Since 1970, June has been marked as Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall Riots. Every year, LGBTQ+ communities around the globe come together to celebrate in a number of ways, from flamboyant parades to intimate poetry readings. It is a period designated for LGBTQ+ people to protest long-standing violence and discrimination in society, dedicated to raising awareness of the issues they face. All through June, people of all identities gather in love and friendship, educating the masses in pride history and tolerance, as well as advocating for reform.
It’s a great occasion, right? A month allocated for LGBTQ+ people to voice their struggles and to pay tribute to the roots of pride? Well, not for some people. Some have voiced their concerns about not feeling included in the initiative.
To no one’s surprise, most of these individuals are conservatives who identify as straight. They claim to feel excluded in the month’s festivities, given that LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual. “As an event whose main theme is to promote equality and inclusivity, isn’t it ironic that they do not include straight people? We need straight rights too!” These individuals feel so strongly of the need to be part of the market in the celebration of Pride Month that a few of them decided to create a Pride Month themselves. The alleged Straight Pride would surround their heterosexual identity and promote “straight rights”.
What these Straight Pride organizers and supporters fail to recognize is their privilege. The LGBTQ+ community’s demand is simple - they just want equality, to be able to live freely and safely. Straight people have had rights since the beginning of time. They are not subject to hate crime or discrimination. They do not need a month to speak up, to be seen. They are already seen. Being straight is the “default”; they do not have to come out and worry about getting kicked out of their house. They are not denied housing, healthcare, and job opportunities because of their sexuality.
LGBTQ+ Pride exists because of its oppressive and painful history. Straight pride simply does not because straight people never had, and never will have to, fight for the right to love one another freely.
(Also, you don’t have to be LGBT to support Pride Month! Everyone can be an ally!)
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