No, I'm not getting my thong out to wear at the next gay Pride parade - although, if I did, I might cause many homosexuals to rethink heterosexualism :)We may or may not agree with how others celebrate gay rights; but, the simple fact of the matter is, all of us here in the Mormon queerosphere owe a certain debt of gratitude to the brave souls who have risked incarceration, violence, even death, in the fight to be recognized as legitimate - to be granted a basic human right - the right to exist.
All of us benefit from events such as the Stonewall riots of 1969. Imagine being a homosexual in a climate as existed back in the 1950's or 1960's. How many of us would risk having a blog if the mere admission that we are attracted to those of our same gender would brand us as sick perverts? Imagine being subjected to aversion or shock therapy in an attempt to be turned into a heterosexual.
While the gay community has reason to celebrate, their methods of doing so are often self defeating and tend to bolster negative stereotypes - IMOHO. Society views gay culture as one of drugs, promiscuous sex, limp wrists, effeminate behavior, marching in thongs, etc.. It's small wonder that many in society are repulsed by gay culture if that is how they view it.In order to gain greater acceptance, society needs to see more gay people who are like everyone else in every way - except they happen to have an affinity towards members of their own gender. They need to see people who are in their work place, standing in line with them at the ATM, worshiping with them at church. In short, they need to see more people like us.
We're like Marilyn of the Munster family - the most "normal" one of whom the rest of the family is vaguely ashamed. We're part of the silent gay majority who don't cause people to cringe, to turn the other way and to cover their children's eyes when they see us. We hide in plain sight.I'm not advocating that we should all march proudly in the next gay pride parade. I'm not suggesting we should start wearing rainbow ties to church. I am merely saying that we should not be judgmental of our gay brothers and sisters who do so.
6 comments:
Your picture of the gay Iwo Jima makes me think of Iwo Jima in DC, and how I can't even begin to find how to get there...I can drive past it 100 times and 100 different ways, but can't find the way into the parking lot to save my life!
And I agree with you.
A good point, and I for one am certainly grateful that I am gay in the current climate rather than any climate of the past. I just finished reading The Other Boleyn Girl. George Boleyn was gay, and the mere admission that he faced such temptations, even to his sisters, was a hangable offense within the church at the time. Yikes. All my friends would be dead!
(my dad has no problem finding the real Iwo Jima monument in DC, but I get lost even getting close to the city, let alone trying to find any specific monument :P)
your first picture made me throw up a little in my mouth. some people should never go shirtless--EVER
I understand the desire to wear drag and leather and be outrageous.
It's a way of saying, "No matter how far outside the mainstream we are, we are OK."
I think that as our society makes moves to embrace gay folks, the need for the outrageous displays will decrease.
But y'all talk like you've never actually attended gay pride. At gay pride in Minneapolis, the longest part of the parade is rather boring churches, religious organizations, businesses, politicians and family groups (like PFLAG), all dressed boringly normally, and carrying signs with really OUTRAGEOUS slogans like, "We're proud of our lesbian daughter." Seriously, nowadays you really need to keep your eyes peeled if you want to see the folks in thongs and drag and leather and the nuns with beards and whatnot.
Hi people there
I am a guy from Istanbul Turkey. I got question fro you (A hard one !)
I have read up all your comments about the picture showing gays with the flag at Iwo Jima.
Have any idea where can a find this picture in bigger size. We have got a gay club here and we'd like t use that image with our own flag. (The image here 356 x 400 pixels and its too small for us)
My e-mail: levbaba@hotmail.com
Expecting your reply soon.
regards
Levent Ertürk
What the literal f***. The last image is incredibly offensive to me and about half a million others. I don't have any opinions on gay marriage. Its your own sexual preference and do what you want. But that was taken too far. That image completely disrespects my heritage. That image of the Iwo Jima memorial being so blatantly disrespected needs to be destroyed. I say this because I am a marine. You've lost million potential followers to your cause because of this picture.
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