So you don't think truly being proud of who you are, after growing up In a society that tells you you are not equal, you don't deserve the same rights we do, God hates you, you could,lose your family and friends, your career, you could be beaten and the perpetrators would barely be slapped on the wrists, you are told you are bad parents and the last goes on, if you are gay, isnt much of an accomplishment??? That takes a whole lot of mental strength and therapy to be proud of who you are when you are gay. To be proud is quite the accomplishment because the gays I know, have a lot of internal homophobia and addiction problems. Like drinking to kill the pain of not being "normal", and in the end, they kill themselves.

Maybe they say it out loud, so young gays can grow up Ina different environment, and hopefully become proud of who they are sooner than the old generation.

There's been several gay members here. And at least one transgendered person.

At least 2 of the latter that I can think of. The first, Hel'n, might have been before your time.

I'd turn her back.

Like I said, it's not an accomplishment. It's just who they are. I can see some of the logic of being proud to announce their sexuality to the world (kind of), but not "I'm gay and I'm proud of it!"

Graduating from Harvard? Sure, that's an accomplishment.

Winning a playoff game? Yes.

Getting a promotion at work.

And, they aren't equal and never will be.

You're looking at accomplishments as things you can touch, a degree, more money, a ring etc...but accomplishing happiness, being proud of yourself, and surviving the storm that follows because you risk losing many things, is also an accomplishment.

And statements like that are part of the reason why it's an accomplishment for gays to be proud of who they are. When you say that, you are saying you are less than and unworthy.

Exactly.

I would like to come out and say that I am straight.

Now, everyone create threads about me.

"I'm proud of it" doesn't mean "I've accomplished something" in this context. It means "I'm not ashamed of the fact that I'm gay" and it's probably more about speaking to others who are afraid to come out and offering to be a role model for them than it is about anything self-focused.

I agree with this.

While I'm not gay, I would imagine the so-called pride comes from acknowledging something you've spent so much of your life hiding. The embarrassment is gone, the guilt is gone, the self-recrimination is gone. You can just be you, finally, and it probably feels pretty ****ing good.

As far as "equality" goes, I'm not sure what sexuality has to do with that, any more than race or gender. People are more than walking genitalia.

And that will just about do it. Welcome to ignore, you half-witted **** wipe.

What does this even mean?

Again, I'm specifically talking about "I'm proud that I'm gay."