Pride Month

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202062#Comment_119202062

Is it really any more silly than scouring the internet looking for stuff that you say children shouldn’t be exposed to?

Do you think adults want to see it?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202109#Comment_119202109

yes

donaghs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202119#Comment_119202119

People I know who work for large multinationals in Ireland now have been talking (quietly) about the growth of Pride month in the office. Flags everywhere (outside and inside, and every floor) handing out rainbow access card lanyards to everyone, “all hands” meeting which list all the activities for pride month and encouraging everyone do go along and represent the company, multiple all-company emails doing the same.

The scale and the level of push just seems a bit odd, as there no other equivalent - Christmas (the holidays) maybe comes close.

The same companies of course do not promote this in a China or the Mid East.

In tolerant western countries, Pride has clearly become a corporate PR bonanza.

While this is clearly a huge improvement on the past where homosexual acts were illegal or being openly gay could harm your career, i sympathise with people of all backgrounds genders and sexualities who feel the new scale of corporate Pride month is becoming a minor irritation.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202124#Comment_119202124

Ahh mountain out of a molehill stuff tbh. I don’t think adults want to see that sort of thing. It’s not as though they have the option NOT to share it, if they find it objectionable behaviour.

Sort of like, y’know - don’t encourage them!

It’s nothing to do with whether or not Pride is a good or a bad idea though. The criticism is the equivalent of pointing out that it’s inappropriate to expose children to anything because there’s always someone who makes a tit of themselves.

Brucie Bonus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119201886#Comment_119201886

Yeah, a world were people leave pedantry aside and discuss things.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202228#Comment_119202228

Nothing pedantic about it.

I wanted to know what you meant by "a long way to go".

It inferred that Ireland was intolerant.

I wanted to know how.

It was part of the discussion.

I didn't realise you were just throwing it in as a cliched soundbite and not an actual statement.

Brucie Bonus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202249#Comment_119202249

Ireland is intolerant in many areas. Let's agree its not settled. You're boring the arse off me.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119201691#Comment_119201691

Which is pretty much par for the course when it comes to businesses. I don't know why some people are so "shocked" at that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202217#Comment_119202217

Which is precisely my fear on this matter; that what is passing as pro-LGBT may, in the end, prove counterproductive and damage the gains and acceptance that has emerged over the past couple of decades.

There's an almost religious nature to the month; a sort of gay version of Easter. It would be like 60-years ago where everyone was socially compelled to adhere to Catholic orthodoxy. Anyone who didn't go along with the way things were supposed to be was cast out as some kind of amoral heretic, a silenced pariah. As I said in one of my opening posts on this thread, you cannot force an attitude on a population; it must be done by consensus and consensus alone: bringing the population with you rather than smothering the population with why they must, must, must, must comply. Consensus was achieved over the course of the 80s, 90s, 00s etc. It worked, and acceptance of LGBT people was palpable. We got what we wanted, complete and total equality.

I saw this change in perspective in Pride a couple of years ago, but the problem seems to be becoming more and more acute in the past 2-3 years.

I think as long as Pride conducts itself along the lines of division - namely, talking about the rights of sub-groups and sub-groups within those sub-groups - it will alienate the rest of the population. When people are given no choice but to go along with something, they'll end up questioning it and eventually rejecting it.

What's needed is for LGBT people to blend into the population as equals, rather than to discuss the endless differences that exist within the community.

freemickey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202217#Comment_119202217

https://youtu.be/BzLwe-p-oD4

It's a circus show that you simply must do lest you get a good whipping.

But there is one key difference, the performers spinning uncomfortably around in giant wheels are 98% of people, with a minute 2% being the audience.

It's an inverted circus. Dance, bear, dance like your job depends on it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119201302#Comment_119201302

However we might not think its needed or that its a bit much, we have to understand that its gives comfort to people who feel outside of society.

Dunno how a parade and a series of events celebrating the differences of LGBTQ towards "normal" society is going to do that. Anyway, you make it sound like the LGBTQ communities are fully welcoming and understanding of each other. They aren't. You should speak to bisexuals as to how they're perceived by G/L, or the Q by everyone, or the hyperactive and changeable T are perceived by the LGB. There's quite a bit of conflict within the whole movement, and even within a particular group, say homosexuals, there are a lot of sub-groups who see themselves as different from others.

Pride isn't going to bring any comfort for people who feel outside of society.. because they want to be outside of society. If that wasn't the case, then, they could mix quite easily with society.. it's not hard. Just stop waving your sexuality in everyone's faces, and demanding that they accept you. Stop that, and society will ignore you, just like it does everyone else.

Still a way to go

For what to happen? Complete acceptance? Not going to happen. I've been to gay communes, and even there, you'll find gay people with biases towards how other gay people live or express themselves. Thankfully, humanity does not live in a strict society of ironbound rules, and expectations of behaviour.. otherwise LGBTQ would never have reached this point of freedom/equality. Bringing in such restrictions on other people, will generate the environment we so much want to avoid.

Legally we have equality. Socially, for the most part, there are very few problems, and they're generally avoidable with a little bit of effort. And while some will demand that LGBQ shouldn't need to avoid such, the simple truth is that they will always have to. Anyone who denies that, is simply being unreasonable and likely creates more problems for LGBQ in the long run.

@Brucie Bonus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202265#Comment_119202265

Ha fantastic lack of self awareness.

@Brucie Bonus "Yeah, a world were people leave pedantry aside and discuss things."

@Brucie Bonus "Ireland is intolerant in many areas. Let's agree its not settled. You're boring the arse off me."

No worries chief. If you don't want people to ask you about what you mean, try not to throw in glib and meaningless phrases in order to sound profound.

