@IceSage: If I had a nickel for every time you used the word "constantly"...
Shoving our gayness in peoples' faces? This is an LGBT thread - did you think we'd not talk about it? Really, this thread is like saying "We're going to go over there and be really gay so we don't have to be really gay in front of everyone in case that offends someone." It's like we're having a queer convention/support group and you showed up and got mad that we were being "too" open. Seriously, wtf do you want? For every gay person never to mention that they're gay?
Again, you're misreading my posts. People seem to do that a lot here. The whole point just sort of went over your shoulder. Also, mis-quoting and putting "words in my mouth" doesn't really work on a forum where people can go back and read my actual post. I don't remember typing the phrase "shoving your gayness in peoples faces."
I'll repeat again, there is
nothing wrong with talking about being gay, bi, etc. I'm also NOT referring to you mainly, but the OP. I don't "want" anything.
You're entirely missing the point of my posts.
"People are people, how does sharing your sexual preference effect anything at all?" If we're getting crap irl we can be 99.9% sure that people like us will be understanding and sympathetic, but we won't necessarily know who those people are until we make a thread that says "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" It's really no different if, say, someone were Muslim and were being hassled for it. Would you think it strange if they sought out other Muslims first? (You can replace Muslim with whatever helps you understand: Christian, Jewish, liberal, conservative, pokemon fan, etc.)
I'd have the same stance on it, actually, however slightly different. You can choose a religion, most people can't chose who they're attracted to. Like I said, the thread itself and the discussions that take place in them, and discussing the topic is perfectly a-okay, and there's nothing wrong with it. You missed the point where I said I was referring to the OP's presentation of it, though. I'm mainly only posting about the OP and his first post... I'm not even discussing views on LGBT really, or the discussions in this thread.
"Why does anyone have to mention it?" How else are we going to find people? No, not for dates - for support, for friendship. Yes, straight people can be supportive, can be friendly, can know what it's like to be hated for who you are, but is everyone who's experienced racism (for example) going to be accepting of queers? No. Is everyone who's experienced homophobia going to be accepting? No, but most will.
My main point is really that announcing your sexual preference in a defensive manner, and automatically talking about how you "don't like labels" yet you start a thread MAKING such labels, is redundant.
Here's basically what I mean as an example. When a bunch of gay people go around saying they're being harassed because they're gay, and that they're "proud to be gay" or say "Why can't you just leave me alone?" or "Are you treating me like that because I'm gay, that's wrong! Homophobe!" -- Then why are they saying those things in the manner of "sexuality shouldn't factor in" when on the other hand, some of those same people are all defensive or "proud" of their gayness, and make it extremely apparent?
It's saying, "I don't want to be judged by who I am, but I'm going to inform you that I'm different and place a label on myself."
That's kind of contradictory, don't you think?
but is everyone who's experienced racism (for example) going to be accepting of queers? No. Is everyone who's experienced homophobia going to be accepting? No, but most will.
True, but you don't NEED someone to be something, to be accepting of it.
Like I said, the discussion of this can be helpful and beneficial... However, I was mainly referring to the OP and others like them... Who say they're tired of being persecuted and labeled, yet constantly do things to cause attention to themselves and place labels ON THEMSELVES.
I'm all for people being EQUAL, no matter who they are. When I see a person, I don't think things like, "Black, gay, christian." I see just a person, and whether they're black, gay, or a christian, has nothing to do with if I can get along with them or not, or believe they're a "good" human being.
And the disclosure of sexual preference as a normalcy or some kind of socially required thing is ridiculous...
That's kind of the point I'm making in a way.
On another note, part of the actual discussion of this thread... One of my favorite people in the world, James Randi, recently came out on his website. <3
