As we close out LGBT Pride Month, it’s important to reflect on our progress as a nation on granting rights to those who identify as something other than heterosexual. It has been 50 years since the Stonewall uprising in New York kicked off the movement for equality.
Frequent contributor Phil Bohlender recently documented his involvement in Pride events going back several decades. He also bravely discusses how the larger movement affected his self-image and the importance of finding brotherhood as a member of an oppressed group.
As a straight man, I had the privilege of witnessing several Pride marches in multiple cities, and I cannot recall ever feeling such positive energy in any other context. There is something about a Pride march that transcends politics—it’s a display of radical acceptance. There’s nothing quite like it on earth. No matter your orientation, the vibe is such that it seems impossible not to feel welcomed unless you are holding onto deeply rooted hatred, fear, and/or ignorance. And even then, I’d say it’s the best way to change.
I had a lot of ignorant views that melted away the first time I exposed myself to Pride.
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