You definitely do not understand the purpose of pride month if you think it's only about 'parading around'. I mean, yeah, it's part of it. To be allowed to be openly proud of your gender or sexuality. It's a month of celebrating our history since the Stonewall revolution when queer folks began to fight back against the cops, the government, and society because we were no longer going to accept their mistreatment of us.

Pride month is about remembering that struggle. Pride month is about people finding solace in a community that accepts them when their loved ones reject them for their gender identity or orientation. It's about spreading awareness. And yes, it's also about being proud of who you are and parading it around and telling the world that it can't dismiss, mistreat, ignore, and oppress us.

I should have read up about that beforehand.

Still, even though I'm glad that it happened and that we can be who we wanna be, I still think a whole month is just overkill. One whole month for that while events that I consider bigger and which had a more major impact on modern day society, i.e. the two world wars, get only 2/3 days tops. I'm okay with 1 day but a month is ridiculous in my opinion.

And the parading around is so unnecessary. Who needs to know? Does the whole world need to know what ones sexual orientation is? I think it should be kept to those you trust and will accept it.

I think it's kind of unfair that you're comparing it to something like world war 2 as if most societies, especially in the USA aren't overly deferential to their military anyway and demand people respect the troops and the flag and all that shit every day of the year, but also all around the world people remember a LOT of important world war events every year, it's way more than 2/3 days if you actually listen to people. Also the USA has a BUNCH of different heritage months, and Pride Month is just one of the many different months that's designated like that because lots of important events in queer history happened there and lots of celebratory events fall in June. Also let's not even mention the fact that Trump's refusing to recognise pride month at all while his administration is rolling back countless fundamental human rights for queer folks.

And also that's fine that you don't want to let everyone know about your orientation, that's your opinion and it's your right to want to keep your sexual orientation to yourself. But I'm far too tired of watching the rights of people like me being rolled back to shut up about it. If people can't deal with me being openly queer that's their problem.

Why be mad at a month that's been 'made' for positivity and awareness? You could choose to join or ignore it.
Pride month is a political movement against lgbt+ persecution, for lgbt+ rights to be equal and also to not be afraid. I would love for pride month to not exist, that would mean that i wouldnt be afraid to hold my gf's hand in public, that i'd be out to my parents. That would mean Orlando never happened, that convertion therapy was banned and illegal everywhere, parents wouldnt throw their kids in the street or verbally abuse them for who they are. That'd mean countless of people wouldnt be driven to suicide for loving someone. That the witch hunt in Russia and Ukraine wasnt a thing, that censuring lgbt content wasnt a thing. That African lgbt person wouldnt face jail for being lgbt. That we'd also aknowledge the harm done to the community during and after WW2 too. That POC Trans people wouldnt be one of primary target of hate crimes. That the current USA president wasnt such a dickhead. Hell that France didnt have a conversation about maybe going back on marriage equality some years ago.

Our sexuality matter as long as there is inequalities against it.

Sure things are getting better slowly, but we can't give up because we have one things, even more when other countries are still struggling and we have to spread awareness for them too. To show the younger ones that they're not alone and they're not "abnormal"
I would love for pride month to just transform in, idk, pride memorial day where we remember the people who suffered and honor them while we dont have to fight anymore. Sadly we're not there yet

There's a lot of reason Pride month exist and is important. More importantly, being mad at people for celebrating themselves freely for one month is pointless. I'm fine with people ignoring it or not participating -I totally understand people not wanting to expose themselves! Hell im kinda reluctant too, but again, it's because im still a bit afraid so, yeah- but why shame it?
In th end it's one month of partying and happy people.
I'm sorry this is so long, i hope i didnt came out as harsh or smth ;;;

Well no it didn't come off as aggressive or anything, no worries. I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to share your opinion with me. And I have to admit that I feel that here in the Netherlands I can stand relatively safe stating my sexuality. And also have the option to speak my mind about it.

The reason why I made this journal was to express myself as I legit cringed at some "Pride month" posts I saw posted on FA.

Alright i'm glad It's nice to hear that in the netherlands it's all chill, because personnally in France i don't have the best experience, and well, Poland is not the best either -Majority Christan conservative population and government hooray!-
That's fine, but again the best way to go with this is to ignore them, they're not hurting anyone directly - well if they are, for exemple TERFs is a-ok to dunk on them and cringe worthy, fuck them- Complaining about them won't make them stop and all that'll happen from this are angry people from both sides :) Really, just stop reading them if they're really over the top -it's the furry fandom after all, they're going to be -