Are you friends with any gay people?

[CriticalThought]

Tell me about any gay friends you might have.

How many do you have?
How close are they?
Do you allow them around your other friends or family?
Do you personally know any gay couples?
Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend?

I've heard the argument before that support for gay rights and same sex marriage is strongly correlated to exposure to gay people. In other words if you have gay friends or family then you are allegedly more likely to support gay rights.

I also often hear the argument that people can't be homophobic if they have gay friends, so I am curious what kind of relationships some of the more socially conservative members have with gay people.

 

[Arcana XV]

Tell me about any gay friends you might have.

How many do you have?

Too many too count. I've worked in the airline industry all my life and a very big number of my male coworkers are gay. I also have some ties to the fashion industry through one of my exes, who's also my best friend, and I don't need to tell you how many gay men work in fashion. lol

One of my friends in the UK was raised by her father and his boyfriend. She was a toddler when she went to live with them. They've been together longer than any couple I know. I'm still friends with them, even though I haven't seen them for a few years we keep in touch.

How close are they?

Most are just work friendships. Sometimes we do stuff outside of work.

Do you allow them around your other friends or family?

Of course. Why wouldn't I?

Do you personally know any gay couples?

Yes, quite a few. I mentioned my friend's father and his partner. There's also another couple I've been friends with for about 10 years, but I think they separated recently. They were together for a long time too. And a lot of my gay coworkers live with their boyfriends/civil partners.

Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend?

Of course.

I've heard the argument before that support for gay rights and same sex marriage is strongly correlated to exposure to gay people. In other words if you have gay friends or family then you are allegedly more likely to support gay rights.

I also often hear the argument that people can't be homophobic if they have gay friends, so I am curious what kind of relationships some of the more socially conservative members have with gay people.

I hear the same arguments and I generally agree with that. Although I know a few straight people in my line of work who are against gay marriage/rights even though they're constantly exposed to gay people.

 

[Tigger]

I have a number of acquaintances who are homosexual, but none who I would call friends. They're not the people I invite over to the condo, or spend my free time with except through whatever organization or event we may have in common (the gym, work, etc....). There is one openly lesbian couple in the building I live in. I say "hi" and "bye" as we pass in the hallway or parking lot. Nothing more.

 

[tessaesque]

I have friends, period. Their sexuality is inconsequential and anybody who wants to spend time with me and my friends will share/appreciate that stance. I don't say, "Hi, this is my gay friend, Jerod" or "Hi, this is my straight friend, Mike". That's a ludicrous means of identification, IMO.

Are some of my friends gay? Yeah. But that is not the reason for the friendship or a point of contention in our friendship, so it doesn't matter.

 

[Redress]

I can barely leave the house without running into gay people. It's so bad that my mom, who is gay, jokes that she would use me if she wanted to meet gay people. I will literally go to Home Depot and get the one gay checkout guy, who will proceed to chat to me endlessly. I will be checking out at Target and the guy in front of me will be gay and just start chatting away. I am like a gay magnet.

 

[Gardener]

I would be thrilled if a gay friend invited my to their wedding. The one in a committed relationship most likely to marry her partner when it becomes legal here isn't into any pomp and ceremony at all, so would probably do it quietly with just the two of them, but if she did invite me, I would be most pleased to attend.

I've had more gay women friends than gay men friends over the years, but the same would go with men.

 

[Jerry]

Tell me about any gay friends you might have.

None.

How many do you have?

0

How close are they?

n/a

Do you allow them around your other friends or family?

n/a

Do you personally know any gay couples?

Nope.

Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend?

If the marriage was a union I would otherwise support, sure.

I've heard the argument before that support for gay rights and same sex marriage is strongly correlated to exposure to gay people. In other words if you have gay friends or family then you are allegedly more likely to support gay rights.

Hmm well, these aren't friends but I've had clients who were gay and it was never an issue at all. I have family who are gay and that's been a horrible experience for everyone, especially when one of them (my sister) up and decided one day that she wasn't gay anymore. Her 'wife' didn't appreciate that very much. I didn't attend their wedding because it was not a union I would otherwise support.

I also often hear the argument that people can't be homophobic if they have gay friends, so I am curious what kind of relationships some of the more socially conservative members have with gay people.

I'm afraid of the kinds of people and situations my X puts my children around, and people who may blow up at my FOB's Entry Control Point....but not gays....so I don't know how to respond other than to say that we 'hear' all sorts of arguments, but it's more interesting to see the actual figures.

 

[Pinkie]

I have friends, period. Their sexuality is inconsequential and anybody who wants to spend time with me and my friends will share/appreciate that stance. I don't say, "Hi, this is my gay friend, Jerod" or "Hi, this is my straight friend, Mike". That's a ludicrous means of identification, IMO.

