Attention seeking homosexuality..

i dont mind girl on girl

Ok, most straight women! Most bigotted ones anyway.

ok 1 more go cos I think its an important point, then im off to bed.

not sure this is gonna work but i'll give it a shot........

As an analogy, 500yrs ago ppl thought left handers were witches and burned at the stake. Now we're more enlightened and educated its understood that it's just a harmless part of a persons genetic makep so nothing to be concerned about.

Prejudice against gay people is not so dis-similar, its just a different way some people are made up. Most ppl ain't bothered by it, more enlightened and educated than we were (as a society), but there's still a minority who are. For those who aren't, whether someone is gay or not is about as important as whether they're left or right handed. But for those who are, wearing the fact that you're gay like a badge, just serves to highlight the difference from the norm, keeps it up there as an issue, and feeds the prejudice. imo

I'm sure if Shaun (if u dont mind me using u as an example) hadn't wound ppl up, the fact that he's gay would barely have raised an eyebrow because he didn't make a big deal about it. Fact is it was mentioned in passing a few times and no-one said anything about it. It only became an issue because a few ppl ended up in slanging matches and used his sexuality as a weapon against him, but they weren't attacking him BECAUSE he's gay. Far as im concerned whether someone shags blokes or women just ain't important so why make it so??


And the fact that it was jamie's sig I took the badge from doesn't mean that my comment are directed specifically at him, I used that badge to illustrate me point cos it was convenient that's all. It's better having this debate in the abstract rather than personalising it imo.


capice?

So your saying gay people should hide their sexuality?!?!?!?!?

A gay person has just as much right to flaunt his sexuality as a straight person!

I'm sorry Si but shaun offending someone in a petty childish manner does not warrent the ground for homophobic prejudice... We both agreed that there was no grounds for insulting shauns sexuality so this paragraph in my eyes is tosh.

wot he said

and wot she said

Si what are you on about?

"So your saying gay people should hide their sexuality?!?!?!?!?"

no not at all. I'm saying the best way defeat prejudice is just to be open about it and treat it as nothing special. Take Chris Smith as an example.... first openly gay cabinet minister in this country.

Because of the way he's dealt with it, it's never even mentioned and its not even an issue with him, he's only ever regarded as a cabinet minister, not as a gay cabinet minister. No-one can use the fact that he's gay against him, and if anyone did they'd look like a narrow minded bigot.

Compare that with how Peter Tatchell and Portillo are treated in the press. Tatchell's a joke figure, and Portillo's forever tainted because he hid the fact and was outed. As Shaun said earlier if you don't hide it its just not a big deal anymore.

Chris Smith helped gay rights a thousand times more than Tatchell ever did.

Sorry shite but this is sheer shite....

Your saying the only socially accepotable gay people are the ones who keep it secret! Reality check

I know your point and I completely disagree with it... Yes gay people who keep it hidden have an easier life but this shouldn't have to be the case.... They should be able to flaunt it just as I'm allowed to flaunt I'm straight.....

To turn round and tell shaun if he wants an easy life on this site don't make an issue of your sexuality, is insulting... He shouldn't and doesn't feel ashamed of being gay...

Its not something to be ashamed of?!?!?!?!

Joe how do you do that????

I'm saying exactly the opposite of what you think I'm saying, on every point there?


ps sorry for calling u a gimp before

I think in this case its just doing an appauling job of explaining yourself

and I completely forigive ya dude - u know I got love for u g

i'm prepared to consider that possibility

yeah man

let me just read Si's mind.... hmmmmmm, :evil: :chill: :chill: :groovy: :spangled:

ah yes, what the tongue-twisted fool means is that gay people can hide thier sexuality if they choose to do so

I think Si means that if people are open about it, but don't make a big deal about it, like Chris Smith, then they are less likely to get shit for it.

People who either make a big deal about being gay, or try to hide that they are gay, are the ones that tend to get picked on (not saying that this is morally right, just that this seems to be what happens).

Does that make any more sense? I hope so, as this topic is getting pretty boring.

I understand that point, but still disagree with it why can't a gay person flaunt his/her sexuality?

it'd be good if they could, but sadly we live in a world full of bigots and fools

Wasn't very long ago when gay people could be arrested for kissing in the street and similar private sex acts between straight people was legal, but could be illegal between gay people.

Lots of people still find homosexuality offensive so if a gay person is open about thier sexuality they will encouter bigotry more often. A few years ago I was walking behind a black woman in town when a white van passed, the driver leant out and shouted "black bitch" at her. If he had been a lesbian it's unlikely the baboons in the van would have even known.

Lots of gay people think that thier sexuality is a private matter and prefer to keep it that way. Peter Tatchell and Outrage (still going?) disagree and will forcibly out public figures who hide thier sexuality. The rationale is that public gay figures will make homsexuality more acceptable, regardless of that person's willingness to be openly gay

Check back to the Star/Sun's treatment of Paul Burrell after he sold his story to the Mirror) for appalling examples of homophobia

It's not that gay people shouldn't flaunt there sexuality, just that if they do, they are more likely to get shit for it, in the same way that anyone 'flaunting' anything different about themselves is likely to. People who are devoutly religeous and try to spout it to people who aren't interested will tend to piss people off. Look at the whole cyber argument. You flaunt the fact that you wear cyber, and you get shit for it.

No-one is saying that no-one should flaunt anything, just that if they single themselves out, then people make an issue of that difference. Whether this is right or wrong has not really been discussed (apart from in the opening few posts), just that it happens.

No shit sherlock, its like saying if a ku klux klan member walks around town in his white robes he's more likely to get shit than if he were to walk around town in an adidas tracksuit... its kind of a pointless point...in my eyes.

My point is on this board (and throughout society) poeople should be able to flaunttheir sexuality without shame or fear of the reprecussions....

I flaunt my cyber because I'm proud of how I look in it.

huh? i made that point cos you asked "why can't a gay person flaunt his/her sexuality?" Well that's why. Not right, just true

People should be able to express themselves any way they want. Society has a narrow band of 'normality'. Step outside that and the norm will give you shit for it.

Homophobia was still acceptable and legal in the UK up to very recently. Lots of people in this country are still openly or secretly homophobic. Women have been fighting for equal rights for a century. Fifty years ago an openly gay person's life would have been painful and made pretty un-bearable

I was reply to bob bell end

It might have been an obvious point, but you seemed to be having trouble distinguishing 'open' and 'flaunting' in Si's post.

If people should be able to flaunt their sexuality, then people should be able to flaunt whatever they want without fear of ridicule. I thus point you to your skaters post!

oh! Fair points tho?

? are you coming on to me you queer?

this is a joke, and queer is a reclaimed word which is why i used it