Gay Rights

[DivideByZero14]

I noticed that, even though it's been vaguely mentioned in other threads, we have no gay rights or general homosexuality discussion. Since several have cited it as a topic worthy of debate, I'd like to hear others' opinions on the subject. (And, yes, I must admit to an abject curiosity as to who among us is gay...not that anyone has to say, if they don't care to.)

My personal opinion is that you "accept" someone being gay the way you "accept" them being black, or white, or hispanic, or however else. It's a fact of life, and trying to keep people from being gay is like trying to keep people from being a particular race. Not only is it impractical to enforce, it's impossible, and completely corrupts the American ideal of respecing the rights of the minority. Imagine if we decided that all gays had to attend anti-gay camp. Then, I guess we'd have to send minority ethnicities to Michael Jackson-esque skin-bleaching treatment. And send Greens to Republican and Democrat training camps. You can't change who a person is, so, unless Bush wants a Nazi-ish Aryan superiority thing going on in America, he's going to have to stop pounding his pulpit (excuse me--I mean desk) about how homosexuality is "wrong."  

[Muaethia]

Now, I'm quite good at seeing things from others' perspectives. Yet I still can't see why people think homosexuality is completely 'wrong'. What do people find so repulsive about a man having sex with another man, or a woman falling for another woman? The bible says that homosexuality is wrong, which is why some christians think so. Not that I am saying all christians are anti-gay.

I agree with DivideByZero14. Being gay is only as superficial as being black or white, it's the person inside that counts whatever their skin colour or sexual orientation.

(by the way, i'm bi/not sure about my sexuality, if you were wondering... )  

[HaileSelassie601993]

I think I know why people are afraid of gays, lebians, bisexuals, and transgenders. I know only one from real life, and I only have contact with her now over the Internet. But I think it's because they are different. That is the only reason. I selected "same as everyone else," by the way.

And I am straight.  

[Pistil]

I can understand why some people may be repulsed by the idea of people being attracted to the same sex.

But I am not one of them. In fact, I had a bi friend in high school, although I only rarely see her nowadays. We were pretty close, and even had conversations about our sexual preferences (which was uncomfortable at first - because I'm straight, so her talking about how hawt that girl was and all that stuff was a bit weird, but after a while it was just like any other topic)  

[DivideByZero14]

I see someone selected "Awesome" in the poll... blaugh

As for myself, I'm gay/not sure. I'm not in any hurry to commit.  

[PickleBoy]

In my feminism class it was brought up that homosexuality is seen as a threat to the male superiority. Since men are supposed to be the "bread winners" and "captains" of the household, if there are two men in a relationship then one must be being put down, used, treated as an inferior. Yes, I do believe that some of that is true. Why? Cause it seems that men have more of a freak out about it than women. At least as far as I've noticed.  

[Yami_Ichi]

I don't see any problem with people being gay/bi/lesbian. I myself, being bi-sexual, see it as a real problem when someone is rejected, treated differently, or teased because of it. I was weary to tell people at first, but alot of people think it is cool, especially my guy friends (go figure).

I had a gay friend who found a boyfriend at my school. All was well... until his mom found out. His mom pulled him out of school... and I have no clue as to where he is or how he is doing.

Rejecting someone because they are gay is just like racism, as stated already. You need to accept someone for who they are. I have seen people like someone for personality, come to find out they are a gay/bi/lesbian, and totally reject them... that is totally uncool.  

[Muaethia]

Yami_Ichi

I don't see any problem with people being gay/bi/lesbian. I myself, being bi-sexual, see it as a real problem when someone is rejected, treated differently, or teased because of it. I was weary to tell people at first, but alot of people think it is cool, especially my guy friends (go figure).

I had a gay friend who found a boyfriend at my school. All was well... until his mom found out. His mom pulled him out of school... and I have no clue as to where he is or how he is doing.

Rejecting someone because they are gay is just like racism, as stated already. You need to accept someone for who they are. I have seen people like someone for personality, come to find out they are a gay/bi/lesbian, and totally reject them... that is totally uncool.

3nodding

I've now pretty much accepted that I'm bi.

I havn't really come out to anyone except one of my best friends. I think one or two other people secretly know, though xd

I told my mum on thursday, we were both a bit tipsy, lol. She didn't mind at all, but I get the feeling she's a "going through a stage" believer with teenage homosexuality/bisexuality. Those sort of people annoy me. "He think's he's gay? He'll grow out of it". What do they know, eh?

I don't think anyone would reject me if I told them, but I'm not going to go telling anyone else unless they ask (strangely, no-one in real life has ever asked me if I'm straight/bi/gay, so no asky, no answery mrgreen )

Perhaps people just assume I'm straight if I don't say any different.  

