Community slams story suggesting young LGBTI people shouldn’t care about their history

Social media is aflame this morning with responses to a controversial opinion piece in Attitude magazine, which suggested the hard times are over for the LGBTI community and knowing our history is unimportant.

“Shame is largely a thing of the past and homophobia is, like, so 2008,” wrote author Dylan Jones.

The piece focused on the strides LGBTI people have made in acceptance in recent years, noting role models in pop culture and better inclusion in schools for young queer folks.

Jones briefly acknowledged issues including transphobia and accessibility of PrEP before claiming “nobody bats an eyelid” about gender and sexual diversity.

“Many seem concerned that kids these days don’t appreciate what they’ve got, saying they prioritise superficiality and fun over activism and action,” Jones wrote.

The piece argues that young people need not worry about queer history and struggles because of the positive environment that now exists in the world.

“All this raises the question—SHOULD young LGBTQ people care about their history?,” it asks.

“They’re certainly not obliged to. Why should they? This is just their lives.

“They’re existing as they should always have been allowed to exist—happily and freely. They shouldn’t be made to feel guilty, or even grateful for that.”

Jones concluded by speculating that if early gay activist Martha P Johnson were alive, she would join in partying at Pride rather than scold young people who have forgotten LGBTI history.

Readers have taken to social media to express their disagreement and even outrage with the article, calling it “priveleged” and “metro-centric”.

“They’re still throwing us off roofs, the Chechen government has requested our genocide. This metro-centric waste of time is harmful,” tweeted one person.

“Yes, young people should care about #LGBThistory,” wrote another.

“It’s why #LGBTQIA have rights. Many people died for these rights. Many people are still dying for these rights.

“@AttitudeMag, you’re utter trash for running this.”

Another person posted, “You can’t seriously care about transphobia and anti-gay sentiment ie anti-PrEP hysteria on the one hand and then say that history is unimportant on the other.”

“This article should be retitled to “I’m a privileged white gay, so I shouldn’t have to care about other people,” tweeted one reader.

The article is still online but has been removed from Attitude’s Twitter feed.

I’m sure Marsha P Johnson would rather be partying now too, but she doesn’t have that luxury.

— Feast of Fun (@feastoffun) February 7, 2018

https://twitter.com/theotherbrodie/status/961345654504042496

https://twitter.com/SimonSFranklin/status/961341804091265025

https://twitter.com/MikeyJonJon/status/961333065216876546

https://twitter.com/joshuabadge/status/961353306906927104