Homophobia Sucks!

I believe I posted this on Facebook a couple of years ago, but I'm not quite sure. In either case, now is a perfect time as any to re-post it.  Our friends, family or people you may have seen or read about on the news have all faced homophobia in one form or another. 

I am the boy tied to a fence, beaten to a bloody pulp and left to die because two straight men wanted to "teach me a lesson"

If you guessed, Matthew Shepard, you're right.

Feel free to read the rest, they're sad, but very true.

I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.

I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.

We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.

I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.

I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.

I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. I survived the attack that left me in a coma for three weeks, and in another year I will probably be able to walk again.

I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.

We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted to rent a one-bedroom for two men.

I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.

I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.

I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.

I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male.

I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.

I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.

I am the woman who died when the EMTs stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual. (yes, this actually happened)

I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didnt have to always deal with society hating me.

I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don't believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.

I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.

I am the person ashamed to tell my own friends im a lesbian, because they constantly make fun of them.

I am the gay male student that had to switch to another high school on my senior year, because I told my teachers that I was gay. One said that I was going to hell the other wanted to cure me.

The Promotion of Hatred Exists

Thank you so much for the blog you posted yesterday, my love. Yeah, Bryan Fischer got me really upset Tuesday night when he talked about us like a disease in need of a cure. And he continued to irritate me when he referenced us being gay, a "lifestyle".

Exercise, clothing, vacationing, and how you present yourself are a lifestyle. A monogamous or non-monogamous relationship are also considered a lifestyle or a choice, but the actual attraction and love two individuals of the same gender share is NO lifestyle, and it's definitely not a choice. This has to be taught to everyone who uses that terminology, because it's really starting to piss me off.

The other thing this guy was trying to enforce, was that we, "the gays," are the ones who brought AIDS to America. What is this, 1980? Yes, men having sex with men are still the largest group of people that get HIV, but when I pull up the CDC website, I read that gay men only account for 53%, not 91% like that bastard claimed last night.

Gay men that use injection drugs count for another 4%, Straights make up 31% and straight injection drug users make up an additional 12% as reported in 2006 by the CDC in the US. This disease "may have" begun in the gay community, and I use "may have," because it's a theory. It is not a "gay only" disease. In fact, worldwide heterosexual intercourse does make up the majority of HIV cases.

If Mr. Family Values wants to help us out with the AIDS epidemic, he should have taught us how to safely have man to man sex - He shouldn't hide and shame it back to the 1980s. Sex education isn't the only way to promote safe sex; The American people need to have proper education when it comes to being gay in this country. In the 1950's the homosexuals were labeled as "child predators," when in fact, the child predators were actually straight males or females. Granted, if you check out most of the underage twinks at the clubs who can blame them. (Cough, cough) Kidding! Then came 1969 with the stonewall riots and other displays of the GLBT community fighting for its' rights. After the era of, "We're here, we're queer, get used to it" came the 1980's and HIV/AIDS epidemic. A new fight began, not only for our rights, but for our lives as well.

I take pride in knowing that our gay community has been proactive when it comes to promoting STD awareness, and spreading the message across that having safe sex is really the most important thing in this day and age - we've come a long way since then. Unfortunately, some gay idiots think they're immortal, don't care, have a death wish - I don't know, but they don't play safe. HIV and AIDS are not a thing of the past. I tell myself that quite possibly they don't know, but with the internet and all it's glory how can you not. Despite my assumption of a non-ignorant youth, there still needs to be some sort of education. Bring back mandatory sex education classes in school that talks more about gay sex and protection versus abstinence only, and I guarantee that the HIV rates will drop. Not talking about gay and straight sex and how to protect yourself against it, is what is leading to the spread of all these STDs and the struggle to treat it.

