DEAR STRAIGHT PEOPLE,

[Dr_LHA 3]

Homophobia is the new racism. Back in the day people used to use the Bible to justify their reasons for hating Black people too, and not give them equal rights. Apartied was justified by the Bible in South Africa remember. Now with gay people its all "gay people can't get married because the bible says this". The fact is that gay people are being denied rights of straights. I'm sure there are lots of gay people who would love to get green cards for their partners for example.

Everyone who wrote in this thread "I don't mind gays, as long as they keep it private and don't flaunt their gay lifestyles" is an intolerant bigot. Imagine if I said:

I don't mind black people, as long as I they keep the black lifestyle to themselves and don't flaunt it. Its exactly the same thing. You're just dressing up your hatred in a comfortable justification of why you're not a bigot. Time to wake up.

Plus anyone who is frightened by people in a gay pride parade, should seriously consider thinking about their own lifestyle. As someone who's seen a few gay pride parades, they're joyous occassions, a lot of fun. If anyone could go to something like that and feel afraid, I would suggest the only thing they are afraid of is the fact they are getting a ####### watching.

[GaryC 7]

I don't hate gays at all. In fact my adopted son is gay and I defiantly don't hate him. But what I do hate is the way the activists stick their lifestyle in your face and tell me I have to "live with it". They seem to think it's OK to have a gay pride parade or Gay day at Disneyland but if a straight were to organize a hetro pride parade or a hetro day at Disneyland they would scream bloody murder.

To expect no reaction to their lifestyle is unrealistic. To someone that isn't gay it is something we just don't understand. What goes on in our heads when we see a gay couple is irrelevant. As long as they are treated under the law the same is all that should matter. Having said that I still think that "marriage" should still be reserved for a man and a woman. A civil union with the rights of a married couple is fine with me. It may just be semantics but it is still important to me to keep that separated.

If they would just live their lives and not try to force the rest of us to watch they would have a lot less trouble.

[beameup 0]

But why should gays HAVE to keep a low profile? Because they're not "normal"? Because they celebrate their sexuality as a response to all the homophobia they encounter daily? I think being overt about their homosexuality is a totally natural response to a society that tells people they should feel ashamed because they love the wrong gender.

Why should nudists HAVE to keep a low profile? Because they're not considered "normal"? Because they would like to celebrate nudity but encounter anti-nudist people every day? Should they be made to feel ashamed of their nakedness?

[featherB 1]

I must just be living obliviously in my own little bubble, because while I have a lot of gay friends, a lot of gay work colleagues, and a lot of gay 'passing acquaintances', I can't say that even one of them has ever 'flaunted' or 'shoved' their 'lifestyle' in my face. I never understand what people mean when they say 'I don't mind, I just wish they wouldn't flaunt it' - as I've never noticed any flaunting going on, I can only assume that means 'I don't mind, I just wish they would have the decency to be ashamed of who they are and pretend to be straight!' or similar.

As for their 'lifestyle', I don't get that, either... what lifestyle? Like I said, I have plenty of gay friends, and their lifestyle seems to be much the same as mine and that of everyone else I know, except they happen to be attracted to people of the same, rather than the opposite, sex. And no, I don't have a remotely unusual or 'lifestyle', I have a totally unremarkable one, in fact, so... nope, I still don't get it. I must be missing something.

[featherB 1]

But why should gays HAVE to keep a low profile? Because they're not "normal"? Because they celebrate their sexuality as a response to all the homophobia they encounter daily? I think being overt about their homosexuality is a totally natural response to a society that tells people they should feel ashamed because they love the wrong gender.

Why should nudists HAVE to keep a low profile? Because they're not considered "normal"? Because they would like to celebrate nudity but encounter anti-nudist people every day? Should they be made to feel ashamed of their nakedness?

Huh? Great comparison.... Not so much a case of apples and oranges as apples and, uh, toothbrushes, maybe.

