Yes, LGBT Pride celebrations benefit straight people too

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      Sure, there are the outrageous costumes, glittery beads, leather-clad dykes on bykes, scantily clad muscle men, groovy gals, wigged-out drag queens, bearded ladies, synchronized-walking choirs, homoerotic sports teams, politically active knitting circles, and much, much more.  

      Needless to say, the Vancouver Pride parade has become one of the biggest events of the summer, if not the year, with hordes turning out to line the streets and watch the rainbow-coloured spectacle.

      That's in addition to all the rainbow flags flying on city flag poles, parties held around town, and stores featuring rainbow-coloured displays in their windows.

      Yes, it's a celebration of LGBT communities and individuals, in honour of the long-term struggle for rights, acceptance, and inclusion. Where do straight people fit into all of this, aside from simply being allies? How do straight people benefit from Pride Week?

      While it may not be as readily apparent, there are in fact numerous ways that Pride celebrations help to improve lives for straight people too, believe it or not.

      Raising a rainbow flag is symbolic of helping to counter the decades of discrimination of LGBT people who were rendered invisible, excluded, marginalized or ignored due to discrimination and hatred. What's more, the raising of Pride and transgender flags by city halls help to symbolize inclusion for everyone, not just LGBT people. 

      How? 

      First off: as many activists have pointed out, homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia are not just used against LGBT people. They're used against everyone—yes, that includes straight people (who seem to be everywhere these days). Those forms of discriminations are used to police and restrict gender roles and sexual orientation regardless of whether or not a person is straight or LGBT.

      Slurs and insults like fag, homo, flamer, pansysissy, lezzie, lesbo, and dyke deter girls from pursuing activities traditionally considered "masculine" or "macho" like boxing or mechanics and prevents boys from playing with dolls, expressing sensitive emotions, or nurturing strong empathic skills. They also deprive men of forming emotionally intimate or supportive bonds with other men. They overlap with the areas that feminism is addressing, such as how traditional social definitions often constrain the role of women in detrimental ways. Countering homophobia and transphobia helps to combat sexism.

      Same-sex couples and parents are also reinforcing the idea that marital roles and domestic responsibilities don't have to be assigned according to gender but according to ability.

      Biphobia, fear of bisexuality and negative stereotyping of bisexuals as non-committal and suspect, prevents people from acknowledging or exploring their true sexuality, which can lead to marital or relationship dissatisfaction, conflict or other problems.

      The more LGBT people are accepted, the more people can allow themselves to develop both their masculine and feminine sides without fear of ridicule, bullying, and social punishment. Pardon the new-agey-speak but it's a way to help everyone become more whole, or not feel that they have sacrifice parts of themselves in order to be accepted.

      As the experience of individuals who have had to closet their sexuality or gender identity, repressing vital parts of yourself take its toll on the psyche. It requires energy to do that, and in doing so, it divests you of energy that you could otherwise use in more important areas of your life. Straight people may be suppressing parts of themselves, such as a hidden sensitive side or a desire for greater independence, in order to conform to traditional societal expectations. The price paid for doing so may manifest in the form of chronic anger or abusive behaviour, depression, addictions, fatigue, infidelity, relationship tensions, or various other problems.

      Accepting LGBT people helps us to not only accept others but also accept ourselves more fully.

      It also helps us develop more sophisticated social skills.

      The LGBT movement, in addition to racial and gender equality movements, help to teach us not to fall upon assumptions and stereotypes when meeting people. It's important not to assume someone has an opposite sex partner just as much as Mrs. Wong may not be a Chinese woman but the name of a white woman married to a Chinese man. Someone who may look white may have multiracial heritage or have been adopted by South Asian parents.

      Avoiding assumption is crucial when it comes to networking and business relations and connecting with a broad range of prospective clients or acquaintences locally or around the world who come from different backgrounds. Being socially advanced and astute helps to give an edge against competitors.

      Social adaptability and flexibility is key to surviving and thriving in the 21st century, in an era heavily influenced by interconnection and interdependence through population growth and migration as well as technological advances.

      As we contend with depleting resources, climate change, collapsing ecosystems, unprecedented disasters, and more, it is imperative for us to find ways to work together, overcome differences, and unite. Learning from the LGBT movement, in conjunction with other social movements, is one of the many ways we can develop how to accept differences yet connect to one another.

      As the rainbow flag illustrates, when we can acknowledge and accept our differences yet remain united, it can be a thing of beauty.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig. You can also follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.

      Comments

      5 Comments

      I'm a straight guy...

      Jul 31, 2015 at 3:36pm

      and I personally feel I have not benefitted at all from the LGBT community regardless of what you say here. As a child, I grew up in an environment where I could say to my school friends, 'you are such a homo', or 'stop being such a fag'. It was childish fun.

      Now, as an adult, I can't even have that simple pleasure without feeling completely self conscious. Thank you LGBT community, thank you for making something out of nothing.

      Apparently...

      Jul 31, 2015 at 10:38pm

      @I'm a straight guy lacks those more sophisticated social skills.

      anarchris

      Aug 1, 2015 at 9:53am

      "...when we can acknowledge and accept our differences yet remain united"
      is this article aimed at convincing straight people or gay? i'm not the one who's in denial about the hatred toward men/straight men-the gay/liberal population is. i've never felt seen or heard any 'united' sentiment from liberals my whole life. has this writer ever heard a positive thing said about straight men and their sexuality? think of me the next time you attend a protest that asks men to remain on the side walk or back of the protest out of deference and respect to the womyn.
      the second half of this article has nothing to do with relations or the burdens of straight people

      ?

      Aug 1, 2015 at 12:54pm

      Sorry, there is no benefit for straight people when this silliness is encouraged.

      No Girlfriend

      Aug 1, 2015 at 5:44pm

      Think about it straight people. Having a more open society where sexual orientation of all types is accepted, prevents closeted gays marrying straight people.
      That alone can save a lot of heartbreak down the road.