It’s not easy being white, middle class, and heterosexual. Just ask the students at Youngston State University in Ohio. Earlier this week they began distributing posters advertising “Straight Pride Week” from May 1 to May 8. (Not to nitpick, kiddos, but calling your eight day festival a “week” is inaccurate. Technically, it’s a week and a day.)
The posters, which were plastered anonymously across campus, called for students to kick off finals week “by not annoying the shit out of everyone about your sexual orientation,” and not “telling everyone how ‘different’ you are.”
The bottom of the poster read: “Brought to you by the students that are sick of hearing about your LGBT pride. Nobody cares about what you think you are, or what you want to have sex with. We have nothing against your sexual orientation. We just don’t give a fuck.”
Related: Straight White Guys In Ohio Feel Oppressed, Plan To Hold “Straight White Guy Festival”
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The posters were quickly removed by school officials, who called the idea of a university-sanctioned straight pride week “completely bogus.”
“Reaction has ranged from concern to outrage,” Ron Cole, the university’s public information officer, told The Huffington Post. “While we recognize the right to free speech, this is counter to our mission of being a diverse and accepting campus.”
Several students felt rattled by the homophobic signage.
“This feels like it came out of nowhere,” Lisa Ronquillo, vice president of YSUnity, said. “I honestly feel blindsided by it. It’s not something that I expected from our student body. Everybody for the most part, they’re angry, they’re confused.”
The YSU student government association released the following statement in response to the posters:
When individuals belong to dominant societal cohorts (Caucasian, male, heterosexual, etc.) it is very easy to state “We have nothing against your sexual orientation” and to claim that efforts to raise awareness are “annoying.” For minorities who every day face discrimination and marginalization, such efforts are necessary — without zeal and persistence, sociology teaches that minority concerns very easily go by the wayside. Thus, dismissing the efforts of LGBTQIA students to push for equitable treatment as unnecessary is dangerous because it catalyzes discrimination, whether meant to do so or not.
“There’s no room for this on a university campus,” Ronquillo said. “It’s unprofessional, it’s childish and we need to get people to see we’re just like you, we’re not trying to force an agenda. We need to pull together as a community.”
Related: What Does A Straight Pride Parade Look Like? Ask Sao Paulo
Giancarlo85
Sounds like a white supremacist. All it takes is one delusional Republican to put up posters like that. I can’t believe this would happen at a university… But hey… Stupid people are everywhere.
myloginname
I’m fine with you having a Straight Pride Week. I’m fine with you having a Straight Pride Month. Just have a Straight Pride Week that doesn’t denigrate others. Gay Pride does not put down heterosexuals and Straight Pride shouldn’t put down homosexuals. Therefore have a party. I’m happy you are happy that you are straight. Peace.
QJ201
by not annoying the shit out of everyone about your sexual orientation…
as if gays are constantly annoyed by heterosexual PDA
Giancarlo85
@myloginname: Um I see what you are trying to say, but straight people don’t need straight pride, when heterosexuality is celebrated all over the place and is the dominant trait in society (difficult to word that).
Straight pride is no different than white pride. It has no real basis.
Philigree
If you’re truly secured in who you are, you wouldn’t be annoyed by the preferences of other people. Honestly, the quest for inner peace is quite possibly one of the most violent catalysts in the human race.
Homo Erectus
Only a lesbian would think this was not funny.
Or maybe not – “LGBTQIA” – I can’t even guess what one of those letters means.
Giancarlo85
@Homo Erectus: Grow up!
Antoni Kahwage
OH SO THIS IS HOW THE CLOSETED MEET NOW ?
IzzyLuna
The person(s) who posted this knew it was not-the-best idea, hence…they remained anonymous.
Glücklich
I believe Queerty means YoungsTOWN, one of the many disinvested rust belt burgs in Northern Ohio.
Had a good night last night so I’ll be generous and say the tone of YSU Straight Pride probably took some inspiration from Daniel Tosh/Tosh.0 comedy or even that of Amy Schumer. Probably not intended to be malicious but the Straight Pride organizers misjudged their audience.
Doesn’t bother me.
Roland Hamburger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkFewRm_YC4
Mr-DJ
Don’t they already have 365 days a year???
Captain Obvious
Reminds me of the time I had a white straight guy tell me I was lucky that I was black because I stand out and it gets me noticed more while he blends into the crowd.