[GaryC 7]

I must just be living obliviously in my own little bubble, because while I have a lot of gay friends, a lot of gay work colleagues, and a lot of gay 'passing acquaintances', I can't say that even one of them has ever 'flaunted' or 'shoved' their 'lifestyle' in my face. I never understand what people mean when they say 'I don't mind, I just wish they wouldn't flaunt it' - as I've never noticed any flaunting going on, I can only assume that means 'I don't mind, I just wish they would have the decency to be ashamed of who they are and pretend to be straight!' or similar.

As for their 'lifestyle', I don't get that, either... what lifestyle? Like I said, I have plenty of gay friends, and their lifestyle seems to be much the same as mine and that of everyone else I know, except they happen to be attracted to people of the same, rather than the opposite, sex. And no, I don't have a remotely unusual or 'lifestyle', I have a totally unremarkable one, in fact, so... nope, I still don't get it. I must be missing something.

You must have never been to SanFrancisco. It's true that 99% of gays keep things in private and those people are accepted and not looked at with uneasiness. It's the ones that stick it in your face that turns people off. If they keep their sexuality in their private lives like most heterosexuals do then they would not get as much grief as they do. What people do behind closed doors is their business. When they flaunt it in public it's just TMI.

[mybackpages 0]

I must just be living obliviously in my own little bubble, because while I have a lot of gay friends, a lot of gay work colleagues, and a lot of gay 'passing acquaintances', I can't say that even one of them has ever 'flaunted' or 'shoved' their 'lifestyle' in my face. I never understand what people mean when they say 'I don't mind, I just wish they wouldn't flaunt it' - as I've never noticed any flaunting going on, I can only assume that means 'I don't mind, I just wish they would have the decency to be ashamed of who they are and pretend to be straight!' or similar.

As for their 'lifestyle', I don't get that, either... what lifestyle? Like I said, I have plenty of gay friends, and their lifestyle seems to be much the same as mine and that of everyone else I know, except they happen to be attracted to people of the same, rather than the opposite, sex. And no, I don't have a remotely unusual or 'lifestyle', I have a totally unremarkable one, in fact, so... nope, I still don't get it. I must be missing something.

You must have never been to SanFrancisco. It's true that 99% of gays keep things in private and those people are accepted and not looked at with uneasiness. It's the ones that stick it in your face that turns people off. If they keep their sexuality in their private lives like most heterosexuals do then they would not get as much grief as they do. What people do behind closed doors is their business. When they flaunt it in public it's just TMI.

The same could be said of straight couple. Why do they have to flaunt their sexuality and lifestyle all over the place?

[featherB 1]

I must just be living obliviously in my own little bubble, because while I have a lot of gay friends, a lot of gay work colleagues, and a lot of gay 'passing acquaintances', I can't say that even one of them has ever 'flaunted' or 'shoved' their 'lifestyle' in my face. I never understand what people mean when they say 'I don't mind, I just wish they wouldn't flaunt it' - as I've never noticed any flaunting going on, I can only assume that means 'I don't mind, I just wish they would have the decency to be ashamed of who they are and pretend to be straight!' or similar.

As for their 'lifestyle', I don't get that, either... what lifestyle? Like I said, I have plenty of gay friends, and their lifestyle seems to be much the same as mine and that of everyone else I know, except they happen to be attracted to people of the same, rather than the opposite, sex. And no, I don't have a remotely unusual or 'lifestyle', I have a totally unremarkable one, in fact, so... nope, I still don't get it. I must be missing something.

You must have never been to SanFrancisco. It's true that 99% of gays keep things in private and those people are accepted and not looked at with uneasiness. It's the ones that stick it in your face that turns people off. If they keep their sexuality in their private lives like most heterosexuals do then they would not get as much grief as they do. What people do behind closed doors is their business. When they flaunt it in public it's just TMI.

