What’s all the fuss about?
June marks Pride month for the LGBTQIAP community.
“Where’s our straight pride?!” cries John, white, 56 yo, having never been attacked simply for the love he expresses to his wife and family.
June was designated after the Stonewall riots of June 1969, where members of the LGBT+ community were attacked in police raids and began an uprising against their oppression. The normalised behaviour to not allow gay residents into bars and restaurants during the 1960s is fundamental to the LGBT+ fight today. It was during the 1980s that the Conservative government entrenched section 28, upheld by the likes of Theresa May and co.
Despite being repealed in 2003, the fight is far from finished. Conservative leadership hopefuls were explicitly open about their homophobic beliefs, with Esther McVey igniting the ‘same sex education’ debate. This allowed for people to openly resent same sex education due to its damaging nature on young people and the effect from explicit content shown.
Give me a break.
This harmful, narrow-minded way of life has only allowed for misconceptions surrounding the LGBT+ community to prosper. Interesting too, that with the lack of ‘same-sex’ education during my schooling, I was constantly labelled a ‘dirty lesbian’ and ‘tranny’ whilst witnessing my close lesbian friend being told she only wasn’t straight because ‘none of the boys would touch her anyway’. All while the staff remained silent.
See it as it is
No one is born homophobic, racist or bigoted, you have to learn it!
Allowing for hatred to be nurtured can become more threatening, as demonstrated with the attack of a lesbian couple just weeks ago, by 15-18 year old boys on their bus ride, for refusing to kiss in order to ‘prove’ their relationship.
It makes me feel sick to think anyone believes they can override an individuals freedom and personal safety, never mind at such a young age, and never mind the potential they possess to spread this hatred in years to come.
Recent neo-Nazi’s intervention in pride marches in the USA have demonstrated just how the LGBT+ community has been sidelined – with police intervention allowing for the protesters hate to remain rather than be shut down. Those calling for ‘straight pride’ online have only fuelled this rhetoric further. What they fail to understand, is that their pride is 365 days a year.
Every day they are not attacked on public transport for being straight.
Every day they did not have to fight for the right to marry their spouse.
Every day they do not have to worry about their comrades in other countries being murdered simply for who they love.
Every day they are not mugged for the way they are dressed.
To hell with the straight and narrow
Are you getting the idea yet? It is still illegal in 72 countries to simply be yourself. Society forms this idea that everyone is straight and if you fail to condition yourself into this narrative, then hold on tight.
“Aww is that your boyfriend?” you are asked when only five years old. Bizarre. This compulsory idea is introduced so naturally that people pass through life with difficulty accepting who they truly are.
Members of the church drill into children that God wouldn’t accept them as gay or lesbian, when surely this goes against humans being created in God’s image, and the love they spread from His Bible.
Because of this, I offer one bit of advice: Stop giving a fuck!
Own your sexuality, gender and life, regardless of whether those around you understand it or not.
Another great site by the Dangerous Globe
