Proud To Be Gay, Ashamed To Be Straight

Ahh, political correctness. Again.

A Yellowknife city councilor suggested there be a Heterosexual Pride day. His reasoning wasn't to butt heads with the Gay Pride parade, but to offer a pride day for those who are not gay. You know, so all people can be represented. This action made national news.

This day has been canceled after it was decried as being anti-gay and homophobic. The message I got from this reaction is what the subject of this thread states: you are permitted to be proud of your sexuality if you're gay, but if you're straight, it's best you stay in the closet.

So what's going on? If you are part of a small minority, you are given holidays, special privildges, and the like. If you're part of a majority and don't have a problem with being part of a majority, that makes you a bigot. After all, you don't hate yourself. Imagine the outcry if there were a White History Month like there's a Black History Month. It would be called racist, white supremmisist, etc.

So why do we have to be ashamed of who we are if we don't agree or change our politics/race/sexuality to be in line with these special interest groups?

Source

Do you feel that, as a heterosexual, you have been marginalised, that the contributions that heterosexuals have made to their community and society in general have been ignored/dismissed. As a heterosexual have you ever suffered from discrimination. Let's face it black history month completely over shadows white history to the exclusion that you'd believe only black people made history. What about all those white historical figures like Alexander the Great, Julius Ceasar, Winston Churchill, Eisenhower, they are always ignored in favour of black historical figures.

You're equivocating, you have the largest slice of the cake already but still you resent the small pieces given to others.

Good find, JJ.

I agree with what you've written, and I don't think Alan Woytuik should have offered any apologies. His suggestion was in no way offensive, nor was it homophobic at heart and IMO, no apology should have been necessary.

What is necessary is for people who scream equality to realise that equality is not just for minority or special interest groups, but for the majority as well. Someone should independently organise the event, because it shouldn't be stifled due to a small number of people being insulted (I don't understand how they could be - what would the reaction be if a Gay Pride day was called exclusive and heterophobic? You guessed it!)

Similar things have happened in Canada in the past, though. After a policy of multiculturalism was adopted in the 70's and money was being given to cultural programs and the like it became quite obvious the cultures that were recieving the money were cultures outside of (Northern) Europe. Complete double standard which doesn't make sense.

It's equality on paper, and the same people who keep calling for equality and no more hate and discrimination are the same ones stopping a group with different a sexual orientation from celebrating themselves.

Sure, heterosexuals are accepted and seen as normal and can do as they wish... etc., etc., so they need no celebration and awareness made - or so I've been told. BUT, imo, it should be all or nothing. If there can be a gay pride day, so too should there be a straight pride day, if people so wish.

I've never been able to understand that aspect of "political correctness" either. It's that aspect which chiefly makes it seem insane to the average person.

What the "politically correct" crowd doesn't seem to understand is that you can be pro-one thing without being anti-something else! They assume that, if you like one thing, you must hate its opposite. Which is a ridiculous idea.

I can love the PlayStation 2 without being anti-XBox. I can love Star Trek without being anti-Star Wars. I can love being heterosexual without being anti-homosexual. I can love the European ideal without being anti-African. See how easy that is?

Not allowing a Heterosexual Pride day is just an illustration of their hypocricy.

Originally posted by ubermunche
You're equivocating, you have the largest slice of the cake already but still you resent the small pieces given to others.

I don't think it's resentment at all. In fact, I'm quite sure it's not.

It's supposed to be about equality, is it not?
I don't think anyone here (I'm not, anyway) complaing about Gay Pride celebrations. I've participated in Toronto's Gay Pride week on several occasions and it's a hell of a time! BUT, why shouldn't straight people also be able to celebrate their sexuality?
Or is it the fact that heterosexuals, being considered the norm, don't need celebrating? Or maybe that (drawing from your post) because heterosexuals have always had "the largest slice of the cake" so therefore shouldn't take any of the one for humanities celebration of sexuality?

I just think that if things are to move further, both homosexuals and heterosexuals are going to have to allow eachother to embrace what they are - equally. Both should be allowed to celebrate who they are without trouble and calls of discrimination either way.

I'm hetro and proud I give pelvic thrusts to the air atleast once a day

You should stand up and give it a try

they had a straight pride day here in chapel hill.

they also have a 'gay, lesbian, bisexual, transexual and queer' (queer, i kid you not) administrative organization on campus, which shares the same building as the dean of students and the advising department.

every school needs a butt sex club, if you ask me.

Originally posted by parrhesia
If there can be a gay pride day, so too should there be a straight pride day, if people so wish.

