PRIDE
Pride.
That's a really loaded word these days, isn't it? Pride can be
dangerous, leading to overconfidence and vanity. Pride can be
glorious: taking pride in your work, your skills, your
accomplishments; full confidence in one’s personal abilities can be
a sign of strength and discipline. As if the word wasn't contentious
enough, modern social movements have given the word a political bent.
The
Politicization of Pride
Since
the desegregation of America, your average citizen has become
familiar with the idea of “Black Pride,” and more recently, with
the major legal battle over marriage equality, the phrase “Gay
Pride” has become common vernacular. As a culture we've become
familiar with celebrations of these ideas. We have rainbow pride
parades, black history month, women’s history month, in addition to
all the designated times or events where people within these groups
can gather and feel accepted and appreciated by the community. It
also seems to be some inevitable law of nature, that whenever these
ideas arise, there's that one person in the room who says something
like “Why can't we have straight/white/male pride?”.
Much like the majority of Americans, I'm fairly active on Facebook, and spend an inordinate amount of time keeping up to date with the goings on of my family, friends, and acquaintances on the site. It was there, just this morning, that I re-encountered this line of thought. An acquaintance of mine, who I know to be a tolerant person, posted this:
Much like the majority of Americans, I'm fairly active on Facebook, and spend an inordinate amount of time keeping up to date with the goings on of my family, friends, and acquaintances on the site. It was there, just this morning, that I re-encountered this line of thought. An acquaintance of mine, who I know to be a tolerant person, posted this:
You
may ask, what does this have to do with Heathenism? I've noticed a
disturbing thought pattern, one to which I once unfortunately subscribed. While I
no longer hold this view, the prevalence in our community still sets
me on edge. While sexual orientation is rarely seen as a sticking
point, even the non-folkish members of our community occasionally ask questions like, “Why can't we have White Pride?”. This question
is usually posed a bit more delicately than that (as most can agree
that the phrase “White Pride” has some seriously negative social
connotations), but the sentiment remains the same.
In
a tradition where one venerates their ancestors, and tries to
acknowledge their Orlog, it can be difficult to explain the issues
with this line of thinking. Celebrations of various forms of “Pride”
mean more than an appreciation for your ancestors, or your
orientation, or your gender. These celebrations are a symbol
of an oppressed group being allowed to integrate into society. Black
history month isn't only about being black; rather, it's about
acknowledging those individuals within that community who made great
strides for social equality or scientific development.
Gay Pride parades aren't just celebrations of ones orientation; they
are celebrations of the great strides that our society has made, and
of the idea that people should no longer have to hide who they are.
These are groups who represent minority voices, which are often
ignored by the majority culture. The
picture above asks for those who are “Straight and Unashamed” to
share the picture. My response is: You don't need to celebrate being
“unashamed” of your heterosexuality, because nobody in our
society is trying to tell you that you SHOULD be ashamed. As members
of the majority, we don't need to proclaim "We are here, and we
are people too!". Our inherent worth as human beings was never
in question.
As
a man, every day where I can get a job or a promotion; where I can
have my stated capabilities accepted as true without assuming
limitations based on my gender; where I can have access to
male-specific health care functions without comment, essentially IS
male pride day. As a Caucasian, every day where I never have to worry
about somehow being held as a representative of my whole race through
my actions, or have to worry about my employment opportunities due to
the color of my skin, IS
white pride day. As a heterosexual, every day where I can get
married, adopt a child, get healthcare, and visit my spouse in the
hospital IS
heterosexual pride day. The point of celebrating pride in one’s
grouping is to state to the greater society that we- as a unified
group- exist, and that we deserve equality. Pride celebrations state
that we are just as good, just as valid, just as capable as you are.
As a white, heterosexual, male, I will never have to argue those
particular points, because I already have “equality”; my rights
were never in question. So instead of
white (or straight) people complaining about not having their own
pride day, they should try to be thankful that they don't need one.
A
common problem I've met with while trying to explain this to fellow
Heathens (and other Pagans) is that there IS an issue of social
inequity. We are members of minority religions, and as such we all
find times when that makes our integration and ability to function
within the general society more difficult. Every member of a minority
faith has, at some point in their lives, had to stand up and remind
people that, "We are here, and we are people too!". It's
imperative however, that we remember what battle we’re fighting.
In
a recent debate on this topic, I was asked:
“What
about Heathen Pride? Why can't we take pride in our ancestors?”
Yes,
yes we can, and we DO! We have any number of Heathen festivals and
Pagan gatherings. While not explicitly Pagan, the Highland Games are
a celebration of our cultural heritage! My appreciation for my
predecessors, my attachment to my Orlog, has to do with their legacy,
not the fact that they were white. I am proud of my community, and
the great strides it's made. I am proud of my Kith and Kin, who stand
as the pillars of my life, and the role-models by which I judge my
own actions. I am proud of many of my ancestors, who accomplished
great feats of discovery and innovation.
So
why don't we have white/male/straight pride? Because we don't need
recognition and equality; we already have it. I eagerly await the day
when we are all equal, and such displays are no longer necessary to
force society to recognize your existence. That day hasn't come yet;
we're still fighting for it. So before you complain about somebody
else’s “Pride Day,” consider the last time you were denied a
voice because of who you are. Would you want to deny somebody else
their voice?
