PRIDE Month

The clock struck 12 in the city of London, and the sudden stop to the daily rain meant many people flooded to the streets. The stalls among the river bank began to open up to the public, and lines of people began to form. Watching as he walks by among them, was Kyle.

The puddles splashed beneath him as he strolled through the crowded streets as he walked to work. Time was on his hands as he was early leaving his small London apartment for work. The daily routine of socialising, eating, drinking and resting was in full swing. Nothing has changed there, despite the drastic changes to society at the decade. What surprised him was the smell; the fresh coffee and roasted chestnuts filled his nostrils and had smelt stronger than ever.

Everything had stayed the same, although new laws meant life… changed. Kyle noticed this walking past parliament, many couples holding hands, giggling and smiling. Kyle kept his head down rushing through the streets avoiding contact among those walking by. His office is not too far, a tall grey building with thousands of windows glistening in the sun light. Nothing but the bustling city life and traffic filled his ears, even drowning out his own thoughts.

His satchel by now was no longer soaked, and the instant warmth of his office headquarters at the BBC meant Kyle had a sense of home. He pulled down his hood and slid his hands through his slick black hair which he had applied gel too earlier that morning. He began to approach the front desk and hurriedly signed his name on the paper. Today seemed like any other, the mix of people doing there work and people talking about their partners. Nothing note worthy was occurring in the news, other than the opposition leader being under fire for using government money on a lavish new studio.

Kyle is not your social person; he has always disliked other people as he feared it would make him seem weak to work as a team or to have friends. And no doubt it was too avoid his homophobic tendencies and views from everyone else. Going up the stairs he passed many, before he finally arrived at his desk.

Taking off his coat and satchel, he hung it to the back of his black leather office chair. At last, he felt safe and tranquil being sat at his desk. The fresh smell of wood had never made him feel more relaxed, although he suddenly went into withdrawal from shock of the amount of paper work on his desk. And with one huge sigh, he began to go through it all. A list sat to his right of his daily activities of what to do. To him he felt like a soldier obeying orders from his supreme commander.

First task of every morning was to read emails, and to read and watch interviews that took place to write his article on. Nothing but the masses of chatter filled his ears. Today, he had left his headphones on his desk just by the front door. ‘Great’ he thought to himself. He would now have to endure the chatter of listening to the same old conversations over and over again. Women talking about how stunning and beautiful their wives or girlfriends looked in new dresses and makeup, but also men talking about how muscular and kind their boyfriend or husband is, and often some talking about their significant other here and there.

Being straight in the UK is a crime, and although no one might ever know, being open in the public domain about it can lead to arrests or even brutality committed by the police. This is why Kyle held his tongue here; he did not want any of this, he did not want a hefty fine or even a sentence for his views.

His day continued and started like any other, editing articles and publishing them online to a vast number of readers. His job at the BBC used to be nothing like this, although the changes made and the laws brought in on the 4 April 1960 meant that everything had to be different.

He finally left work after his 4 hour shift, and left in the grey sky. It was far too humid for rain, although the lighting and everything else felt gloomy. The streets were very busy still; busses flying by in their pride flag colours, same sex couples walking by holding hands and smiling- Kyle felt the odd one out both being single AND heterosexual.

Still he walked through the park, barely able to make anything out with the poor lighting in the park. The darkness swallowed him and it too reflected his emotions in this world. A world where he does not fit in. A world where he is a criminal. A world where he is nothing but scum, nothing but the lowest form of life.

Take all of the above- now imagine this.

In a world where being gay is a sin in most countries, where people are constantly harassed and denounced of their rights. In some parts, being LGBT is punishable by death. Is this really the world we have come too? Do you know how silly it sounds to ask for straight pride? Being straight is not a crime in any country, although people simply being themselves threatens you

 If what you have just read makes any heterosexual people uncomfortable, I want you to realise the exact opposite of what is above is happening in our world.

Written by Lewis of Young Creators