So others know they're safe
(midwest.social)
VetOfTheSeas
WholesomeI'm a straight guy who's never been to/near pride but always believed live and let live.
I'm ordering a flag for my house right now...
That's awesome!
Fair
I feel like an idiot because I never looked at it that way. Even though I mention in conversations that I would never feel safe being openly gay in a conservative town like mine.
I went to FWA back in April, (or was it May, i can't remember,) and it was the safest i had almost ever felt in my life.
That's actually a really bad reason though, isn't it?
Makes it seem performative but also encourages bad actors to adopt the imagery and suddenly no one feels safe.
I couldn't tell you if any of my neighbors with pride flags on their houses are actually queer. It doesn't matter.
The only way to respond to a fascist regime is with loud assertion of your identity, rejection of their ideals, and solidarity. If you cower and try to hide, especially in this age of digital surveilance, you're just going to end up in the camps quietly. It's worth pointing out too, that LGBT rights are a signifier of 'left' beliefs, and as their power grows the state has shown the real goal is eliminating those ideals and any that disagree with their power. So even if you're not gay but are still left or liberal minded, you belong in the camps in the regime's eyes That's why solidarity like what the OP is showing, whether you personally trust it or not (you should here at least), is your ONLY actual power against the creep of fascism. Your only other option is to trust the regime to not abuse its power, your pick.
Showing solidarity by flying a pride flag outside of one's house is not some slippery slope to being thrown into concentration camps.
Like it's actually kind of outrageous to push that people willing to fly a pride flag outside of their personal homes could be spies that are lying in wait for years and years and years as your neighbor to turn on you later.
We're in the wholesome community as a reminder.
Hey mate! We don't allow politics here so I'm deleting your comment
What's performative is people loudly condemning it on the grounds of their own personal beliefs as if those should dictate the lives of others rather than be observed by those devoted to their ideals. For example it's telling to me that people immediately need to twist what is a very clear mesage of intent and concoct hypotheticals to make it appear insincere or even dangerous.
Not sure how wanting people to feel safe is "performative"?
And I promise you no maga would put pride apparel on their stuff to "own the libs".
What was the reason this is so bad again?
Are you a dumbass or just cosplaying? 🤔
It’s so important. Seeing pride flags up tells me that I’m safe in that part of town. And who knows, maybe me having my flag up will make it so that other queer people will think about moving onto my street and start flying theirs too
I live in NY and I see a lot of pride flags all the time. It's nice. Earlier this summer I visited some folks in like South Jersey and it was striking, once I noticed, how few pride flags there were. I saw one. I saw a lot of trump stuff.
A woman friend of mine that's married to a woman said she's seriously discussed with her wife if they're going to stop visiting folks there, because it doesn't feel safe.
Omg I just thought of a horror movie idea where they use flags as bait to make people feel safe.
Wow you got down votes by morons who didn't get it. I was going to post the same thing. It swings both ways as a honey trap.
We're in the wholesome community. That's probably why there's a negative reception to that particular idea.
And plot twist……they are?
It becomes a big accepting community.
And also like a good horror like a Stephen King novel, the real evil are the other people invading.
:(
We have quite a few pride flags of various types through my neighborhood. One time, we got a painted rock on our porch labeling us “rainbow neighbors” which was very sweet.
I wish I had this image when people were asking me to qualify, as a cis/hetero male, my attendance at a Pride event.
I went to four Pride events in June. One each weekend. Had a great time at each of them.
huh thats weird, my local pride explicitly invites allies as well
That's weird as heck brother and maybe they dealt with motherfuckers/undercover assholes a while back so they're playing extra safe.
The decade I've been at pride parades, it's like any other parade. Just have fun. Hell people were even dressing up their dogs in rainbow outfits. Nobody was checking with anything unless you were there to cause trouble
I used to love the gay parties at a night club in my city. I'm a guy and I would be approached very aggressively by women there. I was never approached by a guy. Life's misteries...
This is what happens when straights take over queer spaces.
What do you mean take over?
When a queer space becomes more popular for straight people, the culture changes. Straight people outnumber gay people quite a bit. So when a place becomes popular it can quickly change from being a queer space to being just another bar or dance club, etc.
It's tough because I know that queer spaces are usually very welcoming and inclusive. And I personally don't mind straight people enjoying the safety these spaces provide here and there. My own straight partner will sometimes come with me to the local gay bar for example. But it can be difficult to balance.
People were asking you to qualify? That sounds strange to me.
I’ve been questioned if I belong due to being bisexual. There are exclusive jerks in the LGBT+ community as well, but luckily they’re usually few and far between.
