No apologies

[greenie_breizh]

I still ache when I read tales of teachers bringing up homosexuality/homophobia/heterosexism in their classrooms and face kids who are so reluctant to change their assumptions about heterosexuality being, essentially, better. Partly these stories touch me so much because I've been the one at the front of the class, and because I realize how much

Comments

[shadesofbrixton]

ugh. I've been hoping you would say something on all of this, because it just gets me so fucking angry and fired up and sad and upset and I just don't understand our world sometimes, or our country, or the people who live at the same time I do who are just so far outside my realm of understanding.

I've also been wanting to show you this: Christians show up at Chicago Gay Pride - to apologize.

[greenie_breizh]

It's weird because I obviously have a lot of feelings about this but I worry that I end up saying the same thing over and over again too much. I feel for Allie - she hears me rant constantly and I know I'm preaching to the choir, but I just need to let it out. It's so frustrating to have the facts and understand how the system works to make these kids feel that desperate, and yet nobody really listens. Everyone just wants to be sad for them and think that it's other people doing these terrible things to them.

It's hard to get to the point of not understanding, because it makes dialogue more difficult, but I'm with you. The more time goes by, the more of an expert I become on this topic, the more I do not understand why. Why so much hate, why so much discomfort. It's enraging, baffling and saddening all at once.

That link is beautiful, thanks for sharing. I wish more Christians like this would make their presence visible. It's awful to see your religion be used by such hateful people, and I wish they could reclaim it a little more

[shadesofbrixton]

I guess I shouldn't say that I'm not understanding... I can, if pressed, be very polite and clearheaded and actually talk like an adult and be mature. But my gut reaction is always just overwhelmingly gobsmacked, angry, and defensive.

I've also gotten to the point where I always go "ooh, I should show this to Joey!" or "ooh, I wonder what Joey thinks about this!" and then just assume you've already seen it because you are, apparently, Patient Zero for The Gay in my mind. *eyeroll* But I totally agree about Christians reclaiming their religion. I love, love, love seeing that, and I think it's good for the rest of the world to see it too. A little less hate on all fronts.

[greenie_breizh]

But I think it's OK not to be understanding. Obviously it's good to be able to do the polite, clearheaded talk sometimes, but I feel more and more that it's also important to realize it's OK to be angry and defensive. This is not an inane discussion about whether red or orange is the better color; the kind of hate and lies that religious fundamentalists spread have terrible consequences on the well-being of a lot of young (and not so young) people, and we have a right to be really angry about that.

You should always share that kind of stuff with me, it helps me stay Patient Zero. ;) I like being super in the loop with this stuff, and it's easy to miss things here and there. Plus it's kind of cool the way that my friends have started mentioning things to me - I don't mind being That Gay Person. :)

[the_swordman]

So that was what the maxi rant looked like ;-)
Thank the gods for all the you and Dan Savage of the world. What you do matters (on your respective scales).
The more you raise awareness and questioning, the better next generations will be educated and will not repeat the same mistakes.
Speaking of awareness, I saw the trailer for "the kids are alright". I suppose you've heard of it. Is it any good ? Did they tackle the issue intelligently (you know, all things considered) ?

[greenie_breizh]

Haha, I even tried to keep it short! You know I could go on for hours. ;)

I'm afraid of watching The Kids are All Right because I think it's going to make me super angry. (A friend who's seen it confirmed that she thinks it's going to make me angry, too...) I need to see it soon, though, because I want to have an informed opinion. But yeah, I'm really afraid of where they're going with that premise. :(

[menyhapyreturns]

I loved what Dan Savage wrote, but unfortunately I think things are going to ramp up in intensity before anything gets better. There is a huge "us vs them" sentiment at play here and will only strengthen the misplaced resolve on the right - there's a huge voting block that gets riled up over "moral issues" like they never will over economic ones, and politicians know this

[greenie_breizh]

I worry a lot about the social conservative shift in the U.S., and I worry a lot about the misinformation/hatred that it spreads, but I do think it is accompanied with an overall trend of people being more and more open-minded about these topics - at least more and more people who don't think same-sex marriage should be at the top of their priority list. It's so frustrating to see people focus on moral over economic issues sometimes

[menyhapyreturns]

The younger generation is overwhelmingly more pro-gay, which is a huge sign of hope (even with the evangelicals and GOP ramping up their youth-focused recruitment efforts). I think my concern is more along the lines of "what part of the pendulum swing are we at right now, and how far will it swing next". But I love the work that you're doing, and that you are continuing your training to do. It's so necessary.

[fan_elune]

The French decision... I didn't even know it was being made, and I heard it on the radio, and for one split second before the reporter finished her sentence, my heart soared and I was convinced, so fucking convinced, that she was about to announce that they had kicked that law's ass. That there had been progress. That we weren't such fucking retards.

And then, you know, she broke my fucking heart.

Another really small, tiny random thing? I was watching NPH's It Gets Better video, I think it was in his, and at some point he says something along the lines of "we're getting more and more rights," and the simple fact that that sentence is right, exists, and that LGBTQ people even need to get more rights to be on an equal footing with the straight guys? It made me so. Very. Pissed off. It's the kind of thing you know, but at some point someone says just something and that knowledge flares to life in your chest, you know? Ack

[greenie_breizh]

I'm with you; I have grown so impatient and mad with France for being such fucking leotards about this. It's shameful and it makes so goddamn angry that then we have the arrogance to turn around and give lessons to the rest of the world on respect. Fuck you, French Parliament. I can't stand anymore this liberal stance that allows you to be a prejudiced douche while claiming that you're the most open-minded person on the face of the fucking planet. (This goes for homophobia but we play that game super well with racism as well.)

So, anyways. Good for you for stepping on toes and being unapologetic. I've had it with these people too.

The crazy part is that I have a better chance to be recognized as a full citizen if I stay in Canada, even as a French citizen. If I have a child here and I move back to France with my partner, legal precedent suggests that we could both be recognized as legal parents of the kid. But if I stay in France, right now I'm fucked. It's maddening.

[greenie_breizh]

PS. Good to see you here. :)