Deep Thoughts
Jun. 2nd, 2010 04:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eirenicalSo... I just had a discussion with one of my oldest and dearest friends. At the time, it was funny. Now, I'm actually a little disturbed and a little saddened by it, so I feel the need to rant.
We'd been having a regular old discussion about her kids, my plans to go back to school, my niece's first swim. Then, all of a sudden, she said that she had a question for me and was just going to be blunt about it. She'd noticed a pattern in my Facebook posts and said that the way I present myself in them came across as kind of... are you a lesbian?
For a second, I really wasn't sure how to respond and just froze. She then went on to very quickly say that if I was, that was totally fine. She would be happy if I was happy, either way. And if I had someone, that was great. I assured her that, no, I wasn't a lesbian (though recent experiences with guys have half-scared me off them -- stupid males :-P), that it was just a cause that was near and dear to my heart. It sounded like she wasn't totally sure she believed me, so I assured her that if I decided I was a lesbian, she'd be among the first to know. Then the conversation went on to other topics.
20 minutes later, my mind revolved back around to thinking about the words exchanged. This particular friend of mine is no stranger to the GLBT community, having at least 2 friends that I know of who are part of it. And if I ever did decide to marry another woman, I know she'd be right up at the alter standing with me as a bridesmaid and would be thrilled to do it. She's not prejudiced and she'd be supportive of me no matter what I did or who I did it with. She's just cool like that.
So... what was bothering me? I suppose it was just this very simple question: why is it that a straight person can't be supportive of equality and GLBT rights without being suspected of being GLBT, herself? That would be like saying that a white person couldn't have supported ending slavery without being accused of being black. O_O That makes no sense. I suppose the issue is a little more confused with GLBT rights because "they" look no different from "us." It just saddens me that people, especially those I care about, can totally miss the reason why I post about GLBT issues and why I "share" so many posts from Broadway Impact and Give A Damn, in favor of the really minor question of my own sexual orientation. That these issues just need to be discussed, no matter who's doing the discussing. And that, in a nutshell, is why more of us straight people need to stand up and spread awareness of these issues. No one who isn't GLBT should have to feel ashamed to stand up and support them or their right to equality.
I am straight.
I support the GLBT community.
And I am damned proud of it.
^_^
We'd been having a regular old discussion about her kids, my plans to go back to school, my niece's first swim. Then, all of a sudden, she said that she had a question for me and was just going to be blunt about it. She'd noticed a pattern in my Facebook posts and said that the way I present myself in them came across as kind of... are you a lesbian?
For a second, I really wasn't sure how to respond and just froze. She then went on to very quickly say that if I was, that was totally fine. She would be happy if I was happy, either way. And if I had someone, that was great. I assured her that, no, I wasn't a lesbian (though recent experiences with guys have half-scared me off them -- stupid males :-P), that it was just a cause that was near and dear to my heart. It sounded like she wasn't totally sure she believed me, so I assured her that if I decided I was a lesbian, she'd be among the first to know. Then the conversation went on to other topics.
20 minutes later, my mind revolved back around to thinking about the words exchanged. This particular friend of mine is no stranger to the GLBT community, having at least 2 friends that I know of who are part of it. And if I ever did decide to marry another woman, I know she'd be right up at the alter standing with me as a bridesmaid and would be thrilled to do it. She's not prejudiced and she'd be supportive of me no matter what I did or who I did it with. She's just cool like that.
So... what was bothering me? I suppose it was just this very simple question: why is it that a straight person can't be supportive of equality and GLBT rights without being suspected of being GLBT, herself? That would be like saying that a white person couldn't have supported ending slavery without being accused of being black. O_O That makes no sense. I suppose the issue is a little more confused with GLBT rights because "they" look no different from "us." It just saddens me that people, especially those I care about, can totally miss the reason why I post about GLBT issues and why I "share" so many posts from Broadway Impact and Give A Damn, in favor of the really minor question of my own sexual orientation. That these issues just need to be discussed, no matter who's doing the discussing. And that, in a nutshell, is why more of us straight people need to stand up and spread awareness of these issues. No one who isn't GLBT should have to feel ashamed to stand up and support them or their right to equality.
I am straight.
I support the GLBT community.
And I am damned proud of it.
^_^
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-04 02:21 am (UTC)Amen!
I very much support the GLBT community, and I'm also very much straight. But I can certainly see where you're coming from, and I've noticed the same thing myself. I inwardly cheer when I see people at a GLBT support event that proclaim themselves as straight, because it drives home the fact that this is an issue about equality, not an 'us' versus 'them' issue. I honestly believe that the next few generations will view our problems with gay marriage and other GLBT rights as ridiculous as the vast majority of people today view the past treatment of blacks. Yes, there will always be a few holdout nutjobs, but for the most part I think the craziness surrounding current issues will be resolved. Hopefully within our lifetimes.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-04 08:43 pm (UTC)Yeah... I think that about covers it. ^_^ And I agree. Obama's been making some serious dents in these issues and I would love him for that, if nothing else. ^_^ This really is the civil rights issue of our day and I'm glad to see so many people finally on board to do something about it. ^_^