The "I'm Proud to be LGBT" thread

[Rainbow Mage]

I agree with that. At this point being proud of who we are is about effecting necessary change in society. I do admit I don't like feeling like I come off so strongly spoken about it sometimes, but I'm honestly trying to make the world better for gay/bi people in the future.

Ideally the day will come when its just accepted. It won't be called coming out anymore

 

[Titanic]

I am the LGBT.

 

[HiddenHijabi]

I'm bisexual..

 

[Skwim]

I don't get it.

Nobody picks their sexual orientation, just as nobody picks their natural hair color, their handedness, or whether or not they like dill pickles. These things just happen to be what they are. So why would anyone take pride in what nature gave them? It isn't as if these things are accomplishments of some kind.

 

[HiddenHijabi]

I don't get it.

Nobody picks their sexual orientation, just as nobody picks their natural hair color, their handedness, or whether or not they like dill pickles. These things just happen to be what they are. So why would anyone take pride in what nature gave them? It isn't as if these things are accomplishments of some kind.

People are proud because society has always wanted people to be ashamed of it. We know fine and well that sexual orientation is innate, and so the pride element is about identity, about standing up for ourselves as people.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I don't get it.

Nobody picks their sexual orientation, just as nobody picks their natural hair color, their handedness, or whether or not they like dill pickles. These things just happen to be what they are. So why would anyone take pride in what nature gave them? It isn't as if these things are accomplishments of some kind.

Because if no one took credit for things completely outside their control, then no one would take credit for anything.

 

[Skwim]

People are proud because society has always wanted people to be ashamed of it. We know fine and well that sexual orientation is innate, and so the pride element is about identity, about standing up for ourselves as people.

Then take pride in standing up for your orientation, at least this is something a person does rather than something they happen to be. But to take pride that one happens to be a certain sexual orientation is no less unreasonable than taking pride in the fact that you're a 6-foot tall Swede born in Malmo.

Because if no one took credit for things completely outside their control, then no one would take credit for anything.

Well they can certainly take credit for the things they do. I and others do it all the time, as well as taking blame for the things we do wrong. Thing is, taking credit for X is not the same as taking pride in X.

 

[StarryNightshade]

I'm not "proud" of my sexuality (no one should be directly proud of who they sleep with; gay or straight), but I am proud that I try not to let others opinions and judgments make me hide or change who I am.

 

[NoraSariah]

As a bisexual, I'm proud because I've been told from an early age that 'being gay is wrong' or 'being with someone of the same gender is wrong'. I read a story about a girl that told her younger brother 'uncle Tom loves uncle Greg like how Mom and Dad love each other,' and the boy understood. It's so simple for a young boy to comprehend, but so difficult for society.

Love is just that: love. No matter who it's with.

 

[Gudrun]

I'm bisexual and I'm proud of it because I can overlook gender and love someone for who they are; or love their soul and not their body so to speak. Love shouldn't revolve around what's in someone's pants

 

[Skwim]

I'm bisexual and I'm proud of it because I can overlook gender and love someone for who they are; or love their soul and not their body so to speak. Love shouldn't revolve around what's in someone's pants

Thing is, no one chooses to be attracted or not attracted to X. Just as you have no say in what kind of person attracts you---both genders as it turns out---neither do heterosexuals or homosexuals. So it isn't a matter of not overlooking gender, but that we're simply not so disposed. But go ahead and take pride in being attracted to both males and females, I'll take pride in being attracted to females, a well designed car, and good jazz music.

 

[Brynhild]

Im bisexual and im just happy that I can accept myself in a society where not everyone can.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I don't see gay people as different. Do you think I should?

I prefer to celebrate diversity rather than deny or homogenize it.

 

[Skwim]

Im bisexual and im just happy that I can accept myself in a society where not everyone can.

And good for you.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I am pansexual and transsexual.

