I usually don’t like to write about matters of sexuality, but this week I was provoked into it by reading about a lesbian couple who got beaten up by a gang of men on a London night bus. That attack, against a backdrop of apparently grown-up people playing with a charade of “straight pride” got a reaction from me.
The idea of “straight pride”, promoted in the modern era by Internet personalities and alleged journalists (in the loosest sense of the word) usually on the far right, is first of all one that I believe to be disingenuous on the part of most people involved. It’s a ploy to ridicule gender and sexual minorities for their existence and their pride parades, and to trivialise their struggle for the rights and freedoms they have had to fight for, or are still fighting for.
Those who genuinely do believe that there should be a straight pride because in their minds straight people have been marginalised, or that LGBT pride is unnecessary because equality “already exists” are in need of a lesson, and here’s my best attempt at giving it.
Pride is not just a party for the gays, but an opportunity for gender and sexual minorities to express themselves without fear of being judged or attacked, and to highlight the injustices which they face. I shouldn’t be needing to say this, but there is no need for straight pride because straight people do not face discrimination based on their sexuality.
Straight people are not disadvantaged in any way compared to other sexualities. That is why the concept of a “straight pride” to promote straight people and further their acceptance in society makes no sense. In fact, “straight pride” is all around us because “straight” is the only sexuality that is universally accepted.
What do I mean by this?
- Straight pride is a British MEP who was elected *two weeks ago* saying that she “hopes science can find an answer” to homosexuality.
- Straight pride is people protesting for months outside primary schools because they don’t want their kids to be taught that gay people exist, and being supported by politicians from every party.
- Straight pride is when LGBT young people in the U.K. are five times more likely to find themselves homeless than their straight counterparts.
- Straight pride is when 50% of transgender young people have attempted suicide.
- Straight pride is homosexuality being illegal in 72 countries and punishable by death in eight.
- Straight pride is never having to “come out” as straight because yours is the “default” sexuality and there’s no doubt that you will be accepted.
- Straight pride is a lesbian couple being beaten up on a bus in “one of the most tolerant cities on Earth” because they refused to kiss for onlookers’ entertainment.
So, there you go. Here’s your straight pride; it’s all of the above and more. Maybe, therefore, rather than asking why there isn’t a straight pride parade you should be thankful that you don’t need one, or even join the fight for equality that you thought already existed. For as long as gender and sexual minorities are marginalised, harassed, and assaulted for their sexualities and gender identities there will be a need for pride, and if you don’t like that, you are part of the problem.
