do you think straight people should go to the pride event?

this is an incredibly complicated answer that i don’t think exists any consensus on whatsoever.
in my opinion, the most important part is intention. are they going to pride to truly support the lgbt community, maybe accompanying a lgbt friend who wouldn’t dare to go alone, or because they’re actual advocates for lgbt rights and understand the purpose of pride? then i am completely okay with it. i also understand why people would not be okay with this too, though, because like with gay bars and stuff, there aren’t a lot of “safe spaces” for lgbt people and pride should DEFINITELY be one of those, and the presence of straight people definitely threatens that regardless of how well meaning they are.
but for me the real problem is when they go just for the party, or to take photos to post on social media pretending they’re “woke” but not actually living up to that the rest of the year. or worse yet, if they’re actually super homophobic. pride is not there so you can pretend that you’re “cool”, the lgbt community is not an accessory. be a real ally, or stay home. period.

at the same time though, i have to admit i feel super bitter about straight people going to pride because i would love to go, but have never been able to (the nearest pride is quite far from where i live and going would require me to either come out to my family, or have queer friends to go with, and neither of those is a reality right now). it’s definitely jealousy, not a fair reason to hold against anyone, but seeing straight people i know being able to go to pride without having to worry about things like outing themselves...... they have a huge privilege there, and i do think it’s important that they realise that when they go.

 

Here in Chicago about a million people come to the Parade and I'd say probably about a third of them are straight (no data on that last bit, just gut feeling after having been for 25 years). I've never had an issue with it--in my experience the support is genuine. It may not be the cornerstone of their existence, but to my mind that doesn't make their support feigned. Hell, a good portion of my elected representatives are in the parade--most of them are straight.

 

Absolutely they should. I'm convinced the only way to truly gain full acceptance of LGB people is for straight people to not only be exposed to the community, but also to feel included and a part of it. To give straight people a chance to see we're all just people whether gay or straight, or bi or, any orientation, we're all the same. Excluding straight people is only going to contribute to them thinking of us as other.

 

How would you even know if you were to police it or straight friends/parents of lgbt people who need someone there with them.

 

Good point. I have no idea how people who want to keep straight people out could possibly enforce it. I mean are people going to have to prove they're gay? How exactly would you do that anyway?

 

Also what about people who want straight people for support or children of straight parents? Nothing good would possibly be gained by excluding straight people.

 

Pride is about inclusion and supporting everyones uniqueness.I think it is great to see straight people support their LGBT+ friends and family members.
During the last 12 months I've come out to my running club. This year a few of them have signed up to the 'Pride 5K' run, to show support. A few more of them were disappointed that they were too late to sign up (it sells out very quickly). I fee very honoured and supported by them taking part in pride!

I'm all for inclusion.

 

i saw this recently and thought it was fitting to share here.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/154929012@N06/41815605315/in/dateposted-public/

 

I think the only thing about stuff that is really aimed at one specific group that goes through regular alienation/exclusion--whether politically, socially or what have you--and who are regularly part of a group for whom nothing really is for them by default is...you don't want it to get to a point where the "allies" are outnumbering you or where they are taking over at the few things that are for you. I have seen this happen, not with LGBT stuff but with other minority groups--particularly the "taking over" part. That is something to be careful with when you're like, "Oh, straight allies! You're all welcome!" Because usually they (as in majority groups) do kind of struggle with the idea that this environment is different and is not about them or not for them to talk about what's not comfortable to them, what they don't like, what they want to see, etc, in these cases. I'm not saying they haven't been respectful to the Pride events that users here have attended.

I understand that there's no comfortable way to track who is straight and who is not or to keep the balance of power, so to speak, in LGBT people's favor...although I have found that a lot of straight people in LGBT environments are very quick to let you know they're straight, to the point where you wonder why. I'm not even necessarily saying that should be done. But I do kind of feel like LGBT is some kind of fashionable bandwagon to hop on for a lot of straight people, and with how they outnumber us in society Pride could easily get to a point where every other person is straight and changes start to happen significantly because of it.

I don't particularly care with relation to Pride, but just a thought.

 

I saw this on Instagram today! Very good point about assuming people are straight that aren't. I know from experience because I deal with this personally. Just because someone looks like a typical straight person or has a partner of the opposite sex does not mean they are not queer.

 

The only straight people I saw at mke pride yesterday were the "christians" who were standing about 30 feet from the entrance handing out pamphlets and trying to "change us"
I laughed and told them " if you hate us so much, WHY ARE YOU HERE???" In the bible I read, Jesus hung out with prostitues, lepers and the sick, the people who were different from the mainstream culture at the time. They are not Christians they are charlatans and pharisees

 

Exactly! The entire LGBT community is not flamboyant! Most of us are introverts!

 

Are most gay people introverts? I've not heard that one before.

 

Not in my experience. Most people who come to an online support board for... well, for anything, will be. And I think a lot of people find that they were much more introverted while closeted--I know I was. But in my experience gay people are certainly no more introverted than straight people. I would actually say slightly less so.

 

yes, i snapped screen shots from there and reworked them into one photo to share here.

with all of the people here that are in the closet i am surprised it is such a topic.. is anyone commenting here in the closet and going to pride?

honestly, i applied to vend at our local event and was discriminated against for appearing straight. my application was lost, then “put on the wait list” in the case any lgbtqa... vendors dropped out. it was quite upsetting considering more than one person in my household identifies as lgbtqa and we make stuff locally, most of the stuff marketed there is resale from imported goods.

we even planned to donate more money that the table fees!!!

anyhow, you never know who you’re turning away and with recent events and the spike of suicide rates i’d be really careful about turning anyone away. i’m a nervous talker, like full on foot in mouth nervous nancy... and could see myself saying something off out of anxiety like “i’m straight” if a woman i found attractive approached me... hopefully not, but honestly, even as a woman who loves women... i can’t say i have never done something like this...

 

Totally.

 

Should we put an arbitrary number to limit the number of straight that can join Pride?

 

Yes, if straight allies would talk to us about their heterosexual relationships why shouldn't those same people be involved in our lives? If LGBT people want acceptance we shouldn't reject straight people unless they are homophobic, because not including straight allies almost seem like reverse discrimination to me.