Matua Kahurangi
Just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes.
Scrolling through social media this morning, I came across a tweet that gave me pause. It was from James Foley (@Jimmy508989672), and it simply read: “This is my pride flag,” accompanied by an image of the New Zealand flag. In its simplicity, the message struck a deeper chord than most of the noise I have seen online lately.
June, now globally recognised as Pride Month, is meant to spotlight the LGBTQ+ community. But more and more, I am noticing a shift, and not just among straight people. I have seen a number of posts from people within the LGB community expressing that they neither asked for nor support the current version of Pride Month. Many say it no longer represents them. Instead, it seems to be driven by a louder subset (TQ) focused on recognition, at any cost, often to the discomfort of others.
That tweet got me thinking. What if we reimagined Pride Month altogether?
What if, instead of focusing on identity politics or divisive symbolism, we redirected our collective energy towards celebrating something we all share – our nation? What if, in place of rainbow banners, we proudly flew the New Zealand flag? A symbol that reflects unity, heritage, and the shared values of everyone who calls this country home?
This is not about denying anyone’s right to be who they are, or think they are. But it is worth asking – should pride be about sexual identity, or should it be about something broader, something that unites?
You will not find heterosexuals campaigning for a ‘Straight Pride’ month, nor is there a global movement to spotlight every other identity in such a public and performative way. The irony is, the more activism becomes about forcing recognition, the more people start to disengage or even push back.
So here is a suggestion. Let us redefine what it means to be proud. Buy a New Zealand flag. Hang it outside your home, wave it at events, post it online with the hashtag #PrideMonth – not to erase others, but to bring people together.
Maybe, just maybe, we can turn June into a month that celebrates everyone under one flag.
This article was originally published on the author’s Substack.