 

[ZooGirl02]

I am bisexual but I am not sure that I could say I am proud of it. I live in an area of the world where its hard to be open about your sexuality. There are a lot of conservative Christians in my area and they tend to look down upon that sort of thing. I also have a fundamentalist Christian neighbor who likes to preach at people. I would probably never hear the end of it if she knew I was bisexual. She would say that I chose my sexuality and stuff like that and I definitely did not choose it. I am out of the closet to family members and people online but other than that, I'm not really out of the closet.

 

[dgirl1986]

I am bisexual but I am not sure that I could say I am proud of it. I live in an area of the world where its hard to be open about your sexuality. There are a lot of conservative Christians in my area and they tend to look down upon that sort of thing. I also have a fundamentalist Christian neighbor who likes to preach at people. I would probably never hear the end of it if she knew I was bisexual. She would say that I chose my sexuality and stuff like that and I definitely did not choose it. I am out of the closet to family members and people online but other than that, I'm not really out of the closet.

I can understand how difficult this must be for you. One of my best friends is a christian, she knows and she is pretty supportive...have to keep it hidden from most of the people at her church that used to be my friends and her parents as I would not hear the end of it if they found out...nor would my mother.

 

[Tiberius]

I hope I don't cause offence to anyone here, but I don't get this thread. What is there to be proud about being gay? I'm not proud to be straight, after all. It's just who I am. For me to be proud to be straight makes as much sense to me as being proud I'm bald, or proud I'm right handed. It's just the way I was born.

On the other hand, I think people SHOULD be proud of working to accomplish things. Be proud if you came out as gay and were able to convert your family of anti-gay people into people who accept you and love you the way you are. be proud of working to make this world less hateful of people who are demonized over minor differences (be they sexual orientation, race, religion or gender identity).

But I don't see how people can be proud of being they way they are, a way that required no effort whatsoever on their part.

Like I said, I hope I haven't offended anyone.

 

[dgirl1986]

I hope I don't cause offence to anyone here, but I don't get this thread. What is there to be proud about being gay? I'm not proud to be straight, after all. It's just who I am. For me to be proud to be straight makes as much sense to me as being proud I'm bald, or proud I'm right handed. It's just the way I was born.

On the other hand, I think people SHOULD be proud of working to accomplish things. Be proud if you came out as gay and were able to convert your family of anti-gay people into people who accept you and love you the way you are. be proud of working to make this world less hateful of people who are demonized over minor differences (be they sexual orientation, race, religion or gender identity).

But I don't see how people can be proud of being they way they are, a way that required no effort whatsoever on their part.

Like I said, I hope I haven't offended anyone.

Being proud = refusing to be ashamed and fighting persecution/judgement

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I hope I don't cause offence to anyone here, but I don't get this thread. What is there to be proud about being gay? I'm not proud to be straight, after all. It's just who I am. For me to be proud to be straight makes as much sense to me as being proud I'm bald, or proud I'm right handed. It's just the way I was born.

On the other hand, I think people SHOULD be proud of working to accomplish things. Be proud if you came out as gay and were able to convert your family of anti-gay people into people who accept you and love you the way you are. be proud of working to make this world less hateful of people who are demonized over minor differences (be they sexual orientation, race, religion or gender identity).

But I don't see how people can be proud of being they way they are, a way that required no effort whatsoever on their part.

Like I said, I hope I haven't offended anyone.

I didn't take offense at your post. I thought it was made in good spirit.

Perhaps the best way to explain it is that the "default" status for what a society deems moral, ethical, strong, and perhaps ideal, is a white Protestant Christian heterosexual male who has been college educated and is over 35. If we look at the majority of people in power and the acquisition of their decision making power and money, it has been observed that these characteristics are considered the ideal.

So, like black pride, native pride, women power (hear me roar), and other pride movements, queer pride is the collective reaction against the cultural distinction that being straight is how people should act, think, and measure their self-worth against.

We don't have Irish pride so much anymore since our culture doesn't discriminate against the Irish, though we used to quite a bit. GLBTQs are aiming to have the same happen for us. I'd like to be able to list someday on a census that I'm bisexual and have it be seen as typical as listing my address and how many people live at our residence.