(Newsradio 1020 KDKA) — June is pride month across America when LGBTQ people will march in parades and participate in pride festivals.
The events allows everyone to celebrate the diversity of the community as well as taking a stance against violence and discrimination toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
June was selected as pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots in New York City, thought to be the birth place of the modern pride movement.
But three men in Boston want to celebrate and “straight rights” with a straight pride parade later this summer.
“Super Happy Fun America” is the group behind the idea. It was founded by John Hugo, who lost a U.S. House race 75 to 24 percent last year, Mark Sahady founder of “Resist Marxism” a right-wing page on Facebook with over 12,000 followers and Chris Bartley, the team’s “Gay Ambassador” who according to the website, “uses his status in the LGBTQ community to challenge heterophobia wherever it exists.”
On their website Hugo says, “Straight people are an oppressed majority. We will fight for the right of straights everywhere to express pride in themselves without fear of judgement (sic) and hate. The day will come when straights will finally be included as equals among all of the other orientations.”
Boston’s Democratic mayor Marty Wash would not comment on the “straight pride parade.”
The prade would have the same route as this Saturday’s pride parade in Boston.
The thought of a “straight pride parade” did not sit well with many people on social media.
Actor Chris Evans, who played Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic universe said,
“Wow! Cool initiative, fellas!! Just a thought, instead of ‘Straight Pride’ parade, how about this: The ‘desperately trying to bury our own gay thoughts by being homophobic because no one taught us how to access our emotions as children’ parade? Whatta ya think? Too on the nose??”
Wow! Cool initiative, fellas!! Just a thought, instead of ‘Straight Pride’ parade, how about this: The ‘desperately trying to bury our own gay thoughts by being homophobic because no one taught us how to access our emotions as children’ parade? Whatta ya think? Too on the nose?? https://t.co/gaBWtq2PaL
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans)
June 5, 2019 Wow, the number gay/straight pride parade false equivalencies are disappointing. For those who don’t understand the difference, see below. Instead of going immediately to anger(which is actually just fear of what you don’t understand)take a moment to search for empathy and growth https://t.co/e98K0Z150T
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans)
June 5, 2019 Actor and activist George Takei wrote, "They're planning a "straight pride" parade in Boston, presumably to commemorate that historic moment when courageous heterosexual frat bros finally stood up to the gay cops who had been harassing and arresting them for decades."
They're planning a "straight pride" parade in Boston, presumably to commemorate that historic moment when courageous heterosexual frat bros finally stood up to the gay cops who had been harassing and arresting them for decades.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei)
June 5, 2019 Others also gave their thoughts on the idea:
BREAKING- AXE Bodyspray has declined to be a sponsor for the Straight Pride Parade. https://t.co/TXxoiIJ7LV
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski)
June 5, 2019 if the straight pride parade happens, I might actually stand a chance on Xbox Live for a couple of hours
— Fred Delicious (@Fred_Delicious)
June 5, 2019 STRAIGHT PRIDE PARADE?? WHAT'S NEXT STRAIGHT MARRIAGE???
— Matt. (@MattTheBrand)
June 4, 2019 Doesn’t Boston have a straight pride parade every time the Patriots win a Super Bowl?
— Rob Tannenbaum (@tannenbaumr)
June 4, 2019
