While an opinion is something to always be respected, it is hard to do so when the motives behind it somehow insult the efforts of a community as a whole.
While many can agree and maybe support the sense of frustration a stereotype brings to anyone’s life, “UF’s Pride Student Union perpetuates LGBT stereotypes” by Jonothon Mitchell went beyond stating an adverse point of view and instead attacked the sense of pride of many in our Student Body.
While an event like the drag show “The Diva Wears Prada” was one that accentuated many aspects that some homosexuals cannot identify with, it is important to realize that the celebration of such is essential to the LGBTQ culture.
The gathering of a group of people who might not choose to do the same thing but are always willing to commemorate those who do is not to be confused as a rally of sentiment with the means to encourage all to follow suit.
It instead exemplifies the idea of history and tradition.
Being part of a long line of struggles and stories, our community has chosen to celebrate the things that many have identified themselves with and have found comfort and happiness within.
Although the intention is to celebrate those who do identify with the “drag” lifestyle, there were no announcements, encouragements or the slightest push to make anyone feel that this was the only way to be a proud homosexual.
It is understood that the comfort levels of all vary, but to say that the celebration of such aspects of our community is an embarrassment to people of our kind is disheartening.
Along with the drag show, Pride Awareness Month advocated HIV testing.
Should this also be a disgrace to Mitchell because it also hints to the stereotype that all homosexual men contract the disease?
Or is it just another mission from the leaders of our culture to advocate for an issue that along with being scary is the reality to many of us?
Should the same people who participated in the drag show Thursday boycott performances by Allison Weiss for also representing homosexuality in the way Mitchell did not intend to?
Or is it the mission of Pride Student Union to give a sense of comfort to every single different approach to homosexuality that is represented in our university and our nation?
To say that we choose to maintain a stereotype is downright wrong.
To say that we are embracing the culture as a whole, never leaving out the experience of anybody for being too far-fetched or downright strange, is right.
Like Mitchell, I am a gay man who has never been inclined to wear women’s clothing or carry the rainbow flag on my back at all times.
It has, however, become my mission to celebrate those who have been through the same struggles as I have and to make them feel at home.
I would not leave out rednecks or Quakers from American culture, and even if it goes without saying that I would never choose to participate in either of those lifestyles, I would also never condemn a celebration of either as a sub-par representation of my American identity.
Editor's note: This letter refers to this guest column.
