Tell me if this is stupid or what? [i]- Mk300mk[/i] [spoiler][quote][b]Susanna Heller[/b] Jun. 5, 2019, 5:27 PM https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/5cf83411f2f47957953575db-2732-2049.jpg [i]-A person walking during Boston Pride. Scott Eisen/Getty Images[/i] A group in Boston wants to hold a "Straight Pride" parade in August. The event, pending city approval, will be hosted by a group called Super Happy Fun America. The movement seeks to advocate on behalf of the "straight community in order to build respect [and] inclusivity," among other things, according to the group's website. "Straight people are an oppressed majority," John Hugo, the group's president, said on its website. "We will fight for the right of straights everywhere to express pride in themselves without fear of judgment and hate. The day will come when straights will finally be included as equals among all of the other orientations." The event is being organized by three men: Hugo, who, according to the Washington Post, ran for a congressional seat in Massachusetts's 5th District last fall, Mark Shahady, and Chris Bartley, who is the group's "gay ambassador." The group has apparently adopted Brad Pitt as their "mascot," calling him "a hero to straight men all around the world." Sahady is also a member of a group called Resist Marxism. In 2018 the group held a free speech rally in which the counter-protest was larger than the actual protest, according to Boston.com. The men teamed up to plan the one-day straight pride parade, which according to a Facebook post from Shahady, will have "floats and vehicles," if all goes according to plan and the event is approved by city officials. They also designed a flag which they want to hang at Boston's city hall, pending approval. As a part of "Straight Pride," the group also seeks to have "S" for "Straight" added to the LGBTQ acronym "because it's more inclusive that way." Shahady shared details about the proposed August 31 event online on May 31, just before the official start of LGBTQ Pride Month. LGBTQ Pride Month is celebrated in June in the US to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall uprising. Because of the significance of LGBTQ Pride Month, the news of the proposed "Straight Pride" event sparked immediate backlash online. And it's not the first time that this has come up. In a June 2018 op-ed for USA Today, Chris Hanna, a producer for the National Post, put it simply. "Every day, we see threats made against members of the LGBTQ community. The scaling back of hard-earned rights and protections of LGBTQ people, particularly transgender people, is difficult to ignore," he wrote. "So when straight people ask why there is a need for gay pride or wonder why there aren't straight pride celebrations, it feels a lot like they are saying contributions by LGBTQ people ... are simply not worthy of recognition." People on social media said that straight people as a collective group don't need a public event to increase their visibility, as they inherently occupy a position of privilege. max "straight pride is so dumb... straight people can show their love for each other comfortably without getting dirty looks or even getting attacked every day of the year. just a month out of the year for lgbt people to celebrate themselves isn’t hurting straight people at all." Jacqui Castle 🏰 "There's not enough bottled patience in the world to get me through a conversation with a person after they have said the words 'straight pride parade' or 'why isn't there a white history month'" Matthew Biddulph "If you actually have to question why there’s no such thing as ‘straight pride’, take a moment to check your privilege, then kindly refrain from ever saying something so mind numbingly ignorant and self obsessed ever again." In a statement to INSIDER, the city's mayor Marty Walsh didn't comment on "Straight Pride," instead focusing on Boston's upcoming LGBTQ Pride events which will take place on Saturday. "Every year Boston hosts our annual Pride Week, where our city comes together to celebrate the diversity, strength and acceptance of our LGBTQ community," Walsh said. "This is a special week that represents Boston's values of love and inclusion, which are unwavering. I encourage everyone to join us in celebration this Saturday for the Pride Parade and in the fight for progress and equality for all." Kevin Wong, Head of Communications for The Trevor Project, the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth, told INSIDER that pride events can be a special, safe space for queer people. Read more: How the rainbow became the symbol of LGBT pride "Some LGBTQ young people aren't able to celebrate pride safely, and look to local and national pride celebration events as one of the few ways to see people like them," Wong said. "This visibility helps them know they're beautiful the way they are, and never alone. " And Linda DeMarco, the president of Boston Pride, told INSIDER that she expects that this weekend's celebration will be the city's largest ever. "We know that straight allies of the LGBTQ community are among the thousands of supporters who come out every year to march, observe and celebrate," DeMarco said. "We are looking forward to seeing our straight friends, family, and neighbors at the Boston Pride parade and festival this Saturday along with members of the LGBTQ community." [/quote][/spoiler]