I think I know what you mean. I honestly get confused too, specifically when you throw "trans" into something, haha. The most important thing to know and understand though is that no one is wrong in their sexuality. As long as you got that down, you're good.

I do not like the idea of "pride." I think it is perfectly good and fine to be comfortable with yourself, but having pride in it makes no sense. If it is truly something that one is born with, and not a decision, it is not something to be proud of, but just to accept as a fact. Am I proud of having brown hair? No. I'm born with it. It's just the way I am. I accomplished nothing and am therefore proud of nothing.

Straight people don't have pride in their sexuality or flaunt it, etc. (or at least, I don't know any who do. O.o). It just feels... unnecessary and a little "in-your-face" to me, even if that's not the intent. I know the intent is just to gain equality but I feel like the method is incorrect.

I'm glad you were open to enjoying yourself and didn't just stand awkwardly in the back with your arms crossed.  I'm a little disappointed that I missed the parade in Pittsburgh on Sunday.  Though I certainly support people's rights to express themselves with any sexuality or gender, I find that I still feel a little awkward sometimes, though I don't know why.  Spending more time around people who aren't just heterosexuals would help me get more comfortable.

@ScarletMoth@xanga - Great answer.  Thanks for sharing.

@Sirius_Fan_Girl@xanga - I see this argument a lot so I just wanted to address it here in the comments for anyone else as well.   People take pride in a lot of things, and it's not just about going "I have brown hair!  Go me."   The intent behind "pride" movements is to counteract the effects of cultures that more forcibly are against the minority group- which is why we have things like black pride as well.  It's about feeling okay with who you are even when others tell you you're wrong to be that way.   It's also important to remember that straight people do flaunt their sexuality everywhere, all the time- but because it is what our culture prefers, it becomes background noise to us.   We don't see it as "pride," we see it as "normal."   Next time you pick up a teen magazine, examine it through the lens of someone who isn't straight.   Every tip for dating falls strictly into the "you will want to date someone of the opposite sex, and this is how you do it" category.   It's actually pretty disconcerting how much "straight romance" is pushed on everyone without people even realizing.    And no one will look twice at a straight couple holding hands and kissing on the street; but when a gay couple does it, they're "making a scene," shoving it in people's faces, etc. 

I surfed the internet a little bit and found a decent explanation (it concerns a different parade, but similar concept):

"I’m not surprised you don’t understand what the parade is about. It’s
not about flaunting their gayness, or trying to make straights
uncomfortable. It’s about standing up with each other in solidarity.
It’s about making themselves seen and heard by a population that would
otherwise stamp their faces into the concrete, which you apparently have
no problem with, gay best friend or not. It’s about letting other gays
know that they exist and deserve to have the rights and freedoms that
other straight people so openly throw in their faces, especially along
the streets and in the parks of Belgrade."

someone also asked of another commenter, "Would you make the same comparison for, say, people who are disabled?
Would you ever write something as: “Why should those people in
wheelchair demonstrate when I have flu every year and I don’t take it to
the streets?”

I don't know how apt the comparison is, but I think it makes a good point in that it's an expression of "I am this way, and I am fine with who I am, I am proud to be me" rather than "Ha, you're not gay."    In all reality our society as a whole can be pretty anti-gay.   People will accept gays, but it's often that sort of "it's okay so long as it's not my son" kind of thing.   Which isn't all that great.

soorry that was reaaaallly long, just kind of kept thinking about it and didn't want to leave anything out because that would really not be a good topic to misinform anyone about!

Why do lesbians date girls who look and act just like a guy?
--Why do some girls prefer blue eyes over brown eyes? Why do some guys prefer blondes over brunettes? It's just attraction. I know what you mean, though. If they are into women, why aren't they into the femine women? It's just what they like. I am straight, and I like masculine men. Would I like a masculine woman? No. In a way, that's the same idea.

