MommyisNotSilent wrote:

Before my ex and before pride became the laughing stock and look at me fish bowl that is is now, I didn't mind pride at all. Way back when it was simply people wearing rainbow stuff and walking together. It was pretty tame in comparison to what it is now... I had friends who were LGBT and who were healthy... Who had healthy relationships and didn't shove anything in your face or scream for validation or acceptance. This was way before the extra letters. Anytime I see a pride flag I want to puke. Pride is a constant reminder that some abusive jerk is shoving their transgenderness down my and my daughter's throat. It's a reminder that I have to be so careful about talking about him and ... the abuse sits on the back burner because oh he's so brave for coming out, he's so awesome for the strife he has faced...

What's up with this world right now?

I always used to consider myself on the "left" but absolutely no longer because of this issue by itself. I don't feel nauseous by Pride, but terrified. I've felt silenced most of my life for his emotional and psychological abuse and he's still ignored everything he's ever done, daily in my life, while clearly being happy, shouting and participating in Pride parades, feminist and other movements. How can you be a feminist when you've been silencing and erasing of others your whole life (and still are)? How can love be said to win when people intentionally ignore the decades of harm to a straight person? It's truly very scary to me that this is still "moral", acceptable, and something we are required to aide. Personal responsibility for one's life's actions needs to return. Even if it aides those newly coming out, I think the movement needs revised to require responsibility on the part of people who've been psychologically violent. The whole month makes me anxious, beyond the background norm. I hope that society views this movement and what it claims to stand for at a deeper level at some point, instead of just claiming as it does that it's a show of open-mindedness.
 

Ellexoh_nz wrote:

MarieSimoneLoraine wrote:

I live in Ontario, Canada, where June is also Seniors Month. In my seniors' group we have workshops and activities including, you have guessed it, many with LGBTQ components.  It's Seniors' Month so let's talk about LBGTQ.  Not going.
 

 
Marie.... Have you told your seniors group why you won't be there?

Elle

  - My group knows me, the seniors, they know all about me and my situation. I have discussed it at times with them, during our meetings or over a coffee, but I don't feel I have to add anything or for this part of me to be the focus of our meetings!  Group leaders, working communitee employees,  have to conform and give us the official use of pronouns workshops,  explain the new law on self-declaratioin, etc.  I have no problem with these workshops but they won't teach me anything so I will not go.  
 

Lynne,
 I watched the segment from the link you provided.  I love that Katy referred to her father as "he" and "their grandfather."  
And yes, I can guess why she hasn't spoken to him in ten years.  1) the violence; 2) his excusing the violence as a) a rational response to stress, and b) due to his hiding his "real" self.  That he tried to make himself into the victim of his daughter because she told the truth about his violence and a martyr who is willing to have his violence exposed if it "makes her feel better" was so par for the course.