A.J.K. O’Donnell
A phrase that has become commonplace in the vernacular of American communities is “Black Lives Matter,” with subsequent adaptations of — which should not be taken to denote the importance of its original purpose — “Trans Lives Matter,” or “Muslim Lives Matter.” Are you tired of hearing about how much more black, queer, or Islamic lives matter than white ones, or blue ones, or straight ones? What makes a black life more important than any other? Why is there not a “straight” pride? No “white history month.” No space that is “White Only” like spaces deemed “Black Spaces” or “Queer Spaces.” You make the argument that All Lives Matter, right? Or better yet, White Lives Matter?
The question, now, is why no “White History Month,” “Straight Pride,” or any of the pretexts above. Well, the answer is quite simply rooted in one, age-old, circular construct: permission. As a collective social norm, it is apparent in human behavior to “ask” permission for virtually every aspect of our interior and exterior self. Alas, such is the outcome of authoritative and advancing civilization. It is only through the allowance of our peers that we are able to function to our fullest. However, permission is a poisonous and defective form of social order. Permission seeking subconsciously allows the outer world to dictate our very essence. Therefore, erasure of “permission” is the true movement of progress our globe has witnessed for the past decades.
Gay-pride events are an integral aspect of the global modern queer community. This summer, I was extremely fortunate to be a part of the Los Angeles Pride festival. The morning of LA Pride, across the country in Orlando, Florida, a gunman opened fire in the nightclub Pulse. The individuals slaughtered that night were in a space where they did not need permission to be authentic humans. Sadly, this safe space was lethally denied, as permission came in the form of molten lead and heinous violence. A few hours following the shooting, accompanied with a large presence of SWAT officers, the LA Pride events commenced, though understandably cautiously.
The purpose of these “minority” groups obtaining movements, events, and spaces is not to “oppress” those who have privilege; rather, it is to clearly define to the world that we no longer will ask permission to exist in spaces. A young black man, crossing the street while wearing a hoodie does not need your permission to be understood as a person of immeasurable dignity. A black woman at a university that is predominately white does not need your permission to succeed or showcase her intelligence in coursework.
Spaces that validate individuals who defy the culture of permission only need to grow in membership, stature, and accessibility. There is no “White History Month” because history has been recorded through a white dominant, patriarchal, and straight lens. “White/All Lives Matter” is disrespectful, irrelevant, and yes, racistly rooted, because white lives have never had to seek permission for existence, safety, and quantity of life on an institutional level. These minimal examples of counter-minority “campaigns” are directly saying, “You should still have to ask for permission to exist in any form, especially if I am uncomfortable.” Well, I give you permission — though you don’t need it — to be uncomfortable, dear reader, because your comfort is not equivalent to the lives of billions of peoples across this globe. It is imperative that our culture begins to shatter the gates of permission and open the doorway for all people to walk in line with an authentic quality of life.