"We have a way to go" indeed.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119201034#Comment_119201034

having a month for dwarves isnt a bad idea actually, i only recently heard 6 out of 7 dwarves arent Happy

Tipperary animal lover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119201302#Comment_119201302

Definitely agree with your friend, its gone totally commercialised and has lost all meaning from the roots in was started from, my husband and I stay well clear of them now as do many of my friends, as for "still a way to go" ..... I'm very happy to live in Ireland today as an openly gay man compared to 30/40 years ago, where i had to run the gauntlet of bullying i secondary school in a small town, hiding who i was in my early years of working, been beating up on nights out just because i was poofter, shirt lifter, pansy and on and on, we've come along way in this country but the carry on of the die hards in the gay community will always want to push the barrier and never be happy, that is why we see push back now, all i want to do is live my life happy and content, you only have one life enjoy it,.

Liberty_Bear

Dunno what the fuss is about, I get a gang of lads, some of whom are not out to go for a few beers in town and show them that we can express ourselves freely. Its odd the other 11 months of the year I have to see straight people walking down the street holding hands. Kissing each other on the street. On TV I have to watch straight couples. I have to read about straight couples here on Boards a lot of the time. People with their girlfiriends or boyfriends and know what, it is so divisive. Why do we feel the need to proudly display our hetrosexuality? Men in Coppers in half open shirts and tight jeans, women pouring out of dresses - pushing their hetrosexuality into my face. Last week I sat down out side Jervis having a coffee and a man and a woman had the sheer audacity to kiss on front of me - why cant they like us homosexuals and the trans and lesbians and the bi just blend into society. Few weeks back I went to a hetrosexual wedding and it was so obvious most people are hetro, was disgusted with it in a way. Everywhere I go hertrosexuals are pushing it in my face so yes I am fully with ye. And the commericalisation (which gay pride unfortunately does) - I mean look at movies like Top Gun or companies selling everything from chocolate to clothes using straight couples, what is all that about.

SouthWesterly

I've seen a rise in the use of "proud to work for the government of Ireland" email signatures in the last 12 months.

I'm not convinced those people telling me their sexual preferences makes them do their jobs any better.

Mostly they've thought the world owed them something and didn't like being told the answer to their query when it contradicted their pre-conceptions.

B.A._Baracus

Pride month is a load of bollocks. So some companies change their logo to pride colours, a few people will wear pride colours blah blah.

Cause the harsh truth is that life is dog eat dog and every man for himself. So yes, pride is a load of bollocks.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119203797#Comment_119203797

Well, it's a little bit more multi-layered than that.

I agree with you on corporate hypocrisy, for sure, but do you think Pride parade itself is unnecessary?

cuttingtimber22

If Pride month helps ‘normalise’ the reality of non heterosexuality to the extent that it is not an issue any more then I think it is in everyone’s interests.

Strumms

I’m going to start a hay pride festival…

id tell you more about it but I’m feeling a little horse…

Liberty_Bear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119203711#Comment_119203711

i said the same thing about male colleagues talking about their wives, quite why they want to flaunt their heterosexuality is beyond me. We already know...

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119204181#Comment_119204181

I've never seen a man putting an announcement in their email signature.

Liberty_Bear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119204267#Comment_119204267

Ive seen women do it by writing Mrs,

Should hear the lads talking in the canteen about going for dinner with their wives, honestly pushing that hetroness in my face (I'll stop sarcastically labouring that point now as Im sure everyone is tired of it but you get my drift)

Dyr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119204282#Comment_119204282

Possibly add "Red Herring" to your email signature 😂

Liberty_Bear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119204301#Comment_119204301

Im offended I identify as an octopus!

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119204103#Comment_119204103

I saw this millions of years ago, didn't think I'd find it so easily.

AllForIt

stupid vanilla

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119200096#Comment_119200096

I’m only after copping you’re talking about the Queen, like, THE Queen, not… queens 😬

Oh believe me Jack, THE Queen of England for some is only a template for a proper Queen in some circles 😄

edit: I'll take one month in prison for that, because it was worth it.

sekiro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202964#Comment_119202964

It's so frustrating to see that you are so close to understanding people's confusion about Pride Month and instead go on this weird passive aggressive ranty thing instead.

All of the things you are talking about are like the background radiation of a species that reproduces when a man and a woman get together and, you know the rest. Or maybe you don't. I don't care.

People don't "proudly display their heterosexuality". They just act in their nature and get on with it. They don't need a flag to let you know they are just getting on with it. They don't need their employer to send emails every day for a month to let you know they are just getting on with it. They are just living their lives and getting on with things. There's no overt "It's Great To Be Straight" advertising or whatever. When you see the happy man and woman holding hands on the street, that's just people doing their thing and not making a big deal of it.

If you stopped being so self absorbed for a minute you'd notice that loads of people absolutely hate public displays of affection. If I see two heterosexual young ones snogging the face off each other at the bus stop? I think that's gross! I don't want to see that stuff. I can say that though. I can see those two gross wet heterosexual mouths mashing together and I can say "ew that's gross" and nobody will give a damn. Can't say that out loud if it's a gay couple mind you. That might be hate speech.

People would see it has highly inappropriate if some lad in the work is talking about the specifics of what he does with his girlfriend when they go away for the weekend. Yes, talking about their trip away to France is fine and all but nobody wants to hear explicit details. Nobody! You think straight folks are gathering round and listening intently when that greasy guy at work wants to brag in explicit detail about his conquests? Nope! We even have euphemisms to avoid this kind of talk. When someone says "I slept with whatshername" I can guarantee you there was very little sleeping.

People object to the pushing of pride precisely because heterosexual relationships are absolutely not pushed in the same way. If you actually think they are then you need to think a little harder.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119205492#Comment_119205492

If someone said they were having a straight pride festival they’d be labelled a bigot and phobe