Just gotta sigh and roll your eyes. There are no words.
Hillers
Every day is Straight Pride Day.
James Tegtmeier
While they secretly use Grndr.
Dan P
“Reaction has ranged from concern to outrage,” Ron Cole, the university’s public information officer, told The Huffington Post. “While we recognize the right to free speech, this is counter to our mission of being a diverse and accepting campus.”
So – they want to be a diverse campus except for those they do not agree with, like straight people celebrating straightness, then they are not so accepting. Oh, and diverse does not include straight people I suppose. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy and irony in this?
Then of course there is the predictable and typical nazi-white supremacist, republican rant with not a shred of evidence that this event is any of those. I think those comments diminish us. Just let the straight boys have their fun and move on.
For those that don’t like the event, why not just be honest and say we hate straight people and celebrating our lives is only for US and not for YOU.
Such total crap, I’m embarrassed to be part of the gay community when they act like they own the franchise on self-affirmation.
Dakotahgeo
When people understand that the gene pool in Ohio isn’t deep enough for toddlers to play in, you’ll understand the problem. The world needs a good laugh. Thank you, Ohio! Dak!
Giancarlo85
@Dan P: Completely wrong.
This so called straight “pride” week is no different than white pride/power. This is about some students who cannot stand LGBTQQI students. In addition, posting flyers disseminating hatred is not about encouraging diversity. The university has a code of conduct and rules. The flyers were encouraging hatred and a hostile environment. This is contrary to maintaining a equitable learning environment.
So there was no hypocrisy. These flyers were about promoting hatred and intolerance. The gay community isn’t forcing anything on anyone. This so called straight pride week has nothing to do with fairness and including straight people. Straight people are not being excluded from gay pride. Allies are fully welcomed. This straight pride was all about excluding gay people.
Your viewpoints are repugnant and disgusting. You are excusing hatred. By being against this bigoted event doesn’t mean I am against straight people. Get a fucking grip please.
Giancarlo85
By the way, straight people celebrate their lives everyday. Gay people do not and often don’t have that luxury. That is why straight pride is nothing more than redundant and immature. I don’t hate straight people. Not at all. I work with straight people everyday, and I am sure they will all agree with me. Straight pride is unnecessary and ridiculous.
AtticusBennett
here’s the reality – this is entirely anti-gay. why? simple: people who aren’t bigots against LGBT people don’t tout, nor complain about a lack of, “Straight Pride”
this is like your white trash uncle in a hick town that you ignore going on about “how there’s no white history month”
this is pure simple anti-LGBT prejudice. and it’s pathetic.
Avery Alvarez
@Dan P: Get over yourself, and your pathetic sob speech. No one here even has the crocodile tears for it.
For one thing, ANYONE can go to the Pride Parade and celebrate being who they are. Straight people aren’t barred from it. In fact, often times they make up the largest demographic. So just can the BS that “we want our pride but we want to deny others”
Straight Pride, just like white pride, only mean on thing, and it’s the same group of people who propose it everytime – bigots.
Don’t be embarrassed to be part of the gay community. We’re embarrassed that you’re part of it. Now go run along, I’m sure you’ve got cookies to bake for the Hetero-supremacist rally!
Giancarlo85
@Avery Alvarez: Kudos to you! You said it better than I did.
cshields
@Dan P: I see what you’re saying & where you’re coming from, but it’s hard to not to see this stunt for what it really is—just a way to mock the LGBT community for what it stands up for. They meet a few people who think there sexuality makes them an ‘extra special snowflake’ and suddenly generalize that most (if not all) LGBT people think of themselves like that, they think we openly talk about gay rights and have pride parades simply for attention and miss the real reason why things like pride parades and coming out stories are even a thing at all! To show the world we won’t hide who we are to make them happy & content, we won’t pretend to be straight and stay inside a closet to appease them. But then we have people like the ones who pull this ‘straight pride’ crap distorting and twisting the motives of LGBT community into this ‘look at me I’m special’ shit and I’m so over it. Straight people will hardly ever understand how much it hurts to have people degrade you, actively try to deny you the right to marry the person you love, have businesses publicly declare you’re not wanted, have death threats made against you, etc. etc. Whatever problems straight people face in life, LGBT DO in fact face a more unique challenge and I’m sick of them down playing our plight or just out right dismissing it all together. It’s obnoxious, it’s ignorant, and it’s arrogant.
