HOMOSEXUAL
I hear lots of argument over gay marriage, gay rights, and so on. It's one of those polarizing questions that tends to send people into blind angry rants. So many people feel the need to express their viewpoints on it in the most belligerant of ways. Even writing about it is cliche. All the same, I feel like many Americans - even liberal, pro-gay-marriage, oh-so-accepting Americans - see homosexuals in a demeaning light.
Maybe it's partly because of the often "cute" portrayal of gay people in tv shows and movies (jack - will and grace, Stanford - Sex and the City, i wish i had a lesbian example but they're not prevalent in the media...which sucks) I'm not sure. But even people who view themselves as liberal, fair and accepting often see gay men these cute little harmless materialistic airheaded objects. There is often no respect, only shallow affection.
GLBTQ men and women have a long and painful history of persecution and misunderstanding, and on top of that are often judged by their stereotypes today. They are a varied group of individuals who cannot be stereotyped as butchy, gruff, unsensitive women and effeminate, fashion obsessed, weak men. Their ONLY universal commonality is an attraction to people of the same sex.
In the past, in many cultures gay people were accepted and appreciated as a normal part of life in many ancient cultures. But that was a long long time ago, and since most of Christian Eurupe made homosexuality a crime punishable by death around 1300, their history has increasingly become one of persecution and oppression.
Today homosexuals must face alienation, misunderstanding, hate, discrimination, and belittlement from the moment they come out to the day of their deaths. There is as much or more hate aimed toward them as any minority group on earth, and inexplicably less respect. These are a strong, resiliant, and brave people - and they've known pain that no straight person will ever have to know.
Whatever your personal feelings on homosexuals are - whether you love them, hate them, or think they're misguided - they deserve your respect. They've been through a lot.
Maybe it's partly because of the often "cute" portrayal of gay people in tv shows and movies (jack - will and grace, Stanford - Sex and the City, i wish i had a lesbian example but they're not prevalent in the media...which sucks) I'm not sure. But even people who view themselves as liberal, fair and accepting often see gay men these cute little harmless materialistic airheaded objects. There is often no respect, only shallow affection.
GLBTQ men and women have a long and painful history of persecution and misunderstanding, and on top of that are often judged by their stereotypes today. They are a varied group of individuals who cannot be stereotyped as butchy, gruff, unsensitive women and effeminate, fashion obsessed, weak men. Their ONLY universal commonality is an attraction to people of the same sex.
In the past, in many cultures gay people were accepted and appreciated as a normal part of life in many ancient cultures. But that was a long long time ago, and since most of Christian Eurupe made homosexuality a crime punishable by death around 1300, their history has increasingly become one of persecution and oppression.
Today homosexuals must face alienation, misunderstanding, hate, discrimination, and belittlement from the moment they come out to the day of their deaths. There is as much or more hate aimed toward them as any minority group on earth, and inexplicably less respect. These are a strong, resiliant, and brave people - and they've known pain that no straight person will ever have to know.
Whatever your personal feelings on homosexuals are - whether you love them, hate them, or think they're misguided - they deserve your respect. They've been through a lot.