Going back to the education of "being gay," the American society needs to know that being gay is not about being suicidal, ashamed, closeted, drugged up, dying of AIDS, a villain, a loner, or someone to feel sorry for. Show someone that is proud of who they are - that is in a loving relationship with their parents and a partner. Show the public that gay exists outside of Project Runway. That gay kids in our schools are being bullied, That while others may be strong, others need our help. Glee is educating the public in the best way possible, and because of them hopefully the American people will be even more accepting of us. Glee has helped educate the public in the best way possible, and because of them hopefully the American people will be more accepting of us. This episode, which aired on Tuesday spread a message of acceptance and self-love; And with hope, it was heard by the hundreds of bullied and suicidal teens out there - possibly saving their life.

Of course the "American Family Association" doesn't want this and they'll say anything to scare America back to the 1950's when the homosexual was the boogie man predator. The sad thing is that by promoting hate and shouting "Gay is Bad" has serious consequences. All it does is make an innocent child think they're different - like they're the worst possible thing that exists on our world. God does not promote this hatred, so SHAME ON THEM for portraying it.

Unfortunately, they and organizations like them will always be around, because someone's always got to hate. Call it religious freedom or freedom of speech, it's still hate no matter how you call it. Like the Ku Klux Klan, the AFA will one day shrink to almost nothing. Until then, things like the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, as well as other major gay civil rights accomplishments will continue to make the word GAY a less uncomfortable subject to talk about. Maybe one day we will have all our rights, including the ability to marry, and we can all thank Glee for it's positive influence on gay people. Even if Kurt is annoying at times, I'm sure it will be worth it in the end.

Is Sodomy Illegal In Your State?

In Texas, Republicans are blocking a bill that would repeal the state’s unconstitutional ban on “homosexual conduct.” Eight years after Lawrence v. Texas, here are the 14 states that still have anti-sodomy laws on the books.

And The Truth Is...

Quoted - The Sex Talk - Burt Hummel (Kurt's father)

"When you're intimate with someone in that way, you gotta know that you're exposing yourself. You're never gonna be more vulnerable, and that scares the hell out of a lot of guys. With two guys you've got two people who think that sex is just sex. It's gonna be easier to come by and once you start, you aren't gonna want to stop. You gotta know that it means something. It's doing something to you, to your heart, to your self-esteem, even though it feels like you're just having fun. When you're ready, I want you to be able to do everything. But when you're ready, I want you to use it as a way to connect to another person. Don't throw yourself around like you don't matter, because you matter."

                – Burt Hummel (Kurt's father) on last night's episode of Glee.


I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Kurt, but give me his dad anytime, and I'd be happy to call him Father.  If only parents of gay children could see how Kurt's dad treats him.  He loves him unconditionally and is there for him at all costs.

Get Out - You Have No Rights!

One day, homophobia such as what my partner posted the other day will no longer be acceptable in almost all parts of our culture, the way talking about blacks or jews just isn't right. Most straight people still aren't aware of all the different rights and privileges that they get but we still don't. Just in my real estate class today they talk about how the Fair Housing Act covers race, religion, sex, ethnicity, economic status, etc but when the teacher specifically says that sexual orientation isn't covered people still gasp and attempt to verify her comment with only, "really?". I look down in the book and in bold letters it reads "SEXUAL PREFERENCE IS NOT PROTECTED IN THE FAIR HOUSING ACT." The bastards don't even have the courtesy to say sexual orientation.

The teachers ask the class if a landlord could advertise his rental property with the phrase "NO GAYS" at the bottom of the listing. The class then reluctantly responds, "yes", as she reminds us that this could be a trick question on the test.

It is horrible knowing that something as simple as the right not to be kicked out of our own home because we're gay doesn't exist in our country, but at the same time it's encouraging to see a room full of older straight people be stunned and bothered to learn that we don't have this simple equal right. Times are a changing for the better and I honestly believe that if we have Obama for another term that we just might get laws like the fair housing act finally amended to include protection for the gays.

Unfortunately, if someone like Huckabee were to ever win, you can forget about further progress and pray that our most recent achievements don't get erased from existence. Having a religious President is one thing, being under the control and rule of a conservative preacher that could not possibly change his views on the separation of church and state creates a U.S.A. that I hope and pray I never have to see.