What's the difference between bisexuality and sexual fluidity?
--I have never even heard of sexual fluidity before in my life. But honestly [and I may cause some trouble with this one, so sorry in advance], I don't really believe in 'bisexuality.' I think people who are bisexual are still figuring out which sex they prefer. Since they are attracted to both, they are bisexual. However, I think that's more of a testing period than an actual 'sexual preference' if that makes sense.
Another reason I don't quite believe in bisexuality, is lately [at least when I was in high school only last year] it seemed like a trend. All of a sudden, everyone was bisexual. Girls on girls, guys on guys, and then all over eachother. So although I know people are actually 'bisexual' and testing out what they actually want, I really think most of them are just not turned-off by having sex with their own gender, so why shouldn't they go for it if everyone else is?

And I
don't even understand transsexuals or transvestites. Please, someone
enlighten me.
--That actually confuses me a bit, too. I can tell you how I see it, and no one's corrected me yet, so please someone correct me if I'm wrong. I'll use a guy for an example since I see more male transsexuals and transvestites than men.  A man who just enjoy looking like a woman, is a transvestite. He doesn't want to BE a woman, but he loves the feel of it. At least temporarily. A man who WANTS to be a female permanently, is a transsexual. He feels he was supposed to be born a woman, but was given the wrong 'parts.'
What really confuses me...is when a male transsexual [a man who wants to be a woman] is interested in women. Or a male transvestite is interested in women.

For the record, I am pro-gay marriage. I am for anyone who makes any of these decisions, transvestite, transexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc. It's not harming me any, and you aren't telling me I'm wrong for being straight, so go for it. I see nothing wrong with it. And kudos to you for going to this parade and taking part of it. =]

As for the difference between bisexuality and fluid sexuality, for me, it has to do with how different one's relationships are with men vs. with women. I label myself as bisexual rather than pansexual or fluid sexuality because my relationships with men are very different than my relationships with women--usually I'm way too close friends with a girl to ever consider dating her, but when I'm interested in a guyfriend it's very easy to transition into being in a relationship with him.

Generally I see women as something to watch from a distance but with whom I can never be in a romantic relationship; I look at women and find them beautiful all the time, but I get so tongue-tied and confused around beautiful women. I find beautiful men much more accessible, approachable, and reachable. Therefore I usually date men, but if I ever felt that I could be in a romantic relationship with a girl who I considered my best friend (those are the only women I feel comfortable thinking about dating, usually), then I would.

That's why I personally don't consider myself fluid sexuality or pansexual--I feel very differently toward each gender, so it's not exactly a "love knows no genders" kind of thing. It's just that I happen to love each gender, but in very different ways. I could also see myself with someone who identified outside of the gender binary, if I ever fell in love with someone who did. This is my definition, though there may certainly be others.

@Sirius_Fan_Girl@xanga - I understand where you're coming from, but straight people don't need to do the whole Pride thing because we're not discriminated against.  Honestly, I think the whole thing is wonderful and hope it works for the GLBT community.  They're not hurting anyone, they just want to have the same privileges and rights as straight people...and there's nothing wrong with that.  I guess I don't understand why you think Gay Pride Parades are a bad thing.  People hold events for awareness all the time...why are Gay Pride parades suddenly "the wrong way to go about it"?  Would you call a Walk For Cancer the wrong way to raise awareness for that disease because it's too "in your face"?

-Katie

Not all lesbians date girls that look like guys..
Straight girls can date guys with long hair, or guys that wear makeup their still straight. I don't see what difference it makes, go out with who you wanna go out with.

You should've gone to the Festival right after the Parade.  There were lots of informative booths there to answer your questions.  (Although a lot of people here in the comments seem to be answering you just fine!) 

@Sirius_Fan_Girl@xanga - 

Not many people, that I know anyway, go to Pride for some deeper understanding of the gay community. It's about fun and visibility ...at least, that's what I thought. Why does it really matter if you understand it or not? Just accept it's there, respect people's differences, and move on. You probably do a whole lot of shit they don't understand either, but as long as it's not hurting anyone else, who gives a damn?

idk. i dont hate gay people ( ihave many friends who are gay ), but i dont like the act of gayness...... its pretty nasty, it really doesnt make any sense. especiality to your question, its makes no sense at all.