Belief that being gay dictates ones personality [W:185, W:771]

[wolfie]

What I was saying that even if you DO select a gay event to criticize -- e.g. a pride parade -- you still can't say that everyone acting peculiar is gay

Are you trying to insinuate that gays act peculiarly??

Oh boy..you are 6ft under..time to stop digging and pull the earth over yourself!! :lamo

 

[SmokeAndMirrors]

You're claiming that most of the more outlandish people in gay pride parades are straights pretending to be gay? Gonna call bollocks on that.

Nope. They aren't pretending to be gay. What I'm saying is that they aren't even at a pride parade in the first place, and that a large number of them aren't gay.

In infamous Folsom St. parades? Not pride parades. A lot of people think they are, because that's how homophobes portray it on the internet.

 

[Gipper]

Nope. They aren't pretending to be gay. What I'm saying is that they aren't even at a pride parade in the first place, and that a large number of them aren't gay.

In infamous Folsom St. parades? Not pride parades. A lot of people think they are, because that's how homophobes portray it on the internet.

When you're walking through downtown with an 8 foot rainbow flag, fishnet shirts and assless chaps, it's drawing attention. I have no idea what "international Mr. leather" is, but when it's clogging up Main Street traffic, I'll berate it properly.

 

[SmokeAndMirrors]

When you're walking through downtown with an 8 foot rainbow flag, fishnet shirts and assless chaps, it's drawing attention. I have no idea what "international Mr. leather" is, but when it's clogging up Main Street traffic, I'll berate it properly.

Ok. The point is that people assume these parades are all gay people, when in fact a lot of the wildest ones are mostly straight people who aren't even parading about gay pride. And the fact that people assume otherwise points out the bigotry people have about gay people.

 

[brothern]

When you're walking through downtown with an 8 foot rainbow flag, fishnet shirts and assless chaps, it's drawing attention. I have no idea what "international Mr. leather" is, but when it's clogging up Main Street traffic, I'll berate it properly.

... except that when you "berate it properly" by claiming they have "an 8 foot rainbow flag," you're making crap up because they are NOT gay events. IML, Folsom Street, etc. All of them. They have nothing to do with the LGBT community.

 

[brothern]

Are you trying to insinuate that gays act peculiarly?? Oh boy..you are 6ft under..time to stop digging and pull the earth over yourself!! :lamo

What do you mean? Gay people act peculiar just like straights do. Are you insinuating that straights are all completely normal and never do weird stuff?

 

[Gipper]

... except that when you "berate it properly" by claiming they have "an 8 foot rainbow flag," you're making crap up because they are NOT gay events. IML, Folsom Street, etc. All of them. They have nothing to do with the LGBT community.

Guess you'll have to show me what is a gay pride parade and what isn't.

 

[Northern Light]

I want to know why people believe this.

I think it has to do with the mainstream gay scene, still promoting those stereotypes, and a media that has no problem reinforcing them. Gay pride parades receive all the attention from the media even though they represent like 1% of gay people, but smaller events throughout the year get practically nothing. At the same time, the acceptable mainstream media portrayals of gay men in movies and television are pretty ubiquitous: home maker, designer, hairstylist, queeny critic, etc.

And then there's queer cinema, which mostly portrays gay men as it always has: in a disenfranchised, sullen state, wandering to the gay scene where they'll be sorted out by any number of random characters, including drag queens, prostitutes, drug dealers, circuit boys, etc. All because of judgey parents and friends.

I think the stereotype originates from the gay scene when all of the wayward souls had nowhere to go, so it gathered all of their hopes and dreams, depravities and corruptions. But the scene has largely moved on from that and many gays don't identify with it anyway, yet the media and that very scene continue to perpetuate it. So it cuts both ways.

 

[chromium]

It's certainly a difficult selling point to convince people who cling to these stereotypes that they are also responsible for creating the situation. The catholic family you mention who thinks he's a horrible sinner will just look at his retreat into drugs as confirmation of their prejudice. In some cases, they might regret their cruelty, but usually only once the damage is inescapably clear.

It's really gotten to the point where only imbeciles look at someone's sexuality as his defining characteristic or a sure ticket to drugs and orgies. Even in rural areas with no exposure, most have the internet now and can easily put their fears and prejudices to rest if they care to try. The simple answer is stupidity and lack of compassion.

 

[Gipper]

It's certainly a difficult selling point to convince people who cling to these stereotypes that they are also responsible for creating the situation. The catholic family you mention who thinks he's a horrible sinner will just look at his retreat into drugs as confirmation of their prejudice. In some cases, they might regret their cruelty, but usually only once the damage is inescapably clear.

It's really gotten to the point where only imbeciles look at someone's sexuality as his defining characteristic or a sure ticket to drugs and orgies. Even in rural areas with no exposure, most have the internet now and can easily put their fears and prejudices to rest if they care to try. The simple answer is stupidity and lack of compassion.

I often seek truth on the internet.

 

[CriticalThought]

People are heavily influenced by the people they choose to allow into their lives. Gays have a bad reputation. Coming out also means associating with other gay people. Adolescents in particular change a lot in regards to fitting in with a peer group. It is a reasonable fear.

