There was recently a gay pride march in Wellington, in response to a spate of homophobic attacks in the city. I thought this was as good an excuse as any to post some of my thoughts on the idea of pride, and why it is, and should be, improper that I, as a well-off, middle-class heterosexual white male living in a first-world country should try to lay claim to the badge of pride. After all, are we white males not the new persecuted minority of early twenty-first century New Zealand, as minority groups loudly and forcefully assert themselves, and their right to be heard? Are All Blacks not exhorted to have pride in the jersey? What, then, could possibly be wrong with a lil bit of white pride in the morning, as you pull on your tie and swagger out the door secure in the knowledge you belong to the most privileged group of human beings in history?
Well, allow me to get all didactic up in here.
You see, 'pride' is a useful concept for marginalised groups trying to create a positive sense of identity for themselves not marked by the negative stereotypes dominant groups have invented for them and forced upon them. When members of dominant groups themselves try to adopt the language of pride -- which is fundamentally a language of resistance to oppression, of self-assertion on the part of those who have never been able to assert themselves -- it simply becomes a grotesque and offensive parody. 'Whiteness' as a discursive entity signifies the norm, from which all other identities are a deviation. 'Whiteness' means 'us'; everyone else is 'them'. Concepts like 'gay pride,' 'black pride,' 'Asian pride,' whatever are attempts by these groups to define themselves -- at last -- as an 'us', rather than being defined (by the true 'us', the well-off English-speaking white men and women) as either a threatening or an exotic 'other'.
The best thing we can do, as well-off English-speaking white men and women, is to have at least the common decency to graciously step aside as these groups wage their struggles against marginalisation and oppression.
And that, boys and girls, is why you are Not Allowed to have White Pride. Ever. Under any circumstances. And it is perfectly reasonable.