Can we call it Mardi Gras? Hold it every year and make it a week long? No that probably won't cut it. We'd probably need to dedicate at least 99% of movies and 56 of 57 cable channels to boy on girl love too. Oh! Maybe we should pass a bunch of laws outlawing the act of even engaging in homosexual sex. OoooOo, or marrying. Yeah, no marriage benefits. That should make the straight people feel a little better about their lack of specialness. I know, we could prop up these tax exempt political pulpits on every corner in America to evangelize how evil homosexuals are, and promote heterosexuality to boot! That could make people like JJ feel a little more special. But still, I think my insideous plan to try and, you know, equal out all this special treatment the gays get would need even more. I know, we could spend Federal monies to promote marriage? Yeah, and having babies! HUD should get right on that. Oh, oh, oh and give tax breaks to breeders! YEAH, make the gays pay for all that, and get none of the benefits! Not the marriage break, none of it. Wait, somehow, more should be done though. I'm still thinking. I guess the only way to make JJ feel as special as a minority with a parade once a year is to take him out and beat him for being straight. Maybe drag him to his death behind a truck or hang him on a barbed wire fence. Then straghts can feel just as super special as gay people!!!!!!!



[edit on 3-6-2005 by RANT]

Originally posted by Lysergic
I'm hetro and proud I give pelvic thrusts to the air atleast once a day

You should stand up and give it a try

Hey you're right....I feel much better, WAHOO!

There is nothing wrong with having a Hetero-day. Minorites (gays in this case) yel, cry and holler for equel rights, which they should have. But when others not like them use these equel rights.....they take it as a slap in the face act like it's stomping on thier rights. Not in all cases.

There is a reason why it is called EQUAL rights....not, rights only for minorites.

[edit on 3/6/2005 by SportyMB]

Originally posted by ubermunche
Do you feel that, as a heterosexual, you have been marginalised, that the contributions that heterosexuals have made to their community and society in general have been ignored/dismissed. As a heterosexual have you ever suffered from discrimination. Let's face it black history month completely over shadows white history to the exclusion that you'd believe only black people made history. What about all those white historical figures like Alexander the Great, Julius Ceasar, Winston Churchill, Eisenhower, they are always ignored in favour of black historical figures.

You're equivocating, you have the largest slice of the cake already but still you resent the small pieces given to others.

You misunderstand, and I think parrhesia put it quite well. I haven't been to a gay pride parade, and I wouldn't go to a straight pride parade, either. Parades aren't my thing, nor are the "celebrate my culture" days.

The reason I point this out is because of the hypocracy. One group is demanding rights, but at the same time condemning people who don't practice their lifestyle but are trying to get those same rights, are called biggots. I'm just bringing hypocracy to people's attention. Believe me, if there's another abortion clinic bombing, I'll be the first one to post something about that hypocracy, as well, even though I'm pro-life. It's hypocracy that drives me nuts, not the gay cause.

Originally posted by ubermunche
Do you feel that, as a heterosexual, you have been marginalised, that the contributions that heterosexuals have made to their community and society in general have been ignored/dismissed. As a heterosexual have you ever suffered from discrimination. Let's face it black history month completely over shadows white history to the exclusion that you'd believe only black people made history. What about all those white historical figures like Alexander the Great, Julius Ceasar, Winston Churchill, Eisenhower, they are always ignored in favour of black historical figures.

You're equivocating, you have the largest slice of the cake already but still you resent the small pieces given to others.

No. The real issue is and has always been giving a level playing field to all. You do not accomplish that by reverse discrimination against any group. You know, the old "two wrongs don't make a right" saying. A level playing field requires that any and all groups (even heterosexuals and whites!) be given the same opportunities as are given to gays and minorities.

Originally posted by RANT
I guess the only way to make JJ feel as special as a minority with a parade once a year is to take him out and beat him for being straight. Maybe drag him to his death behind a truck or hang him on a barbed wire fence. Then straghts can feel just as super special as gay people!!!!!!!



[edit on 3-6-2005 by RANT]

So I guess by equality, we either have to take one group and subject it to things that should have been in the past (gay bashing still takes place today, sadly, but hopefully a day will be coming where it doesn't ever happen) and apply it to them while putting the group that was oppressed in the position of oppressor.

Heh, what the heck was I thinking. I thought the equality movement was to give everyone a level playing field. I forgot it ment condemning some for the sins of their fathers while promoting others for having been oppressed.

Equality means you admitting I'm better than you because of what you did to me in the past. That's an awesome idea. It'll really help out society, I'm sure.

Imagine if there were a all white tv channel, there would be outrage! I think that not allowing a stright pride day is horrible, thats whats wrong with America today!