Are some of my friends gay? Yeah. But that is not the reason for the friendship or a point of contention in our friendship, so it doesn't matter.

Couldn't have said this better.

Except to add this thought:

I don't have sex with my friends, gay or straight. That's why I call them "friends" and not "lovers". If they are fascinating, loving people, they are welcome in my life.

 

[iliveonramen]

Tell me about any gay friends you might have.

How many do you have?
How close are they?
Do you allow them around your other friends or family?
Do you personally know any gay couples?
Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend?

I've heard the argument before that support for gay rights and same sex marriage is strongly correlated to exposure to gay people. In other words if you have gay friends or family then you are allegedly more likely to support gay rights.

I also often hear the argument that people can't be homophobic if they have gay friends, so I am curious what kind of relationships some of the more socially conservative members have with gay people.

My best friend throughout high school and college came out of the closet when I was deployed overseas. I remember getting back into the country and him telling me "there's something I need to tell you..." I thought he was getting engaged or something...he told me he came out of the closet. He's still my best friend.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

Got a couple of friends and a couple of cousins that are gay. My sister's ex-fiance-- whom I think of like a brother-- came out of the closet shortly after their break-up.

 

[celticwar17]

My family is pretty conservative, and I have a Gay nephew and we are really close... we basically grew up together hes only like 4 years younger then me.
I've had no direct gay friends other then him. I've had Gay acquaintances and such, I have very few close friends to begin with though. I am the type of person that prefers very few close friends and I've never had a LOT in common with a gay person(other then my nephew), not that it's impossible.
Im on the fence and mixed about Gay issues, I just don't really care either way a lot of times.

 

[Fiddytree]

An acquaintance and family friend of ours is bisexual, but mostly identifies with her same sex. However, before that point, I was not in close contact with those who were homosexual or bisexual when I came to my conclusion of support for gay rights measures.

 

[Temporal]

I have friends, period. Their sexuality is inconsequential and anybody who wants to spend time with me and my friends will share/appreciate that stance. I don't say, "Hi, this is my gay friend, Jerod" or "Hi, this is my straight friend, Mike". That's a ludicrous means of identification, IMO.

Just to clarify... I think knowing and respecting a person's sexuality does matter if you are going to be friends, and is necessary. It doesn't have to be the basis of friendship, but it does have to be a factor that you know about them and can relate to or appreciate.

Some gay people are friends with groups of straight people, and while their sexuality is a known fact, it's never really acknowledged because nobody within the group ever references it. It becomes a taboo issue among the group, even though the straight people actively talk about their dating lives and what not. That kind of marginalization is why I wanted to clarify what you said.

 

[specklebang]

How many do you have? many

How close are they? very

Do you allow them around your other friends or family? of course

Do you personally know any gay couples? Yes. A male couple that are legally married and have been together for 40 years. A female couple that have been together 25 years. In both cases, I have provided financing for their home ownership and have provided for them in my will (after the cats...). Kindest, sweetest people I know (beswides the cats )

Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend? Proudly.

I consider myself a fiscal conservative but I also believe in equality, freedom and justice for all.

I've heard the argument before that support for gay rights and same sex marriage is strongly correlated to exposure to gay people. In other words if you have gay friends or family then you are allegedly more likely to support gay rights.

I also often hear the argument that people can't be homophobic if they have gay friends, so I am curious what kind of relationships some of the more socially conservative members have with gay people.[/QUOTE]

 

[Aderleth]

I don't even know where to start with this. I live in San Francisco, and I used to be a stage actor (in both SF and LA), including some musical theatre. I know tons and tons of gay people. Some are couples, some are single. Some are family members. I'd absolutely attend a wedding or any other event they invite me to. I don't think I currently have more than one close gay friend, though.

 

[tessaesque]

Just to clarify... I think knowing and respecting a person's sexuality does matter if you are going to be friends, and is necessary. It doesn't have to be the basis of friendship, but it does have to be a factor that you know about them and can relate to or appreciate.

Some gay people are friends with groups of straight people, and while their sexuality is a known fact, it's never really acknowledged because nobody within the group ever references it. It becomes a taboo issue among the group, even though the straight people actively talk about their dating lives and what not. That kind of marginalization is why I wanted to clarify what you said.

I/my friends don't few sexuality as taboo. Our gay friends can just as comfortably comment on an attractive person as our straight friends can. Our sexualities are a non-issue. They are completely and totally irrelevant to justifying the continuation of the friendship. One of the "straight" friends could come to us tomorrow and say, "Oh, I'm gay" and the response would be, "Awesome...are you dating anybody? Can you pass the salsa?". It would be about as scandalous and one of us saying, "I'm a natural brunette".

