"The Paradox of Pride: Seeking Acceptance Without Celebration"

I've been openly gay since birth, yet I've never attended a pride parade. I think the only reason I'd go is to meet attractive people, but from what I've seen online, Pride isn't where they go. During Pride month, there's a push to take pride in something you didn't choose. Being told to be proud of being gay feels like being told to be proud of having brown hair or two hands. These aren't things I chose; I just happened to be born this way.

Scrolling through Instagram and seeing a flood of rainbow posts feels strange. I wonder if I should be happy that people are supportive. There's a whole month celebrating something that was once unacceptable, which should be good, right? But something still feels off. By creating special months and parades, it makes being gay seem special. Personally, I don't want to be treated as special just for my sexuality. I want to be seen as normal.

Some think pride parades promote acceptance, but I disagree. True normalcy comes when we stop emphasizing our differences. I feel an awkward distance when someone learns I'm gay, as if they feel pressured to say something supportive. There's this expectation that straight people must be openly supportive to be considered allies, but most people don't care about your sexuality, which is how it should be. I find it odd when people wear their sexuality like a badge of honor. We should reconsider giving such importance to this irrelevant detail.

I understand the LGBT community is still fighting for acceptance, but why do we need it? We can legally marry now, so what else is there to push for? At some point, pushing for acceptance feels like forcing agreement, which leads to pushback and regression in progress. Most straight people have been kind to us. For every slur I've heard, there are thousands who supported gay marriage. We should reciprocate that tolerance.

It's okay if someone isn't okay with you being gay. They have their own experiences and beliefs. The LGBT community is known for being inclusive, but it often excludes those who don't fully align with its values. True open-mindedness means tolerating opinions that don't match your own. I could even be friends with a homophobe. I don't care if you don't like me; I'm open to hearing different perspectives without forcing my views on others.

Constantly seeking acceptance is a juvenile expectation. There will always be people who don't like or accept you, and that's normal. As long as they're not harming you or restricting your opportunities, their lack of acceptance shouldn't bother you. The LGBT community often blames their struggles on their sexuality, but that's likely only a small part of the issue.

The LGBT community is marketed like social propaganda, selling an overly positive image. The reality is, we face severe mental health issues and high suicide rates. The process of having a child as a same-sex couple is lengthy and expensive. Social media romanticizes being gay, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows.

People called me a traitor, but I never wanted to fight. Building your identity around your sexuality, something you didn't choose, is pointless. Most people don't care about your sexuality except for those directly involved. Making more LGBT content just gives it unnecessary importance. The best thing for the community now is to be quiet. I know it sounds harsh, but there's a lot of noise, and I'm trying to put out the fire, not add to it.