learned all your life that women are supposed to be sensitive you’ll probably be surprised at the first one standing up for herself. Same if you see the first guy crying. But this is how we are: flawed human beings, not following stereotypes, not always perfect, not even very good at many times.
No Change
If the past weeks taught us anything it should be that when all our systems fail all that is left behind is us. How we treat ourselves and others. This year has been a shitshow, to say the least. But maybe something positive can come from it. It might be time to make this world a better place for everyone in it, including all kinds of people, the environment and animals. Maybe we can find better systems that the ones that failed us.
It might be time to re-evaluate everything that we’ve come to know.
But if there is a single value to surpass the test of time it shouldn’t be hate.
Even if it cheesy, when the world comes to an end, all we have left is love.
Be open to the world and the people in it. Have them surprise you in ways you didn’t know were possible. Treat each other with respect. Show kindness even when it is hard. At least mind your own business when you have nothing good to say.
BenLeander
Awesome pics by: cottonbro, Sharon McCutcheon
More of my thoughts:
Some Thoughts on Oral Sex
Some Thoughts on Sex Work
Some Thoughts on Bucket Lists
Random Thoughts on the Corona Pandemic
If you speak almighty German you might enjoy these articles I wrote for Futter:
Warum überhaupt Gay Pride? Die Entwicklung queerer Rechte in Österreich
Nach dem Tuntenball-Ausstieg: Alexandra Desmond über die queere Szene in Graz
Joshua Shea
I think this is a great entry, unfortunately those who need to read it most will probably have already moved on. When I was a weekly newspaper editor, we were right on the verge of accepting gay marriage in our state. It failed the first time by a crazy narrow vote, like 52-48. I wrote that there was only going to be one thing that would fix this travesty: time. We simply had to out wait the old people and since younger people were more accepting, the numbers were on our side. The old homophobes would die before we would, it was just a matter of math. Boy, did that piss off a bunch of old people. Apparently telling people you’re waiting for them to die so you can make the world a better place doesn’t go over well. Eventually, I was proven right and a couple years after that, the country allowed it.
There’s one idea I continue to return to time after time to make myself feel better. It’s that progress, in the end, always wins. Slavery ends, women get to vote, a black man becomes President, gay marriage happens. It takes a long time and it takes hard work and sacrifice, but in the end, the conservatives never win the war, even if they claim some battles. We live in an inpatient society, especially if you’re in an oppressed group, but preaching education and fighting for your rights usually ends up in victory. The conservatives are roadblocks to progress, but you can’t stop progress, no matter what you put in front of it.
Ben Leander Willgruber
Thank you for your incredible insight on this post. I have thought about it way longer than my time budget would probably want me to, but all in all I believe you are right. I wonder if conservatives ever realize that they are what stands in the way of change. How does it make them feel? Do they feel good for preserving a world of the past or also a little childish holding on to something that’s obviously not the future. Probably also depends on the people and the region we are talking about.
Anyway, there is some relieve to your argument that basically says that everything will be alright and it just takes time. Until my hometown is becoming the place I want it to be, however, I might have to think about if it is ‘good enough’ for me now or if I have to move to a place that’s more forward-thinking. We’ll see. Have a good day/night for now!