Gay Pride 2021: Why Representation Matters

Every June, around the globe, members of the LGBTQ+ community rush to the streets in protest to show that they refuse to be anything less than their authentic selves, no matter what society or the law dictates. Much like their foremothers who started the modern day LGBTQ+ rights movement, they will continue throwing bricks until the day comes when we are accepted as equal in the eyes of society and the law. Not to bend to the norms of society, but for society to accept us as we are. That is why representation matters. More than just a flashy catchphrase, it is a reality. A truth. It is why we must stand up and announce who we are to the world, with flying colors behind us, and refuse to take less than equality. It’s the reason we stand up as proud gay sailors, and will continue to be proud no matter what. Representation matters because by seeing ourselves reflected in the lexicon of society, we not only feel validation, but become normalized in the eyes of humanity as our stories are told; therefore allowing us to imagine that anything is possible despite our orientation.

If you had the chance to watch our live stream several months ago, then you will already know what occurred. We, both Nick and I, faced discrimination at the hands of a moderator in sailing group. He puffed his chest, and stood proudly in the Superman pose and told us we were using our homosexuality as a weapon. That we were parading it as a marketing tool to promote ourselves, and that this was discrimation. That by stating our gayness, we were excluding heterosexuals, thus violating their rules about discrimation regarding sexual orientation. I won’t go into how ignorant and completely stupid that is, because I’m sure it speaks for itself. It’s safe to say I was livid. Unfortunately in the last few years, it wasn’t the first time I had heard something so baffling; look no further than the attempt at a straight pride parade in Boston several years ago. But, this single instance was not an isolated one, and it continued to prove my point. That we must stand up, speak up, and continue to be loud and proud, no matter what comes at us. A friend recently watched this live stream and proceeded to ask me, “I agree with you, but why must we be loud about being queer?” A question that I have received multiple times. For many, they don’t see the need. They have no shame in who they are, and in their minds, that’s all that matters. While yes, that is true, there is more to it than that. Society for countless generations has deemed what is normal or acceptable. This determination has led to an obscene amount of discrimation against various genders, races, religions, and countless others. But, too often, people will try to bend to what society deems acceptable in order to no longer face their persecution and to be accepted by them. Which is wrong. The inverse should occur. Society should learn to accept us as we are. Period. Full stop. So, by being out and proud, and loud, we force society to see us as we are. The more people who stand up and be their authentic selves without compromise, the more normal it becomes. The more it becomes accepted. The more it becomes a part of society. So, I told this friend, we stand up and scream loudly so they see us. They fear what they don’t understand. When we come into the light, they see us and can learn who we truly are. Which inevitably forces the reckoning that is deeply needed.

Sailing. Being a sailor. Yacht clubs. I could continue this list, but I don’t see the need. Each of them have a specific association, and the way the world perceives them. Sometimes this mirrors reality, sometimes not so much. Sometimes, the belief becomes real because someone makes it so. By that I mean, someone who holds a belief about yacht clubs, goes and joins a yacht club. Where they then spread this similar belief to others in their vicinity, therefore making it true. One of those beliefs is that it’s a cisgender, upper middle class white man’s enjoyment. Nothing more, nothing less. So, why even join something if you aren’t invited. It’s something I felt time and time again in the sailing community, and why? Because I never saw it. My perception of this world proves why representation can matter. I never saw myself reflected in this community, so I never thought to join in. My perception may not be reality, but it does have its merits nonetheless. So, it’s not merely about being accepting, but showing the world that you are truly accepting of every individual. This extends past yacht clubs, and into the digital world. Look no further than the sailing channels on youtube. Apart from a very select few, including ourselves, the couples are almost entirely straight, and mostly white. The age of these individuals varies greatly, but the former information does not. Many times, you don’t get involved with a group, organization, or sport, if you don’t feel welcome. And you don’t feel welcome if you don’t see someone who looks like you. The reality may be that there are ton of queer sailors, but we don’t see them. So, we step up and share our story to the world in the hopes that we can offset that viewpoint. Hopefully we can inspire other queer individuals to join the sailing community or perhaps even make videos as well! Again, we come back to the point, why representation matters.

