This weird feeling when another group is around and shining is an underlying cause of xenophobia. It’s natural for some people to strive to belong to a group, and it’s natural to be cautious of a group you don’t belong to because the animal part of your brain can take the group as a threat, and rightfully so in some cases.
In other cases, when there’s nothing threatening about a group, that animal part should be kept at bay by conscious effort, by understanding both the group and its pain and the origin of your feelings. Many people don’t know how to do this, and this is the biggest problem. Especially when instead of teaching how to build bridges, instead of learning new things about the other, people just go into defense mode. I’m so devastated to observe this everywhere now.
That said, LGBTQ people still have to fight for their rights, because lots of people still get murdered even in the US and that’s unacceptable. ‘Shoving it in your face’? I personally would love to stop it once people finally get accustomed to the idea being different doesn’t mean being a threat and we stop being bullied and harassed and murdered every frickin day.
I just feel that it’s a bit much. Outside of Puerto Ricans, I don’t think I’ve ever seen another group (aside from the crackpot Republicans, but that’s not your average American) that has so much pride for their heritage that they need to deck themselves out in it and plaster it on everything they own. I just moved to Miami and there’s a massive Cuban population down here, I don’t see anyone decked out in the Cuban flag or anything close to that.
As for the “alt groups” (the acronym just keeps getting longer) there’s a difference between fighting for your rights and just plastering your flag everywhere and essentially shouting “respect me because I’m different!” to everyone. As an example, do people love the guy or girl that makes Marijuana legalization their identity? The ones that wear “legalize it!” Tshirts, wear socks and hats with pot leaves on it, and it’s all they ever talk about? No, most people (including myself, a heavy smoker for about 2 decades) find them annoying as fuck.
You can fight for something and promote it without making it your entire identity.
I’m foreign, so I googled Puerto Ricans and man do those guys have a rich history and culture. Man they have so much to offer the world, and queer folks too, they all have so many things to tell if you just ask, so many out-of-the-box things I bet you’ve never thought about. You clearly don’t want to ask though, so okay.
This weird feeling when another group is around and shining is an underlying cause of xenophobia. It’s natural for some people to strive to belong to a group, and it’s natural to be cautious of a group you don’t belong to because the animal part of your brain can take the group as a threat, and rightfully so in some cases.
In other cases, when there’s nothing threatening about a group, that animal part should be kept at bay by conscious effort, by understanding both the group and its pain and the origin of your feelings. Many people don’t know how to do this, and this is the biggest problem. Especially when instead of teaching how to build bridges, instead of learning new things about the other, people just go into defense mode. I’m so devastated to observe this everywhere now.
That said, LGBTQ people still have to fight for their rights, because lots of people still get murdered even in the US and that’s unacceptable. ‘Shoving it in your face’? I personally would love to stop it once people finally get accustomed to the idea being different doesn’t mean being a threat and we stop being bullied and harassed and murdered every frickin day.
I just feel that it’s a bit much. Outside of Puerto Ricans, I don’t think I’ve ever seen another group (aside from the crackpot Republicans, but that’s not your average American) that has so much pride for their heritage that they need to deck themselves out in it and plaster it on everything they own. I just moved to Miami and there’s a massive Cuban population down here, I don’t see anyone decked out in the Cuban flag or anything close to that.
As for the “alt groups” (the acronym just keeps getting longer) there’s a difference between fighting for your rights and just plastering your flag everywhere and essentially shouting “respect me because I’m different!” to everyone. As an example, do people love the guy or girl that makes Marijuana legalization their identity? The ones that wear “legalize it!” Tshirts, wear socks and hats with pot leaves on it, and it’s all they ever talk about? No, most people (including myself, a heavy smoker for about 2 decades) find them annoying as fuck.
You can fight for something and promote it without making it your entire identity.
I’m foreign, so I googled Puerto Ricans and man do those guys have a rich history and culture. Man they have so much to offer the world, and queer folks too, they all have so many things to tell if you just ask, so many out-of-the-box things I bet you’ve never thought about. You clearly don’t want to ask though, so okay.