Imagine if there were a all white tv channel, there would be outrage! I think that not allowing a stright pride day is horrible, thats whats wrong with America today!

I know what you mean Rant, just once I would like for a gay man to take me into an alley and beat me with a pipe for being straight. Just once I would like a priest/minister to stand up on sunday and call for the "Final Solution to the Straight Problem". But noooo, gays seem to get all the attention and all the beatings.

I swear JJ, you have the cake, but if anyone swipes some of the icing they are evil and you are being oppressed? Mwahahahaha, hahaha, haha...... and/or HA!

I mean, same thing with BET! They have a all black entertainment channel, why no WET? Sure we have USA, Spike, Fox News, Animal Planet(how many blacks are on that channel? Ever notice there are none?) Lifetime(for the white females) ABC Family(again, no blacks) but still, we need a WET since blacks have BET.

Or Black History Month, sure we have the other 11 months of White History, hell, several holidays are for whitey, like Presidents day, which is for two whiteys, and Christmas is for a whitey, and Easter is for a whitey, not to mention the holidays in England/Australia that are called Queens Day or whatever, all for whiteys.

Originally posted by James the Lesser
Or Black History Month, sure we have the other 11 months of White History, hell, several holidays are for whitey, like Presidents day, which is for two whiteys, and Christmas is for a whitey, and Easter is for a whitey, not to mention the holidays in England/Australia that are called Queens Day or whatever, all for whiteys.

Well, that opens another problem, it's socially acceptable to use derogitory names for majorities.

As I said above, James, I didn't realize equality was an oxymoron. You can either be for gays or proud of your sexuality. You can either be proud of America's african heritage, or its European heritage, but not both. I guess what needs to happen in this country is that it becomes like Iraq was, with the majority totally subjected to a minority. That would be equality, no?

Personally I have no problem with straight pride or white history or anything else, anything that promotes self respect and more importantly a party is fine by me.

I'm simply suspicious of this mans motives in as much as I believe he is trying to stir up a storm using tired semantics and misinterpretation of what these events are actually about. Not promoting the rights of some special interst groups but striving to be seen and recognised as a part of the existing community. I'm not going to make apologies for militant flag waving queens, a little applied common sense should tell us that there are all sorts in all groups and some are less reasonable than others and anyone who can't see past that is choosing to see only what they wish to suit their own agenda.

BTW I expect any straight pride march to be as welcoming and tolerant towards others as gay pride is to other communities.

Oh, I'd also like to point out that I'm being called a bigot for pointing out bigotry. Ain't that mentality great? :shk:

I guess if there are problems with our system, you better make damn sure you don't talk about them if they involve any kind of minority.

Originally posted by junglejake

Originally posted by RANT
I guess the only way to make JJ feel as special as a minority with a parade once a year is to take him out and beat him for being straight. Maybe drag him to his death behind a truck or hang him on a barbed wire fence. Then straghts can feel just as super special as gay people!!!!!!!



[edit on 3-6-2005 by RANT]

So I guess by equality, we either have to take one group and subject it to things that should have been in the past (gay bashing still takes place today, sadly, but hopefully a day will be coming where it doesn't ever happen) and apply it to them while putting the group that was oppressed in the position of oppressor.

Heh, what the heck was I thinking. I thought the equality movement was to give everyone a level playing field. I forgot it ment condemning some for the sins of their fathers while promoting others for having been oppressed.

Equality means you admitting I'm better than you because of what you did to me in the past. That's an awesome idea. It'll really help out society, I'm sure.

RANT has obviously and sadly swallowed political correctness to the point where he has it exactly wrong and junglejake has stated it exactly right (correct-ly). You do not make things right by reversing the past injustices done to minorities onto people that had nothing to do with it. That's also one of many reasons why the ridiculous idea of reparations doesn't work. You know the idea about making white people (including those whose ancestors may have lived in the North or immigrated here after slaves were freed) pay money to people whose ancestors might have been slaves, but have never been slaves themselves.

Originally posted by RANT
Can we call it Mardi Gras? Hold it every year and make it a week long?

Thank you for that post.

The reason why we have Pride anything for minority groups is so that WE, as the Majority, can openly, honestly, express to the Minorities that they are welcome in this big melting pot called America and are not looked at as objects of ridicule or hatred.

"You were born a white man in mid-twentieth century industrial
America. You came into the world armed to the teeth with an arsenal of
weapons. The weapons of privilege...racial privilege, sexual privilege,
economic privilege. You wanna be a pacifist, it's not just giving up guns and
knives and clubs and fists and angry words, but giving up the weapons of
privilege, and going into the world completely disarmed. Try that."