Every June 1, as Pride Month commences, a predictable pattern unfolds in conservative media and commentary. Criticisms surface, claiming that Pride has veered off course, that corporations’ involvement is excessive, and that it’s time to extinguish Pride altogether.

Allow me, as a “conservative commentator,” to be the first to assert that, no, it is not time to abolish Pride. The enduring rationale behind Pride remains valid and essential.

Initially, gay and lesbian Pride events emerged in America as a response to physical violence, social exclusion, and the constant specter of job termination faced by individuals due to their same-sex attraction.

Yet, the complaints from conservative voices do contain an element of truth: in 2023, Pride has become a spectacle where sexual fetishes are paraded publicly, pressuring corporations to support activities that veer into the realm of “nonsense.” This deviation from its origins necessitates a return to the basics.

Contrary to the prevailing narrative pushed by far-left LGBTQ activists and revisionist historians, early Pride events were initiated and organized not by the “trans women of color” but by everyday gays and lesbians, predominantly white, who possessed the social, financial, and political means to advocate for basic rights: visibility, existence, and public gatherings.

Over time, the fight expanded to encompass marriage equality, freedom from employment discrimination, and the right to serve in the military. I personally experienced arrest at the White House while protesting for this cause.

The pivotal point, however, is that those objectives have been achieved. In 2011, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” enabled gays and lesbians to serve openly. In 2015, same-sex marriage became a recognized right in America. In 2020, the Supreme Court affirmed that the Civil Rights Act protected LGBT individuals from employment discrimination. And last year, the Respect For Marriage Act solidified the permanence of hard-fought rights.

These accomplishments have presented a dilemma for Pride events. The current landscape scarcely reflects hardworking gays and lesbians striving for equality under the law. Instead, it has morphed into a platform primarily driven by a transgender and “queer” fringe, fixated on pushing an agenda, often concerning children, that diverges sharply from public sentiment on these contentious matters. Drag queens reading to young children or medical and social transitioning of minors have bewildered mainstream adults. Opposition to such ideas is quickly labeled as “bigotry,” with major corporations lending support.

In June, corporations across America rush to adopt rainbow-colored logos, embracing the so-called “progress flag,” which incorporates transgender stripes, black, and brown stripes, introducing race and gender ideologies into a symbol originally meant to signify unity. By embracing this now contentious symbol, corporations unwittingly entangle themselves in a culture war they had no intention of joining. Unfortunately, these displays have little to do with the acceptance of gays and lesbians that the majority of Americans now embrace, and everything to do with the ideologies espoused by the activist fringe.

Eliminating Pride Month or Pride events is not the solution; that would be regressive and impractical given the substantial corporate investments and the economic power of the gay and lesbian community.

Rather, we must rein it all in. We need to offer companies an off-ramp from the realm of controversy, allowing them to support gays and lesbians without endorsing gender ideology, Drag Queen Story Hour, or medical transitioning of minors. They can support gay and lesbian Americans without succumbing to the influence of organizations like the Human Rights Campaign or GLAAD, which have been commandeered by the more radical elements of the TQ community.

As the founder of StopWoke, a media platform challenging woke ideology, and as an openly gay man, I recognize the significance of Pride events. Despite my critical stance, I still attend certain events to this day. Gays and lesbians will always seek spaces where they can feel comfortable, affirmed, and accepted—be it in the workplace or in everyday life. This is something that anti-Pride activists on the right will never comprehend.

As long as there are gay or lesbian teenagers feeling uneasy with their identities and adults who fear for their safety while walking with their partners, there will always be a need for Pride. While the current state of affairs may not be working for anyone, we must fight to reclaim its original purpose and its potential.

Rob Smith, an Iraq war veteran, is the founder of StopWoke—a platform and consultancy combatting woke ideology in Corporate America, public education, and the United States Military.

Source: newsweek.com