Well, here we are again: Pride Month. I don't embrace the progressive belief that everything LGBTQIA+WTF must be celebrated, but neither do I support the extreme conservative position that it should be persecuted.
On theological grounds, Christianity has generally considered homosexuality and transgenderism to be sinful, but so is murder, and the Christian Right tends to be disturbingly pro-war regardless of that. They tie themselves in knots trying to show how belligerence is somehow compatible with just war theory. The Catholic church is notorious for instances where their priests abuse boys and get little punishment. However, some more progressive denominations bless same-sex marriages, and there are apparently historical instances of homosexuality being at least acknowledged.
Philosophically, I am a libertarian. If you do not violate the life, liberty, or property of others, you're not a criminal. This doesn't mean everything outside that sphere of trespass is moral and good, but it places basic universal limits on how others can interfere with your choices, and where you may not interfere with theirs. My goal is a society built on the principle of consent. That means you have the right to surgically alter yourself, have sex with as many consenting adults as you want, call yourself whatever pronouns you like, wear what you want, and so on. However, you do not have the right to coerce others into complying with or celebrating your declarations and dalliances.
Image Credit, and yes, I know this is technically slacklining.
Does this make me an ally, or a regressive hatemonger? I want others to be free to pursue their happiness, whether they are right or wrong. I also want to be free to express disagreement with their choices. whether they are political, religious, linguistic, or fashion. I can't help but notice there does seem to be an effort by some transgender activists to prey on vulnerable people. I also know people who truly believed they were born the wrong gender long before this became a topic of public discourse. Is this nature, a sign of deeper psychological issues, or something else? I don't know.
As a former librarian, I am acutely aware of the controversies surrounding literature. There have always been steamy romance novels. Some of the books for teens present what I would consider deeply unhealthy relationships as normal. Many depict homosexuality or transgenderism, because that is the hot-button issue right now, and I don't doubt the publishing houses see at least a lucrative opportunity, even if they don't have an agenda, by feeding the controversy. And libraries try to have newly-published books. This is not proof of a library plan to transgender the youth or groom them for abusers, though.
Obnoxious people of all stripes are using Pride events as an excuse to be confrontational. In local news a couple years ago, a man performed at a drag show in Coeur d'Alene and was accused of exposing himself by a local muckraker who called for his arrest. I'm not a fan of the drag scene, but this particular woman is notorious for exaggeration and blatant falsehoods when it comes to the general topics of sexuality and homosexuality. He sued her, and won. I have deep concerns about slander and libel laws, but in this case with a prominent enemy of local libraries facing penalties for her actions, I admit at least a degree of schadenfreude at her predicament.
Meanwhile, once again, corporations in most of the western world are changing their logos to rainbow patterns as a cheap "woke capitalism" public relations tactic while doing nothing in parts of the world where homosexuality is literally a crime. It's a worse instance of flamboyantly pretending to be something they aren't than any drag show.
Maybe I should just exercise my straight white male privilege and try to ignore the whole mess.
I suspect most people feel like that. It’s your life and you can live it or screw it up however you like. Just extend the same courtesy to me and everyone else. But it seems live and let live has been replaced by celebrate or else.
I am also in the boat of what I call a libertarian centrist.
I believe that any of the extremes are wrong. I believe that in every case a person should be able to use their common sense and make a judgement based on evidence and logic and where something is soley based on opinion, everyone is allowed to have one, as long as they do not try and force theirs on others.
I totally empathize with your sentiments. I tend to get into trouble with both groups of radicals.
I'm not centrist. I am very much an extremist. Just way outside that narrow left/right band of approved debate.
That is an interesting stance!
You say you are an extremist but neither left nor right...
But you do not seem to be overtly intolerant or extremist based on identities.... so is it that you are anti-establishment? How would you define that further?
"I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!"
Interesting.
To be clear, what I meant to say was that I consider myself to be a centrist, not that you are.
Althought generally I do not like labels.
What I believe is that a person should have mental flexibility to deal with situations that come to pass.
And for that reason, if it becomes necessary, to not mistake my self-proclaimed label of being in the centre to mean that I am meek, indecisive or passive.
I put out a fire before it gets out of control. I would punch a madman in the throat and toss him off a cliff if it was a choice between the deranged and the innocent. I would shoot the tiger to save a life.
But in a social and civilized setting speaking of aspects of living life in a non-lethal environment then I like to reason with people and try to connect the thoughts and logic with others. I wish to learn and I wish to impart to them my thoughts in case that is something that they can learn from.
Generally I find myself in "trouble" with people on both sides of certain discussions because I say to them that the other side has a valid point in some regards. But I don't belive that ALL points are valid.
Which is why I do not like labels. There are probably some group or person who wrote something about being a centrist or a liberalist and I might find myself not agreeing with what is said or written based on what I think and feel about the subject. Again, I reserve the right to make up my own ming and decide what I feel is right and wrong.
Is this month still regarded as pride month? I hadn't noticed but then again I live in a country where they really don't participate in any sort of holidays other than national holidays celebrating great victories of supreme leader!
Ha! Yes, it's very much a US thing, and it seems to have spread to more of North America and Europe every year. I don't think it's had much impact on Asia.
I believe I will exercise my straight white female privilege and try to ignore the whole thing.