'Don't hate the Straights!': How a group of men in Boston are on a mission to save the 'oppressed majority'
It's Pride month and Boston made the most of it. Rainbows and glitters adorned the streets on June 8, with the LGBTQIA community and their allies taking the city to celebrate their right to love and affirm their right to be who they are. Even the weather was close to perfect. But, just the idea of it had a group of individuals feeling a little left out. They call themselves the Straights and the "oppressed majority".
It might sound contradictory and ridiculous, as it has to a number of people on the internet as well as some of the most famous faces in the world, but those organizing the Straight Pride Parade think that that is just "manufactured rage". Recently, Halsey slammed the Parade during a London show by wearing a t-shirt with the slogan, "F*ck your straight pride". Before that Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez called it out, joining the likes of Brad Pitt, Chris Evans, and Smash Mouth.
A group called Super Happy Fun America, who is behind the parade, says that they believe that straight people are an oppressed majority. John Hugo, President of Super Happy Fun America, shares on their website: "We will fight for the right of straights everywhere to express pride in themselves without fear of judgment and hate."
It is also worth noting that it has been two weeks since the London homophobic attack, where a lesbian couple was left with a broken jaw, blood, and bruises after they refused to kiss for a gang of rowdy men.
While the majority of the world questions the oppressive nature that they are talking about, Samson Racioppi, who is a grassroots organizer for the event claims something different altogether. "Much of the severe backlash from across the world that you speak of is manufactured outrage as part of a larger overall agenda to continue suppressing the oppressed majority," he told MEA WorldWide (MEAWW). "Everywhere you turn, someone is there saying that a non-traditional lifestyle is 'okay', and 'normal', when in fact over 97% of men and women identify as heterosexual. Our aim with this civil rights movement is to rally freedom-loving Americans behind our noble cause, and to remind everyone 'don't hate the straight!'" he says.
The overwhelming majority are in support of our cause, he adds, noting that it has come through merchandise requests, questions about starting a local chapter, donations and the likes. "Love is incredible! People are messaging with very touching messages from across the country, and around the world, with many identifying as part of the LGBT community," he says. The organization also has a Gay Ambassador named Chris Bartley, who is said to use "his status in the LGBTQ community to challenge heterophobia wherever it exists." Bartley, Hugo and Mark Sahady, who is the Vice President of the organization did not respond to our request for comments.
The Straight Pride Parade is set to take place on August 31, 2019.