Recently, law enforcement in Cache Valley – specifically Providence, Utah, and North Logan, Utah – have begun investigating suspicious anti-LGBTQ and anti-black flyers left outside residents’ homes. Proclaiming “straight pride” and “white pride,” these flyers highlight a disturbing ideology.
What’s worse, for the first time I can ever recall, comments on local news stories and social media posts from media outlets like The Herald Journal and KSL TV were filled with comments saying things like “What’s wrong with straight pride?” or “Why can’t white people have pride?” instead of swift condemnations of these flyers.
TLDR – Cache Valley “white pride” and “straight pride” issues
- “Straight pride” and “white pride” flyers appeared in Cache Valley, Utah.
- Online comments increasingly defend these, instead of condemning them.
- Being straight or white is not a marginalized identity — it’s the societal default.
- “Straight pride” and “white pride” reflect fragility, not strength.
- Marginalized groups express pride as resistance to oppression, not dominance.
- Retaliatory “pride” from straight white people punches down, not up.
- These slogans are entry points to white supremacist recruitment narratives.
- Real strength comes from self-awareness, not performative victimhood.
- We need empathy and allyship — not pride in unearned privilege.
- Movements for equality aren’t attacks on us; they’re a call to stand with others.
Why “straight pride” and “white pride” are absurd
I’ll be blunt: As a straight white man, “straight pride” and “white pride” make us look fragile and weak. Why? Because being straight or white isn’t a struggle – it’s the default in a society built upon heteronormative, Eurocentric ideals. Our media, laws, and cultural narratives actively reinforce these identities as standard and preferable:
- Hollywood is still predominantly white and straight
- Books, games, media predominantly feature white straight narratives
- Laws, social dynamics, and civil frameworks still largely favor white straight men
- School history and social studies gloss over black and LGBTQ history, culture
- The majority of federal and state holidays are Eurocentric and Christian based
- The nuclear family is still propped up as the “ideal” family structure
- Sports culture, game culture, outdoors culture, hunting culture, car culture, and more all generally cater to straight people (and often straight white men, specifically)
And that is not a comprehensive list! The simple fact is that we didn’t choose to be straight or white – we were simply born into these privileged positions. And we continue to benefit from them.
What pride means for marginalized people
Contrast this with the experiences of LGBTQ and black individuals, who must consistently fight against systemic discrimination, social exclusion, and even violence just to claim their basic human rights. Their expressions of pride arise from resilience, courage, and an ongoing battle to affirm their identity and dignity in a society that frequently marginalizes them.
Pride events, movements like Black Lives Matter, and other affirmations are vital for these groups – and have little to do with us as white straight people. These events, groups, and movements do not seek to diminish us – they simply seek to affirm their existence to themselves and request equality in a world that often denies them basic acceptance.
Punching down disguised as ‘pride’
Yet, some straight white people seem to see these expressions of pride and equality as threats – retaliating with declarations of their own “pride.” The fact that we have managed to somehow twist all of this into some sort of personal attack against us speaks to just how fragile our egos seem to be.
But what exactly are these proclamations achieving? They certainly don’t assert equality – because equality was never in question for us as straight white people. Instead, these seem like desperate attempts to reaffirm superiority, or worse, to intimidate those seeking equal footing. In short, they’re punching down.
Building strength in the place of fragility
Remember what I said about all this “white pride” and “straight pride” nonsense making us look weak and fragile? This is what I’m talking about.
We need to start building identity outside of things we have no control of, that we were born with, and that have given us privilege. We need to do this so that we can handle discomfort and change without lashing out like a wounded animal.
If we don’t build the emotional strength and mental resilience to handle justifiable critiques of our inherited privilege, we’ll ultimately see calls for equality as personal attacks. But they aren’t. And us reacting as if they are would be laughable, if lives weren’t on the line.
Why ‘straight pride’ aligns with white supremacy – whether you realize it or not
Not only are movements like Black Lives Matter and events like LGBTQ+ Pride festivals not personal attacks on us, but the whole ethos between their pride and things like “straight pride” could not be more different.
The first are built on themes of living authentically and being treated equal in a world that often oppresses and villainizes them. The latter are ideologies of superiority where the ultimate goal is the oppression and extermination of anyone else.
When we talk about things like “white pride” or “straight pride,” we’re aligning, knowingly or unknowingly, with groups of white supremacists and neo-Nazis who seek to marginalize and eradicate anyone different from them.
This kind of pride isn’t harmless. It’s a textbook entry point into dangerous extremism (seriously, so much research has been done on this). And everyone asking “What’s wrong with straight pride?” is falling for it.
Moving forward in allyship
So let me level with you: As a straight white Utahn living in Cache Valley, I don’t need “white pride” or “straight pride.” Neither do you. None of us do.
What we need is humility, empathy, and enough self-awareness to recognize our privileges and use our voices to advocate for genuine equality. Rather than feeling attacked by movements that aren’t about us, we should be allies, working alongside those who’ve long been denied the rights and dignity we take for granted.
Let’s stop clinging to fragility disguised as pride and instead join the collective push toward a more inclusive, egalitarian society. It’s time to step off the rails we were born onto and build something better for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
QUESTION: Did you come up with this yourself or are you just repeating what the “Marxist media” says?
ANSWER: I make sure to get my information from a diverse range of sources – from the Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, and American Conservative on the Right; NPR, Reuters, and Reason in the middle; and Vox, The Atlantic, and MSNBC on the left. It’s also worth noting that there aren’t any major Marxist media outlets in the U.S. If you think mainstream media is Marxist, you’re falling for a con. I strongly encourage you to broaden your news sources and social groups. It will benefit both you and our country.
QUESTION: So basically, all straight white people should sit down and shut up?
ANSWER: I’m straight and white. Do you see me sitting down and staying quiet here? No. I’m using my voice to stand up for people whose rights have been denied. You should too. That’s not weakness – it’s solidarity.
QUESTION: You claim Black Lives Matter and Gay Pride are okay, but straight, white or Christian Pride are oppressive. Isn’t that bigoted and divisive? Black Lives Matter and other groups are Marxist! They are destroying our country! How can you say such things?
ANSWER: Listen, no one is saying that straight white people can’t celebrate their heritage – whether that’s British, German, Norwegian, Swedish, etc. No one is saying Christians can’t celebrate their beliefs. We’ve already been over the fact that pretty much every single American holiday is tied to Eurocentric Christian identity.
The difference between that and “white pride,” “straight pride,” and “Christian pride” is that these themes and ideologies specifically focus on exclusion and extermination of anyone else. They have been around for over 200 years and espoused by the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and other white supremacist, anti-semitic, homophobic, transphobic organizations.
These slogans and ideas are still used, very successfully, to recruit frustrated individuals into extremist ideologies.
And it’s clear that a question like this is rooted in fear – likely being fed by an echo chamber and a serious amount of propaganda. I know it’s probably not your fault. I’m sure you’re doing the best you can. And I’m sorry that your community, education, and news sources have failed you.
I would highly encourage you to diversify the places you get your information from – and I would highly encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and talk to people outside your usual social groups. I would also encourage you to look into what things like Marxism actually are and make a decision for yourself on their usefulness and practicality.
You are doing yourself and your country a disserve by spreading these fears, lies, and half-truths. I truly hope you’ll come around soon.