AtticusBennett
@Dan P: i’d wager my left nut you’re not actually a part of the gay community, and if you are a gay man you’re likely one of the snivelling wimps who still wastes every sucking up to the daddy who hates him.
you’re either a bored pathetic straight boy who is trolling, or a truly messed up and broken homo troll with no brain and likely tiny little balls.
Gaymikey1960
They must be so stupid for college kids not to know they are using the gay pride rainbow colors! they do not even know enough to use the straight colors or their flag! yes they are haters be christian or not but still haters using our rainbow gay pride colors! I think someone should tell them to use the straight dull colors and leave our flag and colors alone, Gay pride has been around for over 20 years now and we were the first to have pride and they can’t take that away from us! yes they are mocking us @cshields but i also believe someone in their mix must be gay if they came up with using the gay pride rainbow colors! they can’t take that away from us either because gays came up with it and our pride celebrations have been around so much longer! Kudos to the campus for not sanctioning it i applaud the campus authorities.
bobbyjoe
I have to laugh when they say “We have nothing against your sexual orientation. We just don’t give a f#@#.”
Yes indeed, the best way to demonstrate that you don’t give a f#@# about something is to design posters about it and go to the trouble of putting them up all over a campus.
Dakotahgeo
I wouldn’t have to manage my anger if people would manage their stupidity! Arrogant straight people! Makes one wonder what the parents of these nimrods are like… more than likely they have webbed or furry feet!
I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!
@Giancarlo85: “But hey… Stupid people are everywhere.” You wrote?
As evidenced by you being the 1st person clamoring to get a seat to respond here on this one! Cured your anger issues yet bitch? Or is Saint Law less formal? I’ll call you bitch… It’s easier that way you stupid whore! Ha ha ha!
tardis
That flyer should have read:
Straight Pride
January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015
It’s straight pride all day everyday.
Giancarlo85
@I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!: The anger issues are boiling over for you. I wasn’t addressing your slutty ass. Now sit down and take a chill pill. You really have plenty of mental problems to go along with your pathetic life.
Giancarlo85
And if you really want to make this personal for no reason… I am not the one you should call a stupid whore and I am not the one who engages in reckless stupid behavior.
You don’t want to go there because you will get burned.
Bobby Alexander
HAHA
Cole Steele
Can we just get it over and kick their ass already
Ryan Ellis
I’ll be moving to mars now…
Christopher Bacon
#DEFINITELYAWRSOME
Christopher Bacon
Oops my bad Freak em
Boy L Joey
utter stupidity
A?e Aronovich
Matt Goodman see?
Ai-Quoc N. Heller
Rude
Sullie Kovac
Your KKK applications are in the mail.
Jennifer Mercury
Can you please publish their names? Just for in case one of their resumes ever lands on my desk.
jwtraveler
@Mr-DJ: No, it’s down to 364.
Mark Taylor
dumb!
jwtraveler
Really, what’s to be proud of!
Michael John Morales
Who cares about ohio
Jesus Zamora
Andrew Avila.
Markajv
HAHA! Ok, without going into much detail. I have been confused about my sexuality all my life. I came out as Gay when I was about 19. Very accepting family but never really thought I was completely Gay. – I had been with women and I still drooled over women I just did not have sex with them. I made out with a lot of them though. So when I started going to bars and such I was always uncomfortable. The “so called” lifestyle wasn’t comfortable for me. I live my OWN lifestyle, I do not want to be labeled. Then I started to go to Gay Pride Parades and I was like, what? I have never been to any parade like it. I kept saying to myself WHY does every Gay event revolve around sex? Floats with barely dressed men all oiled up and so much more I did not get. I am a proud person because of my accomplishments, my way with the world, my kindness, my ant-discrimination thought process..ETC..I am not PROUD of my sexuality. I find that a weird thing to be proud of. It your sexuality, what does that do to make you proud? I have never been in a,so called,straight bar where I looked over the dance floor and a bunch of people have taken their shirts off. (I still don’t get it) So I used to always think “Why isn’t there a Str8 Pride” parade, or month. I know now why. Gay pride month does not discriminate. No one say’s You are str8 we do not want you here because you put your dick in a vagina. THIS! poster and event is just discriminatory and shows me how much more meat-heads there are in college. If they had put more brain cells into the project it might have worked. But alas. Just another way to TRY and beat down homosexuals. I call foul and glad it got banned. I would however, like to see some smart people be able to come up with a Str8 Pride day or month etc. It is only fair. (And you cannot use the excuse “Don’t they have it every day of the year”
Andrew Avila
If you cry out for acceptance and force people to be tolerant while simultaneously bashing people for having beliefs that are different than yours, you’re an asshole.
