Letter From The CEO: XXX Pride

If you think about it, the history of the word "pride" - its etymology - is rather fascinating. In its original meaning, "pride" was not something to be proud of, as it was associated with an unreasonable sense of superiority. "Pride" was considered so vulgar that not only did it make the list of Seven Deadly Sins, it was widely considered the worst of the bunch. A proud person lacked humility, and in doing so, opened the door for the other six sins to manifest themselves. Today, however, the word "pride" is most widely associated with the visibility and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. Considering our history, that's quite a remarkable rebranding.

After millenia of being aggressively shamed for who we are, we galvanized our strength in the summer of 1969 at the Stonewall riots in New York City, and one year later the first Gay Pride Week was born. From that June forward, for the past 54 years, generation by generation, we took to the streets, we took back our dignity, and we didn't stop until we took the word "pride" and made it synonymous with our movement. Do an image search for "pride." Now we fucking own it.

So now that we are here, now that "pride" is ours, we have the opportunity to shape its linguistic evolution in any way we choose. Once upon a time, someone with pride was deemed sinful for lacking a sense of humility. Personally, l'd love to see us bring it full circle and incorporate humility within our definition of "pride" alongside strength, inclusivity, and love. We stand upon the shoulders of giants, our liberated queer ancestors, and I am humbled to be part of their legacy, continuing their fight for our future. We can bow down in their honor while simultaneously standing tall in their names.

Now that's a pose l'd love for us to hold in 2024.

Category is - PRIDE.

Yours In Sodomy,

David Lauterstein

Founder/CEO, Nasty Pig Inc.