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So ... this happened in my hometown yesterday:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46730117#.T2DRrvWwXvE
As someone who is terrified of crowds, I still wish I could have been there.
As someone who was bullied in middle school by being called a lesbian (I didn't know what one was really until about 10th grade ... talk about sheltered), I continue to be confused on why bigotry against the LGBT community occurs. What if I had been a lesbian? So what? What does that even mean if it's used as a tool to bully others? To me, saying, "God hates [gay people]" (I refuse to use the F word) makes just as much sense as, "God hates paisley patterns" or "God hates Care Bears." It's just nonsense to me. I'm not a paisley patterned lesbian Care Bear, then fine, but if I am does that mean I'm supposed to be offended?
I once brought this up in church and ... well it didn't go over the way I'd hoped. It's still such a polarizing issue for people who care very much about it. Not because of any kind of bigotry, but because people get emotional and teary and passionate because they really, really, care.
As someone who feels attracted (but never admitted it to myself until a few years ago) to all genders but has only held romantic relationships with boys and is currently in a lifetime partnership with one, I ask myself all sorts of questions. What if Greg was a girl? Would my church still accept and love me? (yes, but not everyone can say that) Would my coworkers not want to be my friend anymore? Would my family still love me? Would I be denied housing or other opportunities? The idea of that scares me. The idea of that happening to others scares me. That is why each time I see same-sex people reunited when coming home from Iraq and such, running toward each other, jumping into each other's arms, tears, joy, full on embrace ... it just feels amazing to see that. And I get angry that this was ever frowned upon.
The other issue that concerns me is the whole religion thing. What do non-Christian people feel when the WBC's religion is shoved down their throat? Are they like, "Hi, I'm Muslim or whatever so you can go away now." And we all know that many atheists are all like, "Seriously? Seriously, you're going to not only live your life by some odd book that I personally believe is not inspired by a deity, but you're going to translate it in a way that spreads ignorance and hate? Really, WBC?"
This is America, a diverse society where some are congruent with the dominant culture and some are not. I really find it hard to be an American when a group is allowed to call hate speech a religion and then is able to turn it around and call it peaceful protesting.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46730117#.T2DRrvWwXvE
As someone who is terrified of crowds, I still wish I could have been there.
As someone who was bullied in middle school by being called a lesbian (I didn't know what one was really until about 10th grade ... talk about sheltered), I continue to be confused on why bigotry against the LGBT community occurs. What if I had been a lesbian? So what? What does that even mean if it's used as a tool to bully others? To me, saying, "God hates [gay people]" (I refuse to use the F word) makes just as much sense as, "God hates paisley patterns" or "God hates Care Bears." It's just nonsense to me. I'm not a paisley patterned lesbian Care Bear, then fine, but if I am does that mean I'm supposed to be offended?
I once brought this up in church and ... well it didn't go over the way I'd hoped. It's still such a polarizing issue for people who care very much about it. Not because of any kind of bigotry, but because people get emotional and teary and passionate because they really, really, care.
As someone who feels attracted (but never admitted it to myself until a few years ago) to all genders but has only held romantic relationships with boys and is currently in a lifetime partnership with one, I ask myself all sorts of questions. What if Greg was a girl? Would my church still accept and love me? (yes, but not everyone can say that) Would my coworkers not want to be my friend anymore? Would my family still love me? Would I be denied housing or other opportunities? The idea of that scares me. The idea of that happening to others scares me. That is why each time I see same-sex people reunited when coming home from Iraq and such, running toward each other, jumping into each other's arms, tears, joy, full on embrace ... it just feels amazing to see that. And I get angry that this was ever frowned upon.
The other issue that concerns me is the whole religion thing. What do non-Christian people feel when the WBC's religion is shoved down their throat? Are they like, "Hi, I'm Muslim or whatever so you can go away now." And we all know that many atheists are all like, "Seriously? Seriously, you're going to not only live your life by some odd book that I personally believe is not inspired by a deity, but you're going to translate it in a way that spreads ignorance and hate? Really, WBC?"
This is America, a diverse society where some are congruent with the dominant culture and some are not. I really find it hard to be an American when a group is allowed to call hate speech a religion and then is able to turn it around and call it peaceful protesting.
