The other F-word
I keep turning a situation that occurred last night over in my mind, so I figure perhaps it's smart to write it out. Since RollerFit moved to its new home at Niagara Park, about 35 minutes from my house, I've been carpooling with a girl called Rochelle who lives in the neighbouring suburb. We've been making small talk in the car, nothing too earth shattering, but getting along. I wouldn't say that she's a candidate to be my new best friend, but I've been enjoying the company.
Last night she brought along her friend Sam who wanted to see what RollerFit was all about. You know how people become more of themselves when they're with someone that they've known for a long time? It was a bit like that. On the way home Rochelle made a comment about how she hated this Sam Smith music. A bit rude when you're in someone else's car, but on it's own no biggie. But anyway, then she called him a fag. God that's a distasteful word. I hate writing it on my blog. I hate hearing it. I'm sure I looked shocked. What annoyed me most is that I felt so shocked that I didn't say what I should have said.
Sam piped up about how he wrote some song about his boyfriend and they were twittering about it and I said quite calmly that the whole album was written about his ex-boyfriend, and that I thought it was great how he thanked him at the Grammys because at least he got an album out of the experience. I nattered on some more about how great music comes from pain and how I only hope that I enjoy his next album as much. So I showed my support and all that, but I didn't say what I should have said. I should have said that I find that word and those attitudes way more offensive than saying "fuck," which she apologises for on reflex.
It's changed the way I feel about her. I am shocked that in this day and age young people (she's in her late 20s) are homophobic. I'm shocked that she felt it was OK around me. I just shared a post from the Australian Marriage Equality website because I wanted her to know that I'm not the person to talk that way around. I once de-friended a girl on Facebook because she was talking about how disgusting it was that a gay Big Brother contestant kissed his boyfriend when he came out of the house, but it's a bit trickier when they're in your real life social circle.
Last night she brought along her friend Sam who wanted to see what RollerFit was all about. You know how people