Acceptance takes time, unfortunately.  Only in the last few decades have gays been seen in the public in most places or talked about in the media.  You might be too young to remember just how groundbreaking Ellen was when she and her character came out. People have to get used to new things, especially the narrow minded ones LOL. I do think things are so much better now than they were before Ellen, but that doesn't mean I don't think we still have far to go. I want overall acceptance yesterday.

Maybe you can hold on to your optimism is you do some research on the history of gays over the last century so that you can see how far we have come. More and more people are accepting us. Even the statistics of those who support gay marriage rights has improved.

I have to share this with y'all.

My straight best friend recently chose to do her english assingment on the negative way the media treats gays and lesbians and the effect this has on us. I was surprised because she came up with it on her own, didn't know I was gay and our out gay friends try to positive about it all.

She asked me if it would be okay if she asked our gay friends questions about how they thought they were treated. So I said. "You can ask me. I'm gay."

So I pointed out a bunch of websites (AE inclunded) and showed her some video clips she could use. This is what she said about Sally Kern.

"She's a stupid bitch!"

Without any prompting.

=)

And while I know that is obvious, fear is always about when someone...for whatever reason...doesn't feel safe.  It doesn't have to be logical...and most of the time there is no logic involved.  People are often afraid of change...of something that is different...according to their little bubble of safety that they grew up with and are familiar with.

One time when I was in a Kinko's, I witnessed an older gentleman (who was very nice up until) who was overdressed as an urban cowboy (something that is not common where I live and thus made him standout quite a bit) who almost leaped across the building toward a stranger...because he had such a physical reaction toward a young 20-something male who came into the place all dressed in black leather with a mohawk.

From my perspective, they both were dressed in "look at me" attire...which was perfectly okay with me...but it stayed with me how the cowboy could not take being in the same place of business with the punk rocker.  And how his reaction was as if he was being threatened.

I think people who are afraid of other gay people or of being gay themselves can use things like their religion to try to make themselves feel better and safe once again...but it is still fear and they are fooling themselves with the Bible quotes or whatever else they wrap themselves in.

About 22 minutes into this particular vlog...Marnie and Cathy spoke about this very subject quite well...

http://www.afterellen.com/bog/sarahwarn/whats-your-problem-video-blog-9

Speaking of homophobia, have you guys seen this http://www.lovegodsway.org/Gay?

PS: sorry if it's been posted already, I used the search engine but didn't get any exact results.

I know! That only shows how ignorant these people are...

It's not even worth it being mad at something like that. It's ridiculous.

At first i even thought that website was supposed to be a "joke".

Gay Bands according to the LOVE GOD'S WAY website:

Ghostface and jayz?? dmx? that's hilarious

It should say Ted Nugent (asshole, mysoginist prick)....

As far as to why there is so much homophobia, look at who we elect to power, look at the movies that hollywood churns out. It's a hetero world and people here on this blog see and hear this everyday. Marketing is aimed to wards straight people. It's all anybody sees. So they think that all that exists are hetero people. 

Add to that religion, which mostly condemns people who are queer in any form. Only in the last twenty years has queer culture been added to the mainstream culture in any kind of respectful manner. So as the gay elite (doesn't include all gay people)like to say to us transwomen and transmen, "it will take time, wait your turn".

Well, if you're like me waiting is NOT an option.

I found out some sad news yesterday a local transwoman and AIDS activist who was much loved by the local gay community (Madison, WI) was murdered while on vacation in Mexico City yesterday. It's too late for her. How long should we wait? How long should any of us wait? And who decides who gets to wait? Well, money talks and bullshit walks. And when you're not finacially well off the rich people decide your fate on the basis of what's best for them.

It's sad world and it will take time....

wow re- gods web site thing as mentioned above...

did they ad musicals to that list of BANDS TO WATCH OUT FOR.

hahahaha that is so funny, how wierd, here is their partial list of BANDS to WATCH OUT for. And by 'watch out for', do they mean,  download mp3s asap, or watch for as in they are evil. Guess my parents are gay too....they are total Manilow fans.

It's rare that I use the "lol" acronym....but I couldn't think of anything else that could describe my reaction to that website posted. hahahh...wow.

I would, however, like to point out that it's not all religions which put down homosexuality. If one looks at Buddhism as a religion (though personally I think it's more of a way of life - then again, I'm not Buddhist), they are very accepting of gay people and homosexuality and gay couples. There are several other religions as well which are more obscure that I can't remember the names of, but yeah. So not all religions speak against homosexuality. :)

I don't even think religion has much to do with it. I think the people who are phobic use religion as a kind of justification for their own inability to accept others, change, and difference. IE, I don't think the Bible actually speaks out against gay couples - I think it was translated, misused, and twisted in interpretation to make it seem like it did because that's what people want to read/see. People call it 'unnatural,' when really they mean, "I can't understand why you would do that because I personally wouldn't." Those of the straight population who are more narrow-minded can't understand being attracted to the same sex, so assume it's wrong or not real. And then you have the secretly-gay-people-who-can't-face-it-so-they-treat-gay-people-really-badly. Gay people also make a convenient target for jokes, etc. because very few people stand up for them. I read somewhere that discrimination against gay people is the most acceptable form of discrimination currently...but I thoroughly believe that change will come, is coming, and has been coming. We've come a long way in the past years, but we still have a long ways to go. Stand up for yourself, and keep hope in humanity...you might be surprised. :)

A project I'm thinking of starting is writing down all the comments people make about gay people, and seeing what comes up. Recently I heard a boy on my bus say, "I hate it when people talk about gay people like that [he meant casually]. It makes me puke."

I think people really just need to see that gay people are just normal people...and also need to get all the crap the media, some crazy fundamentalists and pop culture say out of their heads. You know, massachusetts hasn't exploded and so far california hasn't, so i don't see why people are so afraid of gay marriage ruining society...

"This is a tree on fire with love, but it's still scary since most people think love only looks like one thing instead of the whole world."

oops, double post

sorry

I agree with everything said here. I don't understand homophobia in the slightest. It baffles me how one can judge another solely based on gender. How 'one' feature can cause such hatred and anger. I am doing a research paper on gender prejudice and recently came across um, 'Fred Phellps' religion / church / following. I had no idea such thing existed. I read his beliefs and slogans and banners and have never felt so angry. I couldn't stop crying. It was sick. It was just so ugly.