7 Reasons Why You Should Boycott Gay Pride If You Want A Relationship And Live A Normal Life
When did Gay Pride stop being a celebration to become a show? If it weren’t for the “Equality for All” signs, I might have mistaken the event for Carnival and not Gay Pride 2011 in Miami Beach.
After all, the street welcomed tanned bodies with face paint, fake breasts the size of beach balls, and impressive bulges in bathing suits, both authentic and altered.
There were enough condoms to shower the entire crowd and enough glitter to blind Stevie Wonder. As a healthy gay professional, I began to consider the reasons why gays should boycott Gay Pride.
1. mockery. Gay Pride is the most visible gay event in many cities. It does not present positive or serious images of gay men. While it’s nice to have fun, Pride does little to earn society’s respect for gay people. Perhaps there should be a place for noisy festivities and a separate broadcast occasion where homosexuals can tastefully celebrate.
2. reinforced stereotypes. Gay people deserve the opportunity to make social advances that strengthen their collective reputation in the world. Instead, Pride perpetuates negative stereotypes of gay men, as well as obsession with body image and sexual promiscuity.
3. hypersexualization The parade and events only reinforce the idea that if you are a gay man, your sexuality is the crux of your identity. At a stall along the beach, the men sold, in addition to lubricant, a spray to prevent the spread of herpes. The product involved not only a gullible audience, but also a raunchy and sexually crazed audience for those in Pride.
Four. Stunted progress. What legislator in their right mind is going to think that gay men standing in the streets in undergarments that are too small should deserve any special rights? I feel that being scantily clad symbolizes narcissism more than the dignity of a story or the passion for social progress. What kind of tribute would be paid to Martin Luther King, Jr. if for Black History Month, African-Americans ran through the streets in thongs, shaking their butts at beads?
5. Social alienation. We are all people, but Pride divides the gay community from society at large in drastic and damaging ways. How are non-gay people supposed to relate to or sympathize with dildo-sucking sex cartoons? Pride should sponsor events that have a more universal appeal, revered and shared with many sects of society.
6. Clicks. The roles of twink, jock, bear, daddy, etc. everything becomes more obvious and isolated. I found that separating by body type made it almost impossible to meet people outside of my physique. Mostly the men were posing and it was too intimidating to get close to them.
7. Lost purpose. What is the goal of Gay Pride? If it’s not connecting with other gay people, advancing socially, or enjoying well-deserved appreciation by a minority, what does it accomplish?
As a float of oiled and half-naked teenagers passed by, a woman walked her son and watched the parade. I couldn’t help but imagine what the stranger was thinking. She surely wasn’t impressed or inspired by the dehumanized men and women who rubbed nipple rings and flossed their behinds. Gay men, we need to prioritize how we want to be represented and treated with respect by the world. Save the circus antics for Carnival.