“With The Total Push of Other Ways Of Living…Let’s All Please Remember We All Come From This Right Here... No Disrespect 2 No One But Let’s Push This More N 2020.”
These were the words rapper Big Gipp of the classic Atlanta group Goodie Mob captioned in an Instagram post over a flyer image promoting “Heterosexual Pride Month” on Friday.
I just... I don’t get it. In just a few days, we will enter the year 2020 and it still needs to be explained to people who are on the privileged side of marginalization why they/we do not have the same societal need to celebrate “pride” in our respective demographics that those on the socially oppressed side do. In other words, us straights do not need a damn “Pride Month” the same way white people don’t need a “White History Month.”
Gipp, much like the organizers of the failed and thoroughly dragged “Straight Pride Parade,” is falling into the trap of, essentially, making an “All Lives Matter” statement and ignoring the fact that, even if granted, any event giving special recognition to a social majority would look little different than what we already see every day and everywhere.
He ignores that the recent surge in media representation of the queer community still pales in comparison to that of heteronormative activity. We’re so desensitized to seeing hetero love scenes and other intimate activity on full display that many of us have forgotten how much more of it you can get away with on network television that you couldn’t even a decade ago, but those same people sure as hell notice when two guys share an onscreen kiss.
Honestly, when folks try to talk to me about a heterosexual pride day, month, parade or what have you, I look at them the same way I do when I’m asked if I celebrate 4/20: “Bruh, I might as well be celebrating ‘Wearing Pants Day.’”
Anyway, I just really need Big Gipp to get it together. I’ve already lost my favorite member of Goodie Mob, CeeLo Green to a sexual assault scandal, I would hate to see my second favorite member fall from grace over veiled bigotry.
Not you too, Gipp. Not you too.