Okay okay, you probably get sick of hearing me sqawk about LGBTQIA+ Issues as its not directly fandom related (though there are tons of LGBTQIA+ people in the fandom). But this needs to be said. I have been seeing a lot of pride suits as a trendy statement after the Orlando Massacre (which was widely publicized and talked about - and rightfully so). Many LGBTQIA+ people are subjected to violence everyday, and we don't see a lot of that publicized or talked about. We don't hear about the daily assaults and murders or the simple horror stories of existing.

Now I am not talking about just white queers (so sit your butt down now if you think I am ranting JUST for white people) Whether you like it or not, people of color in the LGBT community are at the greatest risk of violence, abuse, discrimination and more.

But to the straight , cis, and non LGBTQIA+ people out there. I see you making suits about 'Pride'. I just have to say that isn't you pride, this should not be about a straight/cis non-LGBTQIA+ person running around in a 'Pride' suit like it is something to call your own. Like I appreciate the support but it isn't really your 'pride' that should be shinning, it is those who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I know you are trying to be positive and supportive, but it takes away space for LGBTQIA people to be their true authentic selves and makes space for other 'ally's and staight / cis folks to take up space rather then us (LGBTQIA+ People).

I am really frustrated with non LGBTQIA+ people taking up space and identities in the name of ally-ship. Let LGTBQIA+ people take up some space for once (if they want) and let us do the talking about ourselves, about our communities and for our communities. I am really fed up with seeing people wearing my identities for 'fun' and for 'pride'.

I am all for Straight ally folks to support LGBTQIA people. But I just don't know how I feel about people walking around in a pride suit and wearing identities that aren't their own. Wearing identities that people struggle with and pain over everyday. I do have suits that are LGBT characters, but it is a safe space for me to feel valid in my identities. I appreciate the support people are trying to put forward, but I would appreciate it much more in other ways. Standing up for LGBTQIA+ folks and stepping in when you see hate / slurs / discrimination is so much more powerful then dressing up in a rainbow suit and being like 'Yay I support the LGBT community." Anyone can throw on a t-shirt, face paint, a costume etc and say they support the community. But the real support has to come from you standing up for LGBT people in real life, not just wearing a costume. If people are doing that work I am glad, they are being a good human being, lots of people don't do the work.

But as a person in the LGBT community I am pointing out I find it uncomfortable that someone would dress up in a suit proclaiming an identity that they are not identified with themselves. For example Someone wearing a trans pride suit that isn't trans person is pretty upsetting to me as a trans person. :/ This is a person who isn't trans, who doesn't understand the daily struggle as a trans person who is now dressing up and proclaiming their support for trans people without being trans themselves our understanding the struggle of trans people.

The problem lies in dressing up as an identity that isn't you own to support and identity you don't truly understand and then being able to take that identity off. I can't turn my identity off, its not a costume, its not a game and its frustrating to see people who aren't LGBTQIA+ wearing costumes that are related to identities that aren't their own. I am not running around in a suit dressed up in support of the BDSM community which I am not involved in. Really dressing up in a suit that isn't affiliated with your identity is no different then being like. "I support Black Lives Matter." I am going to make a suit to support BLM. Then go ahead and make a black trope fursuit. like thats not how you support BLM. You do work to support BLM not dress up in a trope of their real and valid identities and struggles. Dressing up in a pride suit when you aren't in the LGBTQIA community is no different.

In short, I don't think its right to dress up in support of an identity that is not your own, there are so many more positive ways to support LGBTQIA+ people, and I think first is respecting them as more then an identity and giving them the space to claim their identities without people who aren't in those communities claiming those identities. Feel free to PM me to talk about this more. I am not trying to be a jerk, I am trying to be constructive. i know a lot of LGBTQIA+ folks that would have issues with Straight cis folks dressing up in pride suits when so many of us have lost our families, friends, jobs and lives to our identities.