[Redem]

I can think of no good reason to not treat them the same as everyone else.  

[gigacannon]

What people think they should or shouldn't do is a matter of conforming to what they perceive as social norms. Ask anyone who says that people should or shouldn't do something what 'wrong' means, and they will probably say it's 'something that you shouldn't do'. More enlightened people only do, or don't do things to achieve a specific desired end.

There is no accounting for taste, though... if you don't like something, it's in your best interests to stop that thing. So if you hate homosexuality, it's regrettably perfectly rational to convince or force homosexual people not to have sex. Of course, one could easily argue that such behaviour in no way leads to happiness on the part of anyone, and therefore that changing your opinion of homoexuality will lead to a better quality of life, both personally and for society as a whole.

On the other hand, people who insist that homosexuality is 'wrong' do not understand why. Even if they explain in terms of heaven or hell, since they have absolutely no reason to suspect that any given act will result in the arrival, upon death, of entry into one after life or any other. It might well be that everyone goes to hell, although that seems distinctly illogical to me.  

[Kaioke]

I don't see a reason to demote someone, because of his or her Sexual Preference. Muaethia is correct, it's only as superficial as a person's skin Color.

And on a Side Note. A Gay Camp. That would never work. whee
(I'm Bi-Sexual by the way).  

[Zwiebelsaft!]

i couldn't have given less of a s**t about sexuality (i'm bi, almost going straight), but some of my friends disagree because they have an ego the size of their genitalia *ew* stare and they have a bit of a prejudice against me because of their ego size and how i'm bisexual and they know it gonk

no more mcdonalds for u scream

((EDIT: I buy food for them bastards- why? Because my parents bought our house too early and they're the only kids within a 1 mile radius and I'm just doing the wrong things to get them to like me emo ))  

[Copper Forrest]

I don't care if someone is gay, bi, or hetero, anymore than I care if they like it missionary or doggy style.

Ya know, it's all just crazy. A lotta people are just so busy trying to put everyone into a category - so long as there's an US and a THEM, then we have a way of categorizing bad, good, better, best, etc. And some people just feel better if they know they've got someone under their boots.

The politicians lead the US/THEM mentality fight more than the religious people. The religious right are loud and obnoxious but there are loving religions that don't make a big deal and quietly welcome anyone - methodists for instance. I've attended more than one service (back in my Chrstian days) where a good 20% of the congregation was obviously gay (as in, held hands with another person of the same sex) and I'm sure there's always plenty of quiet ones. The politicians are the ones making the decisions inDC. The politicians choose which half of the nation to listen too. And they choose it based on the size of the VOTING block and the size of the voters' wallets.

Recently US Senators said, again, that gay marriage negatively impacts the institution of marriage. HOW?

I'm a happily married, hetero woman and no gay couple will be able to negatively impact the insitution of my marriage... even the idiot hetero's who marry a dozen times don't impact my marriage. What does impact society (in general rather than just the singular insitution of marriage) is the hetero couples ability to procreate without the use of their brains or condoms, leaving society as a whole responsible to raise the kids (cuz you know they won't stop at just one kid). US public schools are burdened with just trying to teach appropriate behavior, let alone the three R's. And it only gets more expensive when uneducated kids leave high school.

Gay marriage has only a positive impact on society: taking in children who would otherwise be sitting in orphanages, settling two single people down into a household unit of stability, and making a regular income or two, in order to keep that unit stable, etc.

It boggles the mind. **sighs uncontrollably** what a rant, sorry.  

[LleuLlawGyfes]

I think, in men at least, that

A- They are disgusted by the thought that a gay man may be lusting over them (over estimating their own sex-appeal),and/or disgusted by the thought that a man may be lusting over other men.

B- They don't understand how a man could not lust after women.

These are sentiments I myself have heard expressed, but I don't know every homophobic male in the country, so I am probably wrong... biggrin  

[Bowmore]

I just wish more people would take some time to look at homosexuality from the point of view of a scientist. I see homosexuality as a species-wide defense mechanism to combat overpopulation.

I think homosexuality is as natural as heterosexuality, but it's demonized because it conflicts with most religions' tactic of out-breeding the competition. Homosexuals can't make miniature versions of themselves, so they're called evil, unnatural abominations by religious authorities.

I'm bisexual, and when I say that, I mean I have had sexual contact with members of my own gender -- not just a "jump on the bandwagon, being open these things is popular now" ploy. I've seen hot guys and said "I would so hit that", and I've been hit on by guys and said "Look man, I'm just not attracted to you"

This brings me to another topic: the myth that homosexuals, for whatever reason, are more promiscuous than straight people. Is it just the media attention that homosexuals get that makes them seem that way? As in, how they're portrayed on the news and on television and cartoons? Or am I mistaken and they really are promiscuous?