A tweet about how people should react when they see a ‘straight couple’ at Pride has since gone viral to promote inclusion within the LGBTQ community.
AC Dumlao, a transgender, non-binary, genderqueer activist who runs a Facebook page called Call Me They, recently posted a viral tweet about why a ‘straight couple’ might be attending a Pride festival.
AC, who uses the pronoun ‘they’ instead of ‘he’ or ‘she’, wrote: ‘So you’re at Pride and you have FEELINGS about SEEING A STRAIGHT COUPLE. Have you considered: 1 or both are bi(sexual), 1 or both are pan(sexual), 1 or both are ace/aro(sexual), 1 or both are trans/enby(non-binary).’
Inclusive: AC Dumlao posted a twitter thread about what people should think about when they see a seemingly ‘straight’ couple at a Pride festival
The tweet asks people to consider why someone might not be attending a festival to celebrate the LGBTQ community even if they don’t look outwardly gay or lesbian.
Instead, it encouraged people to understand that one person or both members of the couple could be queer, bisexual, pansexual, asexual or aromatic, trangender or non-binary.
AC Dumlao then goes further to say that it is OK even if the ‘straight couple’ doesn’t identify with any of the terms above.
They said the couple could be attending as allies, accompanying minors or supporting newly out friends.
‘So yr @ Pride & you have FEELINGS about SEEING A STRAIGHT COUPLE. Take a deep breath. Check yr assumptions abt folks’ appearance. Mind yr business,’ AC Dumlao wrote to end the thread.
AC Dumlao describes themselves as a transgender and non-binary individual who advocates for uplifting people who feel they are underrepresented by society.
Celebrate: The tweet has since gone viral with people applauding the user for showing that Pride festivals should be inclusive to all types of people
Everyone’s welcome: AC Dumlao made it clear that the post was to encourage people to avoid gatekeeping when it comes to Pride and the different festivals
Inclusion: Commenters were rather positive with the thread and agreed that all should be welcome to celebrate the LGBTQ community
One person tried to challenge AC Dumlao on the post saying they didn’t believe all of the categories listed had a right to represent the LGBTQ community during Pride.
AC Dumlao responded: ‘This thread is not about gatekeeping people from attending Pride.’
They went on to say that straight people are more than welcome to attend Pride as well to be an ally for the community.
The tweet was liked more than 55,000 times after AC Dumlao posted it on Saturday with people encouraging others to not act as ‘gatekeepers’ in regards to this inclusive festival.
One commenter wrote: ‘I really don’t understand why people try to gatekeep a movement founded on a movement founded on inclusion and education. It shouldn’t be so difficult to be welcoming.’
For the most part, the response to this Twitter thread has been relatively positive with other people agreeing that Pride should be about allowing all forms of sexuality attend without judgement.