[quote=@LuckyBlackCat]
I support LGBTQ+ pride, it seems pretty necessary in society. No, being gay, bi, trans etc isn't all you are, but it's a part of your identity. No, it's not all about sex. What about asexuals, for example? Yes, some people do go over the top, but seeing as society pressures them to hide that part of themselves away, you can't really blame them for defying that.
[/quote]

I mean, in the US, yes, sure. I can see how a LGBT pride can be 'necessary' to a degree in the way that you mentioned. It shows humanity there.

However for 99% of the other countries where prides are held (for example in Europe) these are not necessary because we don't face that much hate crime against anyone within that given community. I've mentioned the statistics earlier and they were really insignificant. I can look it up again if you'd like, and even give you the .pdf but it's in Dutch so it's pretty useless (for you. I found it quite insightful).

I'm curious to see how asexuals partake in a pride. Likely they are part of the crowd that doesn't actually partake in the whole 'dressing up and being 'gay' in public' shebang but rather just enjoys festivities. Which is the part that I don't really have any problems with, as I've mentioned before. (I mean, you replied after me and I think you were responding to me directly.) 

In the US and Europe in particular there's a lot of focus on sex, however. For example after the Orlando shooting the support some of the gay business owners gave was in the form of offering rainbow-colored dildo's and vibrators. I read a really good post on Facebook somewhere where someone (whom was.. gay? Queer? I don't know) spoke out against the LGBTQ+ community for focusing so much on sex. I found that a really enlightening post, but I'd be unsure if I could find it again. They were responding to an ad for the rainbow colored vibrators/dildo's.

Again, it's not really the pride that bothers me, it's the content. Private venues exist for this, we have a Kamasutra fair where people do all kinds of shit that have to do with sex. Stuff you can't really do in a public fair. I would like to imagine a 'LGBTQ+ fair' could be a thing especially in America, where a private venue is hired. 

Something like Comic-con? IDK. If it was in such a location I might re-consider visiting, since my last few visits to a gay pride have been lackluster and weren't about acceptance whatsoever but was about drinking alcohol and being sexual in public. It was kinda disappointing.

[quote=@LuckyBlackCat]
The circumstances behind Pride are different to the enforcement of religion. Pride started out as a protest against homophobia, biphobia, transphobia etc. It was, and still is, a fight to be accepted, not a bid for attention. This is why Straight Pride is unnecessary. Being straight doesn't put people at a social disadvantage, so straight people don't have to battle institutionalised oppression. (Well, they obviously do if they belong to another minority group, but in that case, their problems don't stem from their heterosexuality.)

I get where people are coming from about the louder side of the LGBTQ+ community. There are queer people who say the loudmouths set back the cause. The problem is, we're constantly expected to be silent, and some people try to defy this by going too far in the other direction. How far is too far, though? It's tricky, to say the least. I mean, I'm not going to do sexual things in public, but I'm open about being bisexual. It's only one part of me, but it's still a part, and yes, I'm struggling to find a balance between downplaying it and overemphasising it.

It would just be nice for my girlfriend and I to be able to hold hands without being scared. It would be great not to be worried about mentioning that I have a girlfriend, and for people not to assume I'm just confused or indecisive. But, sadly, society is still prejudiced against LGBTQ+ people, and while that prejudice still exists, some form of protest is going to have to happen.
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Did you know homosexual/bisexual women are less likely to be 'oppressed'? Acceptance is higher for gay/bisexual females, than it is for gay/bisexual men. 

This was even represented in suicide graphs. I found that quite interesting. 

Either way, um, as for your idea that straight people suffer less disadvantages - yes. In America. I mean, in the sense that homosexuals/bisexuals or whatever suffer more. Hetero's can be disadvantaged based on skin color, but I guess that's besides your point.

In Europe any form of discrimination is illegal under an umbrella law that prohibits any kind of discrimination against anyone for any reason. The US has a lot to learn when it comes to that, yes.

However I'm not sure why you'd let anyone and their mom know that you're bisexual. I'm straight and I don't go around yelling at people 'yo, I'm straight!' Isn't it something you keep to yourself, a little? Consider that. For example on a job interview, I doubt your future employer would ask you straight up what your sexuality is. If he does, that's harassment. I think you could file it under that. Ya feel?

I also don't think prides do anything to 'help' acceptance be furthered. It's just a festival/feast thing. 

You're not attracting anyone who dislikes homosexuals to that feast and making them change their mind. It's just a gathering of people that have such a LGBT thingie, and then you party with them. So it's just an echo chamber, or at the very least not changing anyone that is AGAINST homosexuality or LGBT people in general their minds, right?

[quote]I mean, I'm not going to do sexual things in public, but I'm open about being bisexual. It's only one part of me, but it's still a part, and yes, I'm struggling to find a balance between downplaying it and overemphasising it.[/quote]

Then by all means. Why do you need to downplay or overemphasize it? Just 'be it' however large that part is for you. If you're the most gay person in existence then by all means be as gay as you want to be. As long as you're not being sexual/indecent in public there's not a problem. Which is exactly why;

[quote]It would just be nice for my girlfriend and I to be able to hold hands without being scared. It would be great not to be worried about mentioning that I have a girlfriend, and for people not to assume I'm just confused or indecisive. But, sadly, society is still prejudiced against LGBTQ+ people, and while that prejudice still exists, some form of protest is going to have to happen.[/quote]

Is something I will never have a problem with. Kiss away to your hearts content. And I mean, I'm assuming you're not really running up to random people and tell them 'hey, I'm a girl, and I have a girlfriend' right? If so then there shouldn't be a problem. 

And if people that are close to you find out and can't deal with it, then you have to ask yourself if they were really your friends or family to begin with.

That's just what I think anyway.