My queer identity is tied immovably to the most intimate parts of my life the men I fuck, the men I kiss and grind in public, my positive HIV status, my sex parties, my slutty nights.
Queer sex is and always will be a middle finger to the hetero establishment, a threat to the dominant paradigm, and - for this queer man, at least - the most beautiful part of my life. A sexual component has always underscored Pride’s history as a collective community defiance, an act of celebration and visibility. Let’s get one thing straight: Pride may have started as a protest, and its function within the community may be in flux, but among other things, it has always been about sex. This June, a particularly slut-shame-y meme made the rounds online, which claimed to espouse what pride “is.” it juxtaposed a black-and-white photo of an early Pride march with signs and fists raised, captioned “THIS IS PRIDE,” next to a photo of two men grinding each other on a float with speedos and rainbow flags, captioned “THIS IS BULLSHIT.”
