Pride, Predjudice and Pumpernickle...
So the famous San Francisco LGBT Pride is coming up this weekend and with it is my renewed (and sometimes much-regretted) view and soapboxing on "pride" as a whole.
I'm against it.
I'm against Pride for something you have no control of. And I am one of the people who believe that being gay is a programming thing, not a choice. To me, celebrating the fact that you're gay, or bi, or black or blond is like being proud that you can breathe. Having a "coalition for the equality of breathers" is nonsensical. You're not a better person for breathing, you just happen to do something that dead people don't do. Way to go. Stick it to those non-breathing motherfuckers. It's the same thing to me. If you think you're being the best damn gay/lesbian/whatever you can be, fine, but it's still subjective. What makes you better than Suzy lesbian over there? Are you Gay-er than her? Does your score card have more little "V"s on it? Can you pack more rainbows into a square foot than she can? It doesn't make sense.
I'm proud to be a baker.. I'm proud of my graphic skills... I'm proud to have the ability to say "No, thanks, I don't want that illicit substance." These are all choices. Something I chose to work for or believe in. To me, that's where pride comes from. Choosing to not back down or hide who you are definitely deserves pride. Which, I guess, is where the whole pride shebang started, but lately it (from a very outsider point of view) seems to be a lot more focused on Out-Gaying the next person. Or just providing a nice cushion of self-segregation. Pointing out and over-exaggerating our differences only serves to widen the chasm between everyone. It's part of the reason I avoid the question of "Are you gay/straight?" My answer usually leaves people either skeptical or quizzical. Either way they stop talking to me. (Which is fine, because if it's the first words out of your mouth, you can save your breath. I probably don't want to talk to you anyhow.) Answer one way or the other and chances are the answer will be wrong.
Which leads into feminism.
I do not feel a bond with all women. In fact, I feel nauseated when such insinuations are made. I am not now, nor will I ever be defined by what sexual organs I happen to posess. I am much more than a pair of tits and a vagina, and dear everything I hope you are too. I hate the idea of this sexual-definition fixation that people with access to a mass media love to propagate. I am a firm believer that the whole "you shouldn't hit women" thing is a joke. I don't care what you're packing between your thighs, if you hit me I'm going to hit you back. (I realize that I am a girl saying this, which makes it moot, but I believe this to the core.) Men should not stand defenseless and under attack just because they were raised with the archaic notion that girls are powerless. It's a roundabout degradation that needs to stop. If some woman hauls off and hits you or starts assaulting you with something, hit her back! Stop her! Get the police or something! Jesus. Don't just sit back and get the crap beaten out of you... Girls do the same! If anyone decides that violence is what they want to do, don't be an easy victim! It's not okay to hit people... Doesn't anyone remember the "No Touchie" rule from Kindergarten? Anyone?
Okay this seems to have run long at the mouth (fingers?) so I'm going to stop here. I am going to say though, that your opinions are your own. Mine are mine. If you believe that pride is a wonderful thing and can't wait to put on your "________ Pride!" T-shirt, then more power to you. Passion is a good thing and being happy with yourself is even better. I in no way wish to trample the views of others, I just wanted to give everyone something to think about.
Oh, and could someone point to the line where "Pride" turns into "Racism?" That'd be swell, thanks.
In Other News: Oh man... could my back hurt anymore? Gosh I hope not. Made some apple pies last night. Came out pretty damn tasty... Yay pie.
I'm against it.
I'm against Pride for something you have no control of. And I am one of the people who believe that being gay is a programming thing, not a choice. To me, celebrating the fact that you're gay, or bi, or black or blond is like being proud that you can breathe. Having a "coalition for the equality of breathers" is nonsensical. You're not a better person for breathing, you just happen to do something that dead people don't do. Way to go. Stick it to those non-breathing motherfuckers. It's the same thing to me. If you think you're being the best damn gay/lesbian/whatever you can be, fine, but it's still subjective. What makes you better than Suzy lesbian over there? Are you Gay-er than her? Does your score card have more little "V"s on it? Can you pack more rainbows into a square foot than she can? It doesn't make sense.
I'm proud to be a baker.. I'm proud of my graphic skills... I'm proud to have the ability to say "No, thanks, I don't want that illicit substance." These are all choices. Something I chose to work for or believe in. To me, that's where pride comes from. Choosing to not back down or hide who you are definitely deserves pride. Which, I guess, is where the whole pride shebang started, but lately it (from a very outsider point of view) seems to be a lot more focused on Out-Gaying the next person. Or just providing a nice cushion of self-segregation. Pointing out and over-exaggerating our differences only serves to widen the chasm between everyone. It's part of the reason I avoid the question of "Are you gay/straight?" My answer usually leaves people either skeptical or quizzical. Either way they stop talking to me. (Which is fine, because if it's the first words out of your mouth, you can save your breath. I probably don't want to talk to you anyhow.) Answer one way or the other and chances are the answer will be wrong.
Which leads into feminism.
I do not feel a bond with all women. In fact, I feel nauseated when such insinuations are made. I am not now, nor will I ever be defined by what sexual organs I happen to posess. I am much more than a pair of tits and a vagina, and dear everything I hope you are too. I hate the idea of this sexual-definition fixation that people with access to a mass media love to propagate. I am a firm believer that the whole "you shouldn't hit women" thing is a joke. I don't care what you're packing between your thighs, if you hit me I'm going to hit you back. (I realize that I am a girl saying this, which makes it moot, but I believe this to the core.) Men should not stand defenseless and under attack just because they were raised with the archaic notion that girls are powerless. It's a roundabout degradation that needs to stop. If some woman hauls off and hits you or starts assaulting you with something, hit her back! Stop her! Get the police or something! Jesus. Don't just sit back and get the crap beaten out of you... Girls do the same! If anyone decides that violence is what they want to do, don't be an easy victim! It's not okay to hit people... Doesn't anyone remember the "No Touchie" rule from Kindergarten? Anyone?
Okay this seems to have run long at the mouth (fingers?) so I'm going to stop here. I am going to say though, that your opinions are your own. Mine are mine. If you believe that pride is a wonderful thing and can't wait to put on your "________ Pride!" T-shirt, then more power to you. Passion is a good thing and being happy with yourself is even better. I in no way wish to trample the views of others, I just wanted to give everyone something to think about.
Oh, and could someone point to the line where "Pride" turns into "Racism?" That'd be swell, thanks.
In Other News: Oh man... could my back hurt anymore? Gosh I hope not. Made some apple pies last night. Came out pretty damn tasty... Yay pie.