Feb 23, 2009 19:22
It's apparently a huge deal. I get that. I thought it was a huge deal too and then I actually did it.
Recently, I've been telling more and more people that I'm gay. Largely, this is because I can't keep track of who I have and have not told, so I just assume they know and act on it. If they can't deal with it, that's their problem.
But what I don't understand is the fear. I've heard that people are scared to come out. To their parents, to their friends, to the people around them. Sure, I understand that we don't appreciate the social stigma, but we can't do anything about that social stigma if we don't stand up to it. When we show people that it doesn't bother us, that's when they'll stop.
What I don't really understand is the desire to stay closeted. If you're not ashamed of being gay, then why? Why deny who you are to those around you? To yourself? Why should you stay silent and be denied who you love?
Which leads into my question as to why we don't have a secular answer to the gay marriage issue yet. Religions look at gay marriage and say "uh-uh." The way I see it, those religions can happily go screw themselves. If they don't agree with the fact that I love a guy, then fine, but the STATE needs to give me a legal alternative. If I wanted to get married, and religion won't let me (thereby barring myself and my spouse from the legal benefits) then I demand that the state give us the benefits. Hell, don't even call it marriage. You can call it a civil union for all I care. I just think it's completely stupid not to afford us the same legal status as straight couples.
...and I'm not sure where that came from, but I think it needed to be said.
rant