Saturday, June 11th marked DC Capital Pride, complete with a sizable parade and concert throughout DC. While Pride is supposed to be about coming together and embracing love, Pride has gotten a bad rep in the past for being an exclusive and non-diverse festivity.
Often, critics say Pride has the stigma that it only recognizes the "L" and "G" in LGBTQIA, that meaning that it is particularly geared towards gay men and lesbian women. A new addition, but still important and a part of the community, many feel that "A", or asexual"people. are not welcomed because Pride tends to be notoriously sexualized.
As well, many criticize Pride as being not diverse in representing different cultures and ethnicities, as it typically is known to only cater to white people. This is seen as being highly detrimental for those who are often times more discriminated against for not only being gay, but also being non-white. The most notable are often black men and women who identify on the LGBTQIA spectrum.
I want to make it clear that I can and am only speaking from my experience at DC Pride. I am no way trying to advocate or make a blanket statement about who others may have experienced Pride.
This was my first Pride going to and I have recently come out as bisexual. Being bisexual, it often feels that I am not welcomed in the community because there are harsh stigmas surrounding bi men and women.
Bi men are wrongly seen as just beating around the bush until they come out as gay and bi women are often believed to just be straight girls being curious.
Being a bisexual woman, I want to make it clear that there is a difference between identify as bisexual or bi-curious; that is why the "Q" was added, for those who are questioning their sexuality.
I digress. In the past, I felt very excluded from the community because I am not lesbian. However, after going to Pride, I felt like I was with my people. I wore my bisexual pride button, and even was delighted to see that there was a bisexual float included in the parade.
As well, I felt that there were a wide variety of different ethnicities that were included and had their own floats. There was a Black Lives Matter Float, a United Kingdom float, a Swedish float and also a few floats from various Latin American countries.
I was a little worried about going to Pride based on the negative reputation it has for being exclusive and lacking in diversity. However, I found that none of the negative talk was true.
I was able to have an amazing first Pride experience alongside other GW students who all varied in ethnicities and sexualities. There was an unspoken bond and sense of love that I am confident that every person there felt.
We are fighting for love and equality. We cannot be dragged down by others who choose to live in the negativity. Whatever you identify as, you are welcome, you are loved, and you are enough.