"What's Morally Wrong With Homosexuality?"

The title to this post is in reference to the DVD presentation written and produced by the young Dr. John Corvino.  He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin and is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

I thoroughly enjoyed the extended trailer provided on his website and have included it down below.

In it, John answers the following questions: Is homosexuality unnatural? Does it threaten society? Are gays and lesbians "born that way"--and does it matter either way?  He provides humor to his dialouge which makes the presentation quite remarkable.

  

John on "The Words We Use"

Heterosexual people we talk about relationships; Homosexual people we talk about sex. We say heterosexual people have 'lives';  homosexual people have 'lifestyles'.  We say heterosexual people have a moral vision;  homosexual people have an agenda.  The words we use to talk about these things really effect our way of thinking about them.


John on "Biblical Condmenation?"

I mean when we look to that Judeo, Christian Bible we find some things that actually sound pretty negative with respect to same-sex relationships.

The Book of Leviticus says "man shall not lie with man as with woman, it is an abomination unto God." Of course the Book of Leviticus calls a number of other things abominations that we don't tend to pay attention to quite as often. 

The Bible suggests that those who divorce and remarry should be put to death. Why? Well, because the New Testament defines divorce as adultery, the Old Testament prescribes death for adultery.

The Bible suggests that slavery is morally acceptable. And I say, the Bible contains no error, what are you going to do with those slavery passages? And you know what the people say to me? They say, 'John, you are pulling those passages out of context; you can't just take passages out of the Bible and quote them as if they mean the same thing today as they did for the people of the time. You can't just pull the pages out of context.'

And I say, well wait a second, if it is not okay to do that with the slavery passages, why is it okay to that with the homosexuality passages?

Take the time to watch the trailer and if you wish to purchase it you can visit his DVD website at http://www.gaymoralist.com/

What The Hell Is A Gay Conservative Anyway?

GOProud is a conservative organization that brainwashes young gay men into thinking Ann Coulter, John McCain, Mitt Romney and the rest of the Republican establishment are going to support their causes.  It's a sad story to read that young, good-looking men like  22yr old Tyler Whitney here, who's a member of this organization, attended this conference.

Dear GOProud Member, this is Peter speaking...

The idea of “gay conservative” is an oxymoron.  “Gay” is everything that “conservative” is not. The foundation of the worldview that so-called “gay conservatives” embrace has far more in common with liberalism than with conservatism.  No matter what your stand on government spending or taxes, you boys are "Gay."

A conservative will never like your agenda, they will never allow you to get married, they will never allow you to visit your man in a hospital; well...you can now, because of President Obama.  But if given the chance, they would rip that out from under you too.
 

Don't forget, that by supporting these fools you are taking away your right to freedoms you wish you had, and are asking for.  They let you attend the CPAC conference only for your money, not because they support your right to marry the man you want.  They hate the very thought of two men kissing!  

Hell, your minds get so twisted, that even your own gay members are losing it, like cutie Matt Hissey here.  "I don't really like gay people that much. Gay people frustrate me, the stereotypical gay people, it frustrates me...someone who puts on a total act. I understand that some guys are feminine, which is fine. But some guys, at some point, are normal, straight-acting, whatever and the next minute they're jumping up and down. It just frustrates me. The whole conservative thing is just be yourself, be an individual and just don't be someone you're not. If someone does or does not accept you, that's fine but don't change who you are to look different to others." he alleges as seen in this video.

The American Conservative Union, which sponsors CPAC, is quick to note that despite its decision to include GOProud as a participating organization, the group "has consistently adhered to traditional family values as our policy,"  incoming chairman Al Cardenas declares. 

And for you gay conservatives, this includes opposition to same-sex marriage. Cardenas even stated, "it's going to be difficult to continue the relationship" with your organization in the future because of the leaders who hate you all so much.

You people, as cute and beautiful as you are, frustrate me.  I'm done with all of you. Ugh, this post is pissing me off, But I write it for those who are not aware of the stupidity we face among our ranks.

Post Secret Fridays - Issue 044

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.