 

[chromium]

I often seek truth on the internet.

If you're in the sticks, you would have to. I mention this cause someone else excused rural areas for their ignorance. Even an online game, you meet people from a variety of backgrounds and realize they're far more normal than we've been led to believe.

 

[CLAX1911]

Well smoke I can tell you exactly why your elders have these preconceived notions about what it is to be gay. When I was your age it was the SF bath house scene with group sex and gays parading around in women's lingerie and yes, getting AIDS so forgive us for our bias. Hopefully things really have changed.

That kind of stuff has been going on for millennia, but to think that its only gay people that isn't quite accurate.

 

[Gipper]

If you're in the sticks, you would have to. I mention this cause someone else excused rural areas for their ignorance. Even an online game, you meet people from a variety of backgrounds and realize they're far more normal than we've been led to believe.

Yes, but I'm from the mean streets of Flint, Michigan...or the safe, white, middle-class suburbs of it.

 

[CLAX1911]

When you're walking through downtown with an 8 foot rainbow flag, fishnet shirts and assless chaps, it's drawing attention. I have no idea what "international Mr. leather" is, but when it's clogging up Main Street traffic, I'll berate it properly.

You have little or no knowledge of gay people. I don't know of one that would be caught dead in a fish net shirt and assless chaps.

I know there are leather fetishists but they are about fifty fifty gay and straight.

Are you really so blind to think that its only gay people that do this? I know more swingers that are straight, I know more fetishists that are straight, i know more straight men that wear womens clothing.

 

[Gipper]

You have little or no knowledge of gay people. I don't know of one that would be caught dead in a fish net shirt and assless chaps.

I know there are leather fetishists but they are about fifty fifty gay and straight.

Are you really so blind to think that its only gay people that do this? I know more swingers that are straight, I know more fetishists that are straight, i know more straight men that wear womens clothing.

I haven't spent quality time in Philadelphia, if that's what you're asking.

 

[CLAX1911]

I haven't spent quality time in Philadelphia, if that's what you're asking.

you haven't spent any time any where, under your house with your fingers in your ears trying to block out all your fantasies isn't a place you get to know gay people. They don't just live in Philadelphia they live everywhere. I think there's one sitting at your computer right now.

your avatar is a gay person.

me thinks you protest too much

 

[Gipper]

you haven't spent any time any where, under your house with your fingers in your ears trying to block out all your fantasies isn't a place you get to know gay people. They don't just live in Philadelphia they live everywhere. I think there's one sitting at your computer right now.

your avatar is a gay person.

me thinks you protest too much

 

[CLAX1911]

I rest my case

 

[Gipper]

I rest my case

No you don't. Apparently having a view of gay pride parades that seems to mesh with what society is told is legitimate reason to get flamed and ad-hommed all over the joint.

Care to try again, or is this your official stance?

 

[CLAX1911]

No you don't. Apparently having a view of gay pride parades that seems to mesh with what society is told is legitimate reason to get flamed and ad-hommed all over the joint.

Care to try again, or is this your official stance?

Yes i do. Your wacked out views and over reactions tell the truth.

You may be able to lie to yourself but having been there myself I know the closet is a frustrating place. And you aren't convincing me. Further indigent statements only solidify it.

Feeling like you are a victim of ad hominem phantom attacks is a sign of your insecurity.

Only a serious closet case would think that being called out on that is an insult.

 

[Gipper]

Yes i do. Your wacked out views and over reactions tell the truth.

You may be able to lie to yourself but having been there myself I know the closet is a frustrating place. And you aren't convincing me. Further indigent statements only solidify it.

Ah hell, not this again. The whole "if you're not ultra-pro-gay, you're a closet case" theory is beyond crap. I have no problem with same-sex marriage and I support same-sex adoption. I dislike gay pride parades because of what I see - whether it's gay, straight, whatever. It's a clown display. If they're straight, then they should be ashamed too.

Please don't insult my intelligence by spewing a bunch of baseless clichés. You do neither of us any good.

 

[chromium]

What does this have to do with the OP...there's a separate thread about the parades, and only a small fraction of the population goes to them anyway.

 

[Gardener]

Well smoke I can tell you exactly why your elders have these preconceived notions about what it is to be gay. When I was your age it was the SF bath house scene with group sex and gays parading around in women's lingerie and yes, getting AIDS so forgive us for our bias. Hopefully things really have changed.

Might you possibly try.....oh, I don't know......speaking for yourself?

I can't be too far off of your age, and I sure didn't turn out the same way you did.

 

[CLAX1911]

Ah hell, not this again. The whole "if you're not ultra-pro-gay, you're a closet case" theory is beyond crap. I have no problem with same-sex marriage and I support same-sex adoption. I dislike gay pride parades because of what I see - whether it's gay, straight, whatever. It's a clown display. If they're straight, then they should be ashamed too.

Please don't insult my intelligence by spewing a bunch of baseless clichés. You do neither of us any good.

One ought to reexamine ones own behavior when talking about spewing baseless clichés.

If you don't like parades don't attend.