"I know what colitis is, one of my friends at work suffers from it. I don't understand what it has to do in context though."
It's something that the gay and I shared. It;s in context because you said I didn't know any. We had lots of discussions.
"As I have already said, in my experience, the vast majority of males don't care. I reckon that if a guy came up to them and tried to stick the tongue down their throat, they might not be best pleased. That doesn't mean that they arn't accepting, understanding and are happy to let folk just get on with their lives. If a straight guy walked up to a straight girl and tried to do the same, she'd smack him in the face."
If a man and a woman walked hand in hand up a high street noone would bat an eyelid
If a man and a man 'ditto' I can assure you there will be lots of looks, stares, maybe some tutting, probably some nasty comments.
I suspect you are just very lucky. But you need to be realistic.
"Of course I know the kind of person you are talking about. The problem with your argument is that the "them" you refer to ARE the stereotype so of course they wont do much to change it. What you need to consider are the huge number of gay people who don't act like that. "
A good and important point - but again realistically most gays are more feminine than women - almost a mock femininity. But look at Gareth Thomas from the Welsh rugby team. And look at the responses when he came out.
"Another way to look at it - if you have a bunch of gay folk who don't act like the "limpy shouty sort" you speak of, what do you want them to do to dispel the stereotype? "
Perhaps stop marching up and down the street telling me to 'get used to it''?
"... and quite a few people were uncomfortable with either the points you raised or the way you raised them. Surely, Just cos this started when you replied to someone elses comment, it doesn't mean others can't question your point of view? Surely, in fact, you welcome the challenge to justify your opinion?"
Yes - I totally agree. You do it well. But those who call names and throw the 'h' word about is just another way of giving up.
" It is way too easy to use words like "homophobe" or "racist" etc just when there is a disagreement on a subject. I'm of the belief that if someone has a problem with gay folk, it doesn't mean they are homophobic, it just means they don't know enough on the subject to reach an informed decision. Hence why I'm continuing to talk about it. If you were just saying "gays should burn" then I would have walked away."
You are just showing a mature element to the argument - and to that I thank you. I'm not sure about the 'don't know enough' bit but then you'd probably expect me to say that
"Are you a repressed homo and your messages are simply a deep seated reaction to your self hate? If so, I'm here to talk if you need someone
"
Don't worry - you don't need to be my 'agony uncle!
"
I think this kinda sums up my counterargument. You have been called a poof in the north therefore you assume that is where most of the homophobia must be. If you had been called a poof in Cornwall, you would have a different assumption. So, your experience has formed your judgement. "
Actually I am using the opinion of a yorkshire man that I know - and he explained that dragging the case on the wheels would lead to being taunted like that! That does not make him accurate but it's where I got the info from. All from how to carry a large bag!!!!
"I class myself as a fairly normal person. I work in an office, I go to the pub, I watch shite telly and I like pizza. (God knows why I'm using those examples as a definition of "normal" but anyways...). I don't see myself as a weird online nerd. Others might but that's for them to judge. Furthermore, As far as I understand them, most of the people on here are just yer normal day to day folk you will meet as you go about life. While I accept you are having this discussion online, I reckon we would be having the same chat in the pub if you had raised it there. "
This is going to sound odd but I would not say a homo was abnormal but I would say that homosexuality is abnormal. Do you see what I mean. I won't go into family production etc because that has been done to death before.
"You implied earlier this isn't a topic that comes up often with your friends."
No no no! If you check I said it *wasn't* something that would come up "but..." etc etc. Did I mistype? I'm good at that
" Maybe you should raise it and see what they think. However, if they agree with you then I refer to what I said earlier and maybe look at who your friends are. I guess what I am trying to say is that I admit that sometimes I can be wrong on a topic, but I really think that this time, it is you that is out of touch not us. I don't mean that in an antagonistic way, but I hope it might open your eyes a bit. Or your mind."
That's your opinion and I'm not going to attempt to change it. We will disagree. I can quote stats and you can counter them with real life stuff. Incidentally - please don;t remind me of going out - We have a 1 and a bit year old. End of social life. Bah.
((
boboff wrote:So is having something put in your bum.
This sounds like the voice of experience...))
That was someone else - talk about direct!
"Isn't homophobia
the fear of Bart and Lisa's dad!"
No-one is to diss the Simpson. Grrrr!