THE GAY COMMUNITY 4??!! Big Ben Is Only a Clock.

[Legion]

Lol, good luck!

Dates can be great fun

[SamTastic thinks CM Punk sucks]

Don't pass out on your date.

[Legion]

Banner ad for a website that is on the internet that features men doing naughty things on camera. Is it just me that recognises the eyes on the left there?

Probably a coincidence, but yeah.....

[pink]

^ Who is it? I'm stuck.

[Orange]

I don't know if I got who Legion is talking about, but it kind of reminds me of Ted DiBiase. Anywhere close Legion?

[Alex Shelley]

I was thinking it looked like Ted DiBiase too.

I also think they look a bit like the eyes of Wilson from House

[Alex Shelley]

Feb 9, 2011 19:14:33 GMT -5 Nr1Humanoid said:

It's a known fact that being a gay teen is tough. High school ain't the place to be outed.

What can be done to make gays more acceptable to straights?

I think they're bombarded with too many bad stereotypes in pop culture. Let them see more gays that are just like their jock, sportsloving, action and horror fan selves.

(after writing this post I've realized that I'm focusing more on people who already support gay rights but may be a bit misguided in their efforts... I'd wanted to talk about people who don't support gay rights but kind of got derailed in my thoughts XD I also more focused on the male side of things... It's a whooole different ballgame when you get into the female side)

It's... It's hard. Stereotypes are everywhere. Even people who are supposedly gay allies can pull shit, like women who "totally love gay men because they're awesome to shop with"... Ugh.

I really think the biggest thing that needs to be made a big deal of is that a person's sexuality does not define them as a human being, and that a person's sexuality is not the most important part. I'm transgender, I'm pansexual, I'm straight edge, I'm a wrestling fan, I'm an animal lover, I'm an animal rescue worker, I'm a music lover, I'm a scientist, I'm a punk, etc etc - all of those things are who I am. My sexuality and gender identity are what some people (usually straight people) try to make the most important part of who I am, and that's not cool with me. I'm not just a sexuality and a gender identity, I'm a whole person with varied interests that are all over the map. Sometimes, yes, my gender and sexuality are more important at that particular moment because of something that's going on in my life - but they're certainly not that most important thing overall.

I mean, on one hand I understand it. For some people, meeting somebody who isn't heterosexual is a new experience and they're curious and just want to ask questions. I will ALWAYS answer questions for people who are curious and want to learn. But I've had people try to base entire friendships on the fact that I'm transgender or non-heterosexual. It's like... They want to have the token friend. I am absolutely not okay with being treated like that, and BELIEVE ME, I can tell when people are doing it. To me, that's just as dehumanizing as people who flat out tell me I'm not human. I want people to be friends with me because we share a common interest or because they think I'm awesome or something

If people are interested in being an ally, instead of trying to gain a token friend, join a gay-straight alliance or similar group in your town or school. The one I'm with, when I first joined up I was surprised at the amount of straight people there, and it was actually really cool. None of them worry about people thinking they're gay - in one guy's words, "So what if people think I'm gay? Let them think it. There's nothing wrong with being gay, so why would I be upset?"

And THAT... That is a big thing to me. Some straight people not wanting anybody to ever think that they're gay. The entire attitude of "Oh, I support gay rights... But I'm not gay, no, I would never want anybody to think I'm gay!". It's just another reminder that, even if they think I should be equal to them... They still think that there's a negative connotation to it. I mean, it's great that they support us and all, but that underlying issue still hurts the cause, IMO

Having straight allies is amazing. It really is. But the ones who make it clear that they really, honestly don't give two shits about sexuality are the best. I've had two straight male friends go out in public holding hands, just because they wanted to make people get used to the image of two guys being together. One of them ended up delivering a firm "f*** you" to two guys who started harassing them. I'm not saying that every straight ally has to go THAT far, but it always bugs me when there's a bit of underlying homophobia from people who are otherwise great supporters.

And, believe me, I can understand. Even WITHIN the gay community there can be a huge thing about being perceived as gay. And that's a huge problem - for a lot of people, they completely sacrifice the ability to easily find somebody to date because they're so paranoid of being seen as gay. People treat gayness as being "not a real man". There's a lot of overcompensation within the gay community. Guys who feel the need to be in the gym 24/7, as if pumping enough iron is going to cancel out the perceived "emasculation" of the fact that they're gay. They become the ultimate male stereotype because to be anything less would be "too gay". It's really sad.

The biggest thing that needs to be stressed... Is that gay people are just people, and sexuality is just that. It doesn't make you less of a man to be a gay man. It just means you like weenies.