I have been to San Francisco, but didn't notice any flaunting there, either... then again, I hang out in the bits of London where every other bar is a gay bar, too, and don't have anything 'shoved in my face' (ooerr) there, either. How do you mean 'flaunt it in public'? Holding hands? Kissing? Openly acting like they're a couple, rather than a pair of buddies out for the evening together? I'm trying to guess what kind of 'TMI' you mean here.... I can think of plenty of stuff (of the 'over-the-top-public-display-of-affection' variety) that would have me muttering 'get a room, can't you?' under my breath, but that would go for any couple groping and mauling each other in the street/on the station platform/wherever - gay or straight! I wouldn't see that as 'flaunting their sexuality' (like they're doing it especially to rile any watching straight people, I mean - surely it just means they're comfortable with who they are, I doubt for one second that they're thinking 'this will piss those heteros off, muahahahahaa!!'), unless countless straight couples are guilty of the same....?

[mybackpages 0]

Bottom line is this- someone's opinion about homosexuality is not relavent to the law. Can anyone give one legitimate reason why homosexuals should nto be treated equally under the law- full access to the same laws that straight people have (eg collecting social security of the surviving partner, immigration for partner benefits, )?

[featherB 1]

Bottom line is this- someone's opinion about homosexuality is not relavent to the law. Can anyone give one legitimate reason why homosexuals should nto be treated equally under the law- full access to the same laws that straight people have (eg collecting social security of the surviving partner, immigration for partner benefits, )?

Nope, 'course they can't. Because there are no legitimate reasons.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't hate gays at all. In fact my adopted son is gay and I defiantly don't hate him. But what I do hate is the way the activists stick their lifestyle in your face and tell me I have to "live with it". They seem to think it's OK to have a gay pride parade or Gay day at Disneyland but if a straight were to organize a hetro pride parade or a hetro day at Disneyland they would scream bloody murder.

To expect no reaction to their lifestyle is unrealistic. To someone that isn't gay it is something we just don't understand. What goes on in our heads when we see a gay couple is irrelevant. As long as they are treated under the law the same is all that should matter. Having said that I still think that "marriage" should still be reserved for a man and a woman. A civil union with the rights of a married couple is fine with me. It may just be semantics but it is still important to me to keep that separated.

If they would just live their lives and not try to force the rest of us to watch they would have a lot less trouble.

I have to say, I've never seen a "Straight pride" parade, nor can I imagine why anyone would want one.

The reason minority groups have these parades is in reaction to perceived intolerance and direct discrimination against them in society - same thing with racial minorities. It's part celebration - part protest.

There's no logical reason for a "straight" parade, any more than there is a need for a "white pride" parade - because generally speaking, the majority groups (lets say straight white folks) aren't experiencing anything like the degree of discrimination and intolerance that might prompt someone to protest against it.

If you were to organise a straight parade (or even a white pride parade) - its hard to see how that would be viewed as anything other than a reactionary position to the minority protest. Also, if your sexuality and race aren't issues for you (as for the majority group it generally isn't - because discrimination comes from "deviation from expected social norms") why would you feel the need to set up / attend a parade in order to draw attention to something that doesn't have any meaning for you?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I must just be living obliviously in my own little bubble, because while I have a lot of gay friends, a lot of gay work colleagues, and a lot of gay 'passing acquaintances', I can't say that even one of them has ever 'flaunted' or 'shoved' their 'lifestyle' in my face. I never understand what people mean when they say 'I don't mind, I just wish they wouldn't flaunt it' - as I've never noticed any flaunting going on, I can only assume that means 'I don't mind, I just wish they would have the decency to be ashamed of who they are and pretend to be straight!' or similar.

As for their 'lifestyle', I don't get that, either... what lifestyle? Like I said, I have plenty of gay friends, and their lifestyle seems to be much the same as mine and that of everyone else I know, except they happen to be attracted to people of the same, rather than the opposite, sex. And no, I don't have a remotely unusual or 'lifestyle', I have a totally unremarkable one, in fact, so... nope, I still don't get it. I must be missing something.