 

[Temporal]

I/my friends don't few sexuality as taboo. Our gay friends can just as comfortably comment on an attractive person as our straight friends can. Our sexualities are a non-issue. They are completely and totally irrelevant to justifying the continuation of the friendship. One of the "straight" friends could come to us tomorrow and say, "Oh, I'm gay" and the response would be, "Awesome...are you dating anybody? Can you pass the salsa?". It would be about as scandalous and one of us saying, "I'm a natural brunette".

Awesome! I'm just saying... your original comment could be misconstrued. I know your intentions now. Thanks!

 

[tessaesque]

Awesome! I'm just saying... your original comment could be misconstrued. I know your intentions now. Thanks!

That's why I figured I'd clarify. We don't dismiss sexuality; we just don't use it as a litmus test for friendship....probably a better way to say it.

 

[Tucker Case]

How many do you have?

Maybe a dozen or so.

How close are they?

One very close friend and the rest would be more acquaintances that I hang out with on occasion.

Do you allow them around your other friends or family?

All the time.

Do you personally know any gay couples?

Yes.

Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend?

No problem.

I've heard the argument before that support for gay rights and same sex marriage is strongly correlated to exposure to gay people. In other words if you have gay friends or family then you are allegedly more likely to support gay rights.

To me, this seems as though it would be true.

 

[digsbe]

There is a family back home that I grew up with. Their children were like siblings to me. Their daughter came out as a bisexual and I was one of the first people she told (her parents don't know yet).

My best male friend as a child reconnected with me last year and he came out as a homosexual.

I don't have gay friends that I see or hang out with on a daily basis, but some of my dear old friends are gay/bisexual.

 

[Morality Games]

My cousin is gay and we were pretty close growing up. Age and its demands have put some distance between us, figuratively and spatially, but we're still closer than a lot of other cousins.

I would go to his wedding if he had one, as long as I was able to. Gay marriage falls under the broad category of things I choose not to judge spiritually, since I believe human beings have very limited ability to develop spiritual understandings of anything.

 

[Enola]

How many do you have? A lot.
How close are they? As close as heterosexual friends.
Do you allow them around your other friends or family? Of course.
Do you personally know any gay couples? Yes
Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend? Of course.

 

[Keridan]

Tell me about any gay friends you might have.

How many do you have?
How close are they?
Do you allow them around your other friends or family?
Do you personally know any gay couples?
Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend?

I've heard the argument before that support for gay rights and same sex marriage is strongly correlated to exposure to gay people. In other words if you have gay friends or family then you are allegedly more likely to support gay rights.

I also often hear the argument that people can't be homophobic if they have gay friends, so I am curious what kind of relationships some of the more socially conservative members have with gay people.

I possibly know more gay people than straight folks. My sister, 2 cousins, aunt, and uncle (plus 2 neighbors) are all out of the closet and mostly in solid relationships. They are my friends and family. I love them to death and they all have great traits. Of course, with those people around me, a large portion of friends are also LGBT.

I don't know if I'm a fair comparison because of that. I wouldn't know what it's like for folks who don't have this as an every day part of their lives.

 

[Gina]

Tell me about any gay friends you might have.

How many do you have?
How close are they?

At the moment, 2, one is my neighbor. Over the years I've had several friends and acquaintances.

As to family, two uncles.

Do you allow them around your other friends or family?

So yeah, they've been around both my friends and family and my son stayed over and hung out at the neighbor's house. (Should be noted, all my kids had/have gays friends at high school).

I've never not invited my gay uncles, and partners, to events for fear of my friends' reactions, if that is where you are going with that question.

Do you personally know any gay couples?

Yes, my uncle and his partner (a wonderful, caring man) were together for 28 years before my he passed.

My neighbor has a partner as well and I've met, through association, several other gay and lesbian couples.

Would you attend the wedding of a gay friend?

Absolutely, without hesitation. No consideration necessary.

I've heard the argument before that support for gay rights and same sex marriage is strongly correlated to exposure to gay people. In other words if you have gay friends or family then you are allegedly more likely to support gay rights.

I also often hear the argument that people can't be homophobic if they have gay friends, so I am curious what kind of relationships some of the more socially conservative members have with gay people.

I didn't know my uncles were gay until I was a teenager, when I finally asked. I always noted they came over with men (after their divorces) rather than women, but it didn't occur to me until I became aware of homosexuality to ask. Of course it changed nothing for me, they were my family and I loved them. Who they slept with was their own business.

 

[Enola]

Blame Will & Grace...and Jack too: I am proudly a Fag Hag.