Homophobia
Homophobia is more then being anti gay (man-man) or lesbian (woman-woman) relationships. One of the least recognized forms of homophobia is prejudice against Bisexuals, and this form is even alive and well in the "gay" community. Transgender people also seem to get a lot of shit.
First i will adress the transgender issue. Transgender people are not straight people who just become gay after they get a sex change. Some transgender people never even have the money to get a sex change, yet that does not make them straight. Trangender people think of themselves as being a member of the opposite sex even when their bodies prove differently. Thus a transgender male who likes men becuase he has the body of a female is no less gay than a man who is born male and is gay. Also it works another way: If a person is transgender and say considers themselves female yet is physically a male and likes men, does not mean the are gay and then became straight when she had a sex change it means she was always straight because though she was physically male she is a woman. Though (albiet maybe slightly confusing) this seems very hard for people to accept especially gay people who want to say "NO NO she was straight and is only now gay since she became a he!" they are wrong and in so saying are practicing a form of homophobia.
Now to the topic of Bisexualphobia which acctually affects me personally. One of the most annoying things to a truely bi-person is the fact that many young girls who are acctually straight will go around saying they are bi because they want to seem hot to men. Yet this minor annoyance of posing is greatly outweighed by the acctual refusal of acceptance by people around us, both gays and straights alike, which can be very hurtful. So often people say "Bisexuals dont exist" and ask us to choose either being straight or gay. Though this may have some basis, because many consider it a half way point and say they are bi while in fact they are questioning, and also becuase of the problem of posers, for those who are truly bisexual these comments can be truely hurtful. When someone tells us to re-evaluate our sexuality because we might change our minds later, it is both annoying and hurtful. People just supposed being BI is not really bi, just halfway out/questioning. and though many female BIs tend to date men because it is easier to do since the majority of women are not lesbian (same in reverse Bi men dating women) it is exceptionally rude to say to them that because they dont have a lot of experiance with a girl that they probably arent bi. Thats like saying to a straight girl that because she hasnt had much experiance with a man she cant say for sure that she is straight. If your attracted to memebers of the same sex or the opposite or both you can figure out your sexuality. It's rude when people tell you that you should question your sexuality on the basis of lack of experiance. also in many cases its safer for Bi sexuals to date someone of the opposite sex becuase as my friend said to me "if u hit on a guy the worse that could happen is you could get slaped by his gf. if you hit on a girl the worst that could happen is you could get killed by her family and friends." Homophobia is just as much an issue for BIs as for lesbians or gays. And maybe more-so because lesbians and gays dont think that people can be bi. Y does everyone need the world to be black and white? your either this or that, not inbetween. And as for straight people who will shrug off BIs who date the opposite sex saying "you dont have a problem cause u tend more hetero" well it is people like you who force us to. Becuase the world has yet to accept the gay community, it is safer for BIs to be in hetero relationships. (thats not saying some BIs dont tend toward a certain dirrection -either straighter or more homo- but there are also those who are 50/50) Because the gay community can not be open without being scorned, it makes it harder for lesibians, bis and gays to find someone of the same sex who they can have a relationship with. Homophobia in our communities is a problem which makes it dangerous of anyone to date someone of the same sex.
Bi sexuality is not a halfway poit and if you are at a halfway marker please just say your questioning, and if your straight dont say your bi to seem more attractive. As for all you in the Gay community who say Bi sexuals dont exist, please reread all this and if i cant change your mind then i am sorry that you can wish for so much openness and freedom but be so narrow at the same time.
We have our own struggles. Different yet wishing to be equal.
Please repost this a spread the word.
First i will adress the transgender issue. Transgender people are not straight people who just become gay after they get a sex change. Some transgender people never even have the money to get a sex change, yet that does not make them straight. Trangender people think of themselves as being a member of the opposite sex even when their bodies prove differently. Thus a transgender male who likes men becuase he has the body of a female is no less gay than a man who is born male and is gay. Also it works another way: If a person is transgender and say considers themselves female yet is physically a male and likes men, does not mean the are gay and then became straight when she had a sex change it means she was always straight because though she was physically male she is a woman. Though (albiet maybe slightly confusing) this seems very hard for people to accept especially gay people who want to say "NO NO she was straight and is only now gay since she became a he!" they are wrong and in so saying are practicing a form of homophobia.
Now to the topic of Bisexualphobia which acctually affects me personally. One of the most annoying things to a truely bi-person is the fact that many young girls who are acctually straight will go around saying they are bi because they want to seem hot to men. Yet this minor annoyance of posing is greatly outweighed by the acctual refusal of acceptance by people around us, both gays and straights alike, which can be very hurtful. So often people say "Bisexuals dont exist" and ask us to choose either being straight or gay. Though this may have some basis, because many consider it a half way point and say they are bi while in fact they are questioning, and also becuase of the problem of posers, for those who are truly bisexual these comments can be truely hurtful. When someone tells us to re-evaluate our sexuality because we might change our minds later, it is both annoying and hurtful. People just supposed being BI is not really bi, just halfway out/questioning. and though many female BIs tend to date men because it is easier to do since the majority of women are not lesbian (same in reverse Bi men dating women) it is exceptionally rude to say to them that because they dont have a lot of experiance with a girl that they probably arent bi. Thats like saying to a straight girl that because she hasnt had much experiance with a man she cant say for sure that she is straight. If your attracted to memebers of the same sex or the opposite or both you can figure out your sexuality. It's rude when people tell you that you should question your sexuality on the basis of lack of experiance. also in many cases its safer for Bi sexuals to date someone of the opposite sex becuase as my friend said to me "if u hit on a guy the worse that could happen is you could get slaped by his gf. if you hit on a girl the worst that could happen is you could get killed by her family and friends." Homophobia is just as much an issue for BIs as for lesbians or gays. And maybe more-so because lesbians and gays dont think that people can be bi. Y does everyone need the world to be black and white? your either this or that, not inbetween. And as for straight people who will shrug off BIs who date the opposite sex saying "you dont have a problem cause u tend more hetero" well it is people like you who force us to. Becuase the world has yet to accept the gay community, it is safer for BIs to be in hetero relationships. (thats not saying some BIs dont tend toward a certain dirrection -either straighter or more homo- but there are also those who are 50/50) Because the gay community can not be open without being scorned, it makes it harder for lesibians, bis and gays to find someone of the same sex who they can have a relationship with. Homophobia in our communities is a problem which makes it dangerous of anyone to date someone of the same sex.
Bi sexuality is not a halfway poit and if you are at a halfway marker please just say your questioning, and if your straight dont say your bi to seem more attractive. As for all you in the Gay community who say Bi sexuals dont exist, please reread all this and if i cant change your mind then i am sorry that you can wish for so much openness and freedom but be so narrow at the same time.
We have our own struggles. Different yet wishing to be equal.
Please repost this a spread the word.