PaulDante-Michael Phang
People should be proud to be straight, white, or anything else . Just like I have the right to be proud of being black or gay.
Bobby Smith
I think most of them are closeted gays .And this is just a cover to prove they are straight ..
Jeffrey Jeannotte
Legalize the right to bitchslap stupid people
Mike Gerard
I can understand the frustration on both sides, and have struggled my whole life with not being what society calls the “norm”. I am torn sometimes with the approach that the LGBT community presents themselves in standing up for their rights. Yes, they have the right to demonstrate but acting like adolescent teenagers and carrying on like wild trash does not help in their case when demonstrating equality. I would like to think we are all better then this approach but to each his own. Being sexually different is not a choice but acting a fool and carrying on like perverted trash is taking it to far for me personally and i get why some are angered by the over the top attention me try to make in the LGBT community.
Bailey-Quin Taylor
If gay people can say Gay Pride I have no problem with people say Straight Pride. It’s not affecting my life.
Giancarlo85
@Mike Gerard: “acting like adolescent teenagers and carrying on like wild trash does not help in their case when demonstrating equality.”
And where do they do that? If anything I see the political right acting like that.
“acting a fool and carrying on like perverted trash is taking it to far for me personally and i get why some are angered by the over the top attention me try to make in the LGBT community.”
Oh that’s nice. You’re passing on judgment on onto other people.
AtticusBennett
@Mike Gerard: i suggest you stop living your life every day looking over your shoulder worrying What The Straights Are Saying. because it’s cowardly.
your post was the same brand of asinine insecurity that many a homo pukes up when they talk about Pride – how you see things there that…what? anti-gay bigots choose to ramble on about? that your parents denigrated?
if a pride parade was a three hour march of gays in business suits not being “stereotypical” the bigots would still hate us.
nobody STUMBLES onto a pride parade. bitch, you gotta get their EARLY.
nobody is like “oh, well, i totally supported the gays until that pride parade i attended, it was too sexual, and now i just can’t support them!”
those trashy perverted fools are more man than you are. and they don’t live in fear of what haters think.
that’s what pride is – a time to celebrate whatever it is you want to celebrate about yourself, not giving a f**k what an insecure sex-shaming wimp or anti-gay bigot may say.
i march with my family in the parade every single year.
you know what angers those idiots? the fact that we’re not scared of them, and we’re not begging for their tolerance by living to their conditions.
try being a real man, and not a broken boy, and following suit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMV1HyVk2wA
jwtraveler
I was born male, white, Jewish and gay. None of them is a source of pride, or shame. They are just parts of who I am. They are not choices, actions or achievements.
Pride movements are reactions to the fact that people who come from minority, disadvantaged and oppressed demographic groups are taught from birth to be ashamed of who they are. In the U.S., males, whites, Christians and heterosexuals learn to be proud of those facts from birth. People who don’t fall into all of those groups often need to learn not to be ashamed of who they are. That’s the purpose that Pride movements serve.
White people, males, Christians and heterosexuals don’t need Pride movements. American culture IS their pride movement.
AtticusBennett
nobody is “proud to be gay” – we’re proud to be Out. we’re proud to have overcome a culture of anti-gay prejudice and bigotry. i’m proud to be an active member of the LGBT communities. i’m proud to be a part of a culture that smashes the glass ceilings and limitations implemented by small minds, i’m proud that my visible existence means that i’m showing that ‘the way things are’ is nothing more than a construct than can, and should be, subverted.
jwtraveler
@AtticusBennett: Yeah. I’ll go with that. Those are things to be proud of.
GayEGO
My my my, straight white guys or homophobes? And straight guy students? Education is what is changing Americans to be inclusive of all American citizens, what is their problem? We gays have had to put up with their bullying all of these years and now that we want equal rights like they have they are complaining? Geesh!
