So, over the years, I have known many “nice white moderate Christians” who are QUITE critical of Pride, and especially queer pride events in churches.

And I think one reason — out of many — that this feels icky to me is because these beloved children of God are telling on themselves.

If you have only ever experienced pride as an expression of “Yay! We are powerful!” in fairly innocuous things like school pride,* but also in deeply sinister things like white pride, you will then experience pride that comes from the margins as an expression of a new center of power. Even though that’s not what’s going on.

(*Point of clarity: school pride for, like middle schools with an animal mascot feels innocuous. School pride that appropriates Indigenous PEOPLE or symbols as a “mascot”= Not innocuous, obviously.)

With queer pride, and other prides that come from the margins — Black pride, Indigenous, pride, — etc — Pride from the margins says:

“The powerful / empire tried to erase us and we are still here!”

… it’s not saying “we are now the new epicenter of hegemonic power!”

So when people are critical of Pride, and use the excuse of “that’s so mainstream now“ or ask questions like, “that’s fine but why do you have to wave it in my face?”

< which are still things being said right now, even as queer rights are being decimated >

… Those kind of assumptions tell me: you have only ever experienced pride as an expression of power, not as comfort for your resilience and grief for the cost of your survival.

And that’s something worth reflecting on.