You must have never been to SanFrancisco. It's true that 99% of gays keep things in private and those people are accepted and not looked at with uneasiness. It's the ones that stick it in your face that turns people off. If they keep their sexuality in their private lives like most heterosexuals do then they would not get as much grief as they do. What people do behind closed doors is their business. When they flaunt it in public it's just TMI.

I have been to San Francisco, but didn't notice any flaunting there, either... then again, I hang out in the bits of London where every other bar is a gay bar, too, and don't have anything 'shoved in my face' (ooerr) there, either. How do you mean 'flaunt it in public'? Holding hands? Kissing? Openly acting like they're a couple, rather than a pair of buddies out for the evening together? I'm trying to guess what kind of 'TMI' you mean here.... I can think of plenty of stuff (of the 'over-the-top-public-display-of-affection' variety) that would have me muttering 'get a room, can't you?' under my breath, but that would go for any couple groping and mauling each other in the street/on the station platform/wherever - gay or straight! I wouldn't see that as 'flaunting their sexuality' (like they're doing it especially to rile any watching straight people, I mean - surely it just means they're comfortable with who they are, I doubt for one second that they're thinking 'this will piss those heteros off, muahahahahaa!!'), unless countless straight couples are guilty of the same....?

I've been to SF too - and I didn't see anything particularly untoward (comparisons to Soddom and Gommorrah may be premature...) like that. In fact, I've seen more openly gay people in New York City, but aside from public displays of affection (which as you point out goes for 'any' couple of any persuasion), no-one flaunted anything in my face...

[SoL. 0]

Kansas City is notorious for having lots of them. Honestly, they don't bother me. In some clothing stores here it seems like that's part of thir resume to get hired, they are all in the same boat. They are also awesome hair stylists and fashion/interior designers too.

I have not been in a situation where they are "flaunting" or showing TMI. They don't bother me and I don't hate them.

Just my 0.02 cents.

[GaryC 7]

I have to say, I've never seen a "Straight pride" parade, nor can I imagine why anyone would want one.

The reason minority groups have these parades is in reaction to perceived intolerance and direct discrimination against them in society - same thing with racial minorities. It's part celebration - part protest.

There's no logical reason for a "straight" parade, any more than there is a need for a "white pride" parade - because generally speaking, the majority groups (lets say straight white folks) aren't experiencing anything like the degree of discrimination and intolerance that might prompt someone to protest against it.

If you were to organize a straight parade (or even a white pride parade) - its hard to see how that would be viewed as anything other than a reactionary position to the minority protest. Also, if your sexuality and race aren't issues for you (as for the majority group it generally isn't - because discrimination comes from "deviation from expected social norms") why would you feel the need to set up / attend a parade in order to draw attention to something that doesn't have any meaning for you?

Most of these events are meant to be provocative and to "put it in our faces". They know that a majority of people see it as something intended to piss the straights off.

I lived in San Jose for a year and spent a lot of time in SF. If you go down Polk street you would see what I mean. Store fronts with male manikins wearing wedding dresses and SM leather. Guys making out in public and if they see someone give them a glance they turn up the heat just to shock.

Holding hands in public and a short peck is one thing. Flaunting it just to get a reaction is another. Open sexuality whether gay or straight in public isn't right. Would you think it would be OK for Luz and I to go into a gay bar and make out just to get a reaction? If not then why is it Ok for them to go where the majority are straight and do the same?

My whole point is if they left the sex part in private they would have a lot less trouble. It's the old story, the few make it hard for the many.

[Fuzzness 2]

I'm tired of having religion shoved in my face. I don't give a ** what the bible says about marriage... the bible is not above the law. This is not fcking Iran.

by the way I totally agree with Gary. Must be a full moon or something.

Edited April 7, 2007 by Fuzzness