As I bisexual I often feel like that too. Never encountered any straight-up (pun not intended) rejection, but always felt kinda weird looks from both cis and LGBT+ people when the topic comes up. Seems like I'm left out regardless of where I am. :/
The Stonewall Riot was started by a bisexual woman. We make up the largest percentage of the LGBT+ community. You belong 💕
Sometimes monosexual types have a hard time wrapping their head around bisexuals and our attractions. And some people reject what they don’t understand. That’s their journey to figure out and has no reflection on you!
Happy Pride!
As a fellow bisexual in a passing relationship who experiences a ton of erasure, this convo thread is making my heart so happy🥰
Also, so happy to see velma out in the wild, so to speak! Your compliment on my skirt was so supportive and inspired me to make a new one this weekend. Meeting a friend I haven't seen in a long time at the craft store in a few hours for supply purposes, thanks again for the support!
Oh yay!! I have been in hetero passing relationships for a large portion of my life. It can really fuck with one's head about belonging and visibility! But being attracted to genders different than mine is truly a defining characteristic of bisexuality and it's easier to embrace that now.
What a fun project for this weekend!! Your skirt is really cute and I hope you share the new one, too :) 'Tis skirt season after all!
As a monosexual (this term is so funny lmao) i can't wrap my head around the fact that people can't understand bisexual people, like, it's just a taste man, it's like saying that it's strange to like more than 1 type of dessert
As a monosexual (this term is so funny lmao)
I saw it once, probably from Dan Savage, and immediately picked it up. Such an easier way to describe straights, gays, and lesbians (I'm probably missing an orientation in there, sorry in advance!) all in one go!
Maybe the people thought they looked like ICE
Love all my allies
Everyone who wants to be at pride belongs at pride <3
Thanks. I never thought Pride was "for me" because the Pride flag didn't represent me (as in, I am neither Lesbian, nor Gay, nor Bisexual, nor Transgender, nor Queer). I now feel that the Pride flag represents all of us (including cis/het) and means that a rainbow is beautiful because it encompasses all the colours. This may not be what everyone sees in the flag (I know each colour has its own meaning), but that is my takeaway and it's why I'm proud to see the rainbow flag fly.
I'm so glad I went, though. I saw a shirt that really changed my perspective on it. It said that the first Pride was a riot. That's actually true, the Stonewall riots in 1969 is really what started all of it. Like any civil rights movement, those whose rights are being fought for have experienced violence and have had to face real risk and danger to their person, property, and livelihood in order to get the rights they have now, and in order to continue to fight for their rights. That is why I think it's important for people who are "outside of LGBTQ+" to stand with those who are in it, like the sign says, because they deserve to feel safe. But I cannot fully discount the points of view that say "if you have nothing to lose you have no business pretending you do." Except I don't pretend. I'm there for my cousin and my nephew and my middle school best friend who are all trans. For my mom and stepmom who are gay (lesbian, and have been married 30+ years). For all their wonderful friends and partners and others I've met who were queer/questioning, maybe they decided they were cis and/or het after all, or maybe they experimented; either way they all deserve to feel as safe as those of us who are cis/het. Same with Black/white.
I believe we should not judge people for how they're made, but for how they treat others. That's the rainbow I'm proud of. Or as Roddenberry put it, IDIC — Infinite Diversity [in] Infinite Combinations. This is the philosophy of the Vulcans in Star Trek, but I think it's based on Darwin's quote about "endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful" in his theory of evolution. Oh — here's the full quote: “There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” What that says to me is that LGBTQ+ is a natural human evolution and that all of these diversities and forms are wonderful and contribute to the human experience.
Shut up, you actually made me cry with this you're so sweet. but don't actually shut up of course this is beautiful
Thank you for being an ally. Just as straight cis people can be allies, gays are allies to lesbians, lesbians allies to bisexuals, etc. We're all in this together and by fighting for each other's rights, we're fighting for our own.
Way to make it about yourself
Imagine attacking allies.
I'm a straight upper middle aged man that wears them for the very same reason. I figure as long people are reacting, regardless it be positive or negative, it is needed.
I typically keep to myself. But I do like the message. 👍
If you can do it, do it. But if you're feeling unsafe, we got you.
I put one up in solidarity.
Not gay or anything - just an ally. Any fools who want to cause trouble, I'll take one for the team to protect the others.
oh nothing like that, I'm just a bit of an introvert. Unless I have to protect some one. Just not a talker. This is one of my first posts here in months 😅
Fuck yes.
