In our corner of Kansas, I have heard people talking about Pride month. Most of the conversations run along the lines of, why does it exists, why do they have to have a parade, why all of the events to celebrate being homosexual or whatever they are, why dont we have a straight parade and so on. Instead of banging my head onto a brick wall, I decided to write about it.
The June 28 Pride Parade is to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969. Up until that time, most LGBTQ people lived in the closet. Bars were about the only places where they could hang out and be who they were. The police raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in NYC, but this time the LBGTQ community rose up and fought back. More and more protests erupted. Within a few months, three newspapers were established and two gay rights organizations were established. Within a few years, gay rights activist groups were established around the United States.
The June 28 Pride Parade is a celebration of human beings who decided to make sure that those who were LGBTQ could live the life they were born to live and they would have the same human rights as everyone else. Its an opportunity for people to be proud of who they are, when who they are would have been illegal 50 years ago. Its never been illegal to be straight. This is why Pride exists.
It is 2019. We live in a country that is trying to take giant steps backward. We are becoming more homophobic, more racist, and more sexist. At a time when you would think that we have become advanced enough intellectually to understand that while all people are created equally, none of us are the same, we are failing.
I am reminded of the race riots and how many sacrifices were made to establish human rights for people of color, and I look at the steps backward that we are taking, and I am ashamed.
I think of the women who worked so hard to fight for equality and see what is happening to us, and I am angered.
I see my friends in the LGBTQ community who have worked so hard for every single right that they have and have watched them celebrate each victory that gives them the same rights as heterosexuals, and I mourn with them each setback.
Every assault or death from a hate crime is a detriment upon us as a society. Not just our country but on each of us as human beings.
Its not often difficult to tell if a person isnt white. When you spew hatred at them, you know who your target is.
When you see a woman or girl and you spew your remarks and legislate discriminatory laws, you know exactly who you are targeting.
When you breathe out hatred for people in the LGBTQ community you may not even know that you are doing it. You may be making your case based on religion. You may believe that you are doing them a favor because you are showing them the error of their ways. You may be trying to set them on the right path. But make no mistake. Your words are harmful.
Unlike sexism and racism, your target words may be hitting you some of your closest friends and family. Your hatred of who they are is what they feel.
We are all on this planet together. There is no room for this hatred any longer. Lets celebrate the wonderful contributions that LGBTQ individuals have made in our world during this month of June and the bravery of people who continue to fight for equality.
Lets celebrate each of us and all of our qualities that make us who we are, every single day. Kindness Matters!
