Michael Vargas wrote an article for San Jose Spotlight about how the mainstream LGBTQ+ movement is focused on adding each subgroup within the LGBTQ+ umbrella to the flag, instead of working for political progress for queer people.
“The flag debates offer a modern illustration. Right now, with the federal government in Democratic hands, our community should be united in passing major pro-LGBTQ+ legislation. Instead, we’re focused on symbolic victories like which cities or counties are raising the pride flag. Except we can’t even seem to agree on branding, and so we’re focusing on symbolic victories, such as the branding on the pride flag, within our symbolic victories—raising a pride flag.”
“Meanwhile, the Equality Act could be law tomorrow but for the Senate filibuster, and yet two Democratic senators, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, are blocking filibuster reform. Let me say that again: the country’s first openly bisexual senator is currently blocking landmark LGBTQ+ legislation. LGBTQ+ people should be up in arms, but instead, we’re focused on flags. That is how our compulsion to categorize ourselves is distracting us, dividing us and contributing to our own oppression.”