GayEGO
@Bobby Smith: That is what we call homophobes. :>)
GayEGO
@AtticusBennett: Well said!
Donnie Bass
Idiots. People like this just don’t understand that straights were never oppressed for being straight, or bashed, or abused.
jason smeds
Don’t assume it is only “straight white guys” who are behind this “straight pride” week. It could just as easily be women.
In any case, it does become over-sexualized when all you talk about is your sexuality. I can understand why some people would be annoyed by the constant chatter about sexual identity and sex acts. It’s just plain annoying, not to mention one-dimensional.
I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!
@Giancarlo85: You’re the one making sure to reference me first bitch, so don’t get too far ahead of yourself with all of your selfless projections fag! Gee fag, project much?
Get over yourself, and buy a fucking clue you fucking stale-bitch, ghetto douche bag! And I thought it was cute the way you really just tried to gloss over the similarities between your fake bitch ass, and Saint Law’s tired one! You seriously just better make sure you don’t reference my “slutty ass” bitch, because you can’t beat this one, and I definitely got something for that shit too whore!
Don’t start none, and there won’t be none next time two-faced crackhead!
Giancarlo85
@jason smeds: You seem to be living in fantasy. and again, it’s most likely straight white guys. Women aren’t as dumb as straight white guys. But then again since you fantasize about straight white guys, you would defend them.
@I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!: Cool story bro. You seem to live in fantasy land. Perhaps it’s mental delusions brought along by your condition.
You’re the real ghetto one here… screaming like a little lunatic and claiming I am Saint Law. You are skanky ass whore who rode too many white dicks in the bathrooms at the bars. You didn’t gain much for that.
Ander
@Andrew Avila: No, an unwillingness to “tolerate” bigotry and discrimination does not make one an asshole. Stating that it does makes YOU one, however, in addition to being a homophobe.
Errol Semple
Nonsence.
Saint Law
@I am Gay (just like you), Black, HIV-Positive, and Back Bitches!!!:
‘Driving Miss Daisy’ only with Miss Daisy in black-face playing the Driver. On Meth.
That’s you that is.
Saint Law
@jason smeds: You get annoyed by talk of sex because it reminds you you aint getting any.
Blaming the ladies won’t make you more attractive to men though. But then what could?
Cam
Ahhhh yes, the victimization of those poor students who actually had to become aware of other people’s lives because they may have looked at a flyer that might have mentioned gay pride. How terrible that seeing that has ruined their month.
It reminds me of the fake victimization we heard from Mitt Romney in the last election where he complained that if he was Latino he would get more votes. He of course left out that if he wasn’t a Romney he wouldn’t have inherited millions, been hired solely to cash in on his dad’s political connections as a former governor of Mi, his ties to Mormon leadership and his wife’s father’s ties, and wouldn’t be running for President most likely. Their version of victimization is, anything they were handed, they really earned and if somebody doesn’t support everything they say and do, then they are being horribly victimized.
John
I have no issue with it. I am sure it won’t be much fun (I mean seriously, I have been to straight parties. The themes are usually lame and not creative) In our culture we had “gay pride” then even we started splintering off to have “lesbian pride” ” black pride” etc. So why not a straight pride? or Baptist Pride? Catholic Pride? Blue-eyed Pride? Everyone should proud of what/who they are so why not celebrate it? What it boils down to is that is a business that people are generating income to pay a core group of people and the “business” evolves as needed. Remember back before we called it “Pride”? It consisted of a “march” to capital steps each June for Equal Rights then someone said let’s make it a celebratory parade and be proud and took on corporate sponsors now and if you go to any of the parades they are basically advertising for this or that business in the community wanting our disposable income.
Nixter
@John: Er, no Joh, people should not be “proud of who they are” if they seek to oppress the lives of others. How can you not see that? Are you that shallow?
tllthn89
I don’t think we need to hate or mock these ppl. They just don’t understand is all the struggles of being gay for most of us. It’s a gift truly. But you go through so much shame and secrets and repression. It can feel like the biggest burden and has claimed so many lives. I could go on and on. About the struggles of being gay.
And if you can come out of that and feel comfortable w yourself and your life and move on and enjoy your life as a gay person and actually feel some pride. That is something to celebrate. This what gay pride means.
chimchi takuya
I love how they’re like, it’s unprofessional. How about illegal?