Augusten Burroughs Isn’t Proud to Be Gay, ‘Cause He Didn’t Work to Get That Way
Do you know what happens when you don’t instill religion on little gay boys and girls to teach them to hate themselves? Then you wind up like memoirist Augusten Burroughs, confusing Santa and Jesus. [Big Think]
I happen to agree on the whole “proud v. non-proud” matter. I’m not proud of my sexuality. I’m not ashamed of it. Just like I’m not proud (or ashamed) of my race, the fact that I was born in Detroit, or that I’m artistically-inclined. These aren’t things I chose or worked toward. They just are. And I’m cool with that.
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I never really thought about it, but, I’m proud of what I’ve done. I just happen to be who I am.
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Heterosexuals prance around daily very proud of their sexual orientation. They throw huge parties depicting roleplaying and it goes on and on ad nauseum from there. No reason why gay people cannot feel the same pride about themselves. Why not attack straight people and their pride instead?
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I think Augusten’s point is to distinguish the difference between “proud” and “unashamed”. Semantically, he is correct to make this distinction, but colloquially, we all prefer to use the word “proud” to mean that we are unashamed of our orientation. We do this because the term “unashamed”, though correct, has a negative derivation, while “proud” is a positive.
AND anyway, as the man says, one should indeed be “proud” of their orientation of they have overcome obstacles to get to their own place of comfort.
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@Chitown Kev: lol Well, you can’t share my sentiment on being born in Detroit if you’re not from the Motor City, Motown, Detroit Rock City, The D, hmm…need more catchy nicknames. I’ll get back to you.
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Sorry, ALAN, but that’s fucking rude. He is attractive. How does your insult bring a dialog?! I just don’t get shooting from the hip in such a mean-spirited way. I find both sides of the argument valid and legit. EWE,so true, you are stating the obvious!
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Would any of us beyond a certain age consider being cured of our ‘gayness’?
At some point you learn that it is orientationists with the problem that needs to be ‘cured’, not us.