Hollllllllly crap I'm sorry about the length of this. I doubt anybody is going to even bother reading that novel XD

[Young Game]

Feb 12, 2011 1:13:13 GMT -5 Alex Shelley said:

The biggest thing that needs to be stressed... Is that gay people are just people, and sexuality is just that. It doesn't make you less of a man to be a gay man. It just means you like weenies.

[Orange]

I read it Citten, and it's a great post. I think the biggest unfair stereotype against gays is when the media perceives them as sex maniacs. I mean, that's guys in general for the most part But I think that's the most unfair stereotype, is that sex is on a gay dude's mind 24/7. Any stereotype is bad of course, but that IMO is the worst.

["The Rated XXX Superstar" Jed]

tl;dr

No, just kidding. I read it. And to be honest, I do have a problem with "being perceived as gay". I mean, some people know and are cool with it, and around them I can be who I am without giving a shit. (sometimes I even go a bit overboard because I'm finally around somebody who won't beat the crap out of me because I enjoy the penis.) But when I first meet somebody, I'm always hesitant because I'm terrified that if I tell them I'm gay, they'll think less of me. I know it sounds stupid, but I've had people recoil in terror and even beat me up because I was honest in the past. One of them was my own uncle.

As I've said, attitudes have changed. A LOT more people are understanding and tolerant nowadays than when I was first beginning to understand my sexuality. But those who are still stuck in the past make life a living hell.

"The biggest thing that needs to be stressed... Is that gay people are just people, and sexuality is just that. It doesn't make you less of a man to be a gay man. It just means you like weenies."

I'm trying to get in that mindset, I really am. It's just hard when all your life you've been told that gay men aren't real men and that it makes you weird and different and wrong.

Sorry if I'm rambling, I just had to get it off my chest. I do tend to ramble.

[Alex Shelley]

Feb 12, 2011 11:46:35 GMT -5 "The Rated XXX Superstar" Jed said:

tl;dr

No, just kidding. I read it. And to be honest, I do have a problem with "being perceived as gay". I mean, some people know and are cool with it, and around them I can be who I am without giving a s***. (sometimes I even go a bit overboard because I'm finally around somebody who won't beat the crap out of me because I enjoy the penis.) But when I first meet somebody, I'm always hesitant because I'm terrified that if I tell them I'm gay, they'll think less of me. I know it sounds stupid, but I've had people recoil in terror and even beat me up because I was honest in the past. One of them was my own uncle.

As I've said, attitudes have changed. A LOT more people are understanding and tolerant nowadays than when I was first beginning to understand my sexuality. But those who are still stuck in the past make life a living hell.

"The biggest thing that needs to be stressed... Is that gay people are just people, and sexuality is just that. It doesn't make you less of a man to be a gay man. It just means you like weenies."

I'm trying to get in that mindset, I really am. It's just hard when all your life you've been told that gay men aren't real men and that it makes you weird and different and wrong.

Sorry if I'm rambling, I just had to get it off my chest. I do tend to ramble.

Yep, it's definitely difficult at times when you have all that outside pressure telling you that your sexuality is some sort of negative. It's a huge societal thing that is coming not just from outside the gay world but from within it, and that's just a really sad thing. And, hell, the whole concept of "being a real man" isn't even something that hurts gay men - plenty of straight guys get effected by that too. It's, in my opinion, hugely sexist against men to think that there's some sort of rigid guidelines to manliness and if you break them, you're a failed man or are going to be subject to tauntings from your pals. But it's SO freaking ingrained into our culture, that it's going to take a long ass time to change.

[Legion]

Clearly, off TV means everyone forgets him, but no, not Ted, I was thinking they looked much more like Lucky Cannon's eyes.

["The Rated XXX Superstar" Jed]

Hmmmm, it could be Lucky (I think he did some semi-nude shoots), but I think his eyes have more of an angle to them. More / \ than - -.

[SamTastic thinks CM Punk sucks]

Happy Valentines Day and all that my LGBT comrades.

I actually hate this day with a passion, but others don't so you have my best wishes and all that!

["The Rated XXX Superstar" Jed]

...I still need a man.

[Legion]

Bah, bah I say.

Valentines, who needs it?!

[SamTastic thinks CM Punk sucks]

Idiot couples.

[Alex Shelley]

We made cards at our QSA meeting today.

I made one for my foster cat Jethro ;D

[SamTastic thinks CM Punk sucks]

Awesome

I only say I hate Valentines because I don't have anyone to celebrate it with.

But that's life and then some.

Also, can I just say that Jethro is a tremendous cat name XD

[SamTastic thinks CM Punk sucks]

Also, I dibs making the new GAY COMMUNITY?!?!!?! thread.