The phrase representation matters, much like being woke and cancel culture, has been thrown around precariously, thus losing it’s true meaning. Too often, companies and individuals will slap a rainbow flag on a person or product and shout, “We see you!”. What follows is a hearty laugh, an upturned nose, and a scoff of protest when we reply that it’s not enough. That this isn’t representation. Truly, it goes far beyond simply applying a flag to a product, and even more so, it goes beyond just white cisgender men. Time and time again, people will bring in a white gay cisgender man, and scream diversity. In the most technical sense, yes it is diverse. They have brought in an individual who by all intents and purposes is discriminated against. Who is oppressed under the eyes of society and the law. But, only in the single sense. This white man is only discriminated against as a gay man. Not as a male presenting individual, and not based on the color of his skin. So, when we scream representation matters, we mean the entire community at large. Not just a single individual who doesn’t even come close to showcasing the entire rainbow. I understand the irony in that a white cisgender gay man is writing this, but the truth still stands phrase representation matters, much like being woke and cancel culture, has been thrown around precariously, thus losing it’s true meaning. Too often, companies and individuals will slap a rainbow flag on a person or product and shout, “We see you!”. What follows is a hearty laugh, an upturned nose, and a scoff of protest when we reply that it’s not enough. That this isn’t representation. Truly, it goes far beyond simply applying a flag to a product, and even more so, it goes beyond just white cisgender men. Time and time again, people will bring in a white gay cisgender man, and scream diversity. In the most technical sense, yes it is diverse. They have brought in an individual who by all intents and purposes is discriminated against. Who is oppressed under the eyes of society and the law. But, only in the single sense. This white man is only discriminated against as a gay man. Not as a male presenting individual, and not based on the color of his skin. So, when we scream representation matters, we mean the entire community at large. Not just a single individual who doesn’t even come close to showcasing the entire rainbow. I understand the irony in that a white cisgender gay man is writing this, but the truth still stands.

It’s not just about us, but those who come after us. We fight so that someday, others won’t have to. We stand up at the front of the line, ready for the rocks to be thrown at us so that one day, others don’t have to. We step outside of our comfort zones, and force the world to see us as we are, so that one day, others will be seen too. That’s why representation truly matters. But not just any representation, true genuine representation. Representation that accurately reflects the world we live in today, and will live in tomorrow. If I can be even the slightest bit of help in that department, and inspire someone else to step up and do the same, then I will be happy. 

-Jake

For those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community there are groups and organizations out there to help you find a community, a yacht club, a racing team, or whatever your heart desires! The list below is not all that there is, but it is a start! Welcome to the world of sailing!

Rainbow Races - Chicago/Great Lakes 
https://rainbowracesinc.org

Sailing and Cruising Association - UK
https://gaysailing.org.uk

Knickerbocker Sailing Association - Greater New York 
https://ksasailing.org

Pacific Rim Yacht Club - Vancouver and Vancouver Islands
https://sites.google.com/site/pryclub/

Voile et Croisiere en Liberte - France
https://www.vcl.fr

Toronto Gay Sailing Club - Toronto 
https://tgs.club

Barbary Coast Boating Club - Northern California
https://bcbc.clubexpress.com

San Francisco Sailing Team - San Francisco 
https://www.sfsailingteam.org

Open Seas Yacht Club - Chesapeake Bay
https://osyc.clubexpress.com

Boys with Boats
https://boyswithboats.club

Glory 
https://www.glorysailing.org

Yankee Cruising Club - New England
https://www.facebook.com/YankeeCruisingClub/

Olympic Yacht Club - Pacific Northwest
https://www.oycnw.org

*Original List compiled Rainbow Races*