Attempt to mock gay pride movement is hijacked by LGBT people using it to highlight discrimination they still face

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

An attempt to mock and belittle the LGBT pride movement on social media has backfired spectacularly. The #HeterosexualPrideDay hashtag ended up trending, but not for the reasons those initially posting it had hoped.

Oak-Town☢Unfiltered™ (@hrtablaze) This is the greatest hashtag in twitter history!! 😎 Proud straight male here ! RT if you're a proud heterosexual 👌#HeterosexualPrideDay

The hashtag started as a homophobic attempt to troll the LGBT community, and those offering support to it.

Gunslinger Girl (@USA_Gunslinger) Libs, do you find this picture offensive? #HeterosexualPrideDay pic.twitter.com/iikTahjrsQ

But the intention was brilliantly subverted by the LGBT community, who hijacked it, and used it to contrast the discrimination and abuse they continue to face compared with the social acceptance of heterosexuality. Only last week a gay pride protest was broken up by police in Istanbul.

Trevor Tomlinson (@TrevTomlinson) In red are all the countries where it's illegal to be heterosexual. Must be tough #HeterosexualPrideDay pic.twitter.com/iVZ3rVpsKl

♻️ Christopher Zullo (@ChrisJZullo) There are no laws persecuting heterosexual couples limiting their freedoms or hate crimes committed against such #HeterosexualPrideDay

A post about #HeterosexualPrideDay on Facebook. Photograph: Facebook

Comparisons were drawn between the straight and gay experience.

*Kameron*🏳️‍🌈 (@itsyaboykam) in support of #HeterosexualPrideDay, I'd like to congratulate how brave you guys are for coming out to a potentially heterophobic family✨✨✨

Those using the hashtag in earnest were mocked for wanting everything to be about them.

A (@KniginAaron) #HeterosexualPrideDay in two pictures pic.twitter.com/Ry0McZ1CgE

And called “broflakes”.

Chelsea W. (@ChelseaWyatt46) All who support #HeterosexualPrideDay are what we call broflakes pic.twitter.com/rOeNrblxkO

The LGBT community had some brilliantly funny personal ripostes to those using the hashtag.

Girls of Europa 🌀 (@GirlsOfEuropa) Normal men are attracted to this. #HeterosexualPrideDay pic.twitter.com/CSoLv8lEzN

J (@paraempathetic) So is this woman!

J (@paraempathetic) ... although I prefer darker-skinned ladies. 💕💕 pic.twitter.com/TSF5eSdWHT

Jinxx Skullaire (@scenerdoth) Listen, when straight marriage is illegal and straight adoption rights are blocked, then you can have a straight pride day.

Some people did take the opportunity to poke fun at some of the more, shall we say, boring examples of heterosexual stereotypes.



jordanras (@thiccaryduff) Happy #heterosexualprideday Hope to see y'all there !! pic.twitter.com/hulPJ9qOvn

And others just mocked the whole idea of heterosexuality needing a special celebration day.

ChotoSexbag (@Choto_TheBright) wHy DoNt We GeT oUr OwN PrIdE DaY? wHeRe'S oUr MoNtH?

#HeterosexualPrideDay pic.twitter.com/nmMgXxsmK5

Not everybody took the jokes very well. The creator of Minecraft, Markus Persson, known as Notch, in a now deleted tweet said that anybody opposing the idea of a #HeterosexualPrideDay deserves to be shot.

Pop Crave (@PopCrave) Notch ('Minecraft' creator) on #HeterosexualPrideDay: "If you're against the concept...you're a complete f**king c*nt & deserve to be shot." pic.twitter.com/53AQGIm4Ro

But these tweets hit the nail on the head.

jaliyah🌻 (@crownmejulz) #HeterosexualPrideDay is basically how All Lives Matters is to Black Lives Matter. It was made to mock & dismiss the entire of Gay Pride...

Batgirl Resists 💥 (@Batgirl_resists) #GOPHealthcareIsMurder is trending. But ugh, so is #HeterosexualPrideDay. See below. I couldn't find the quote's author. pic.twitter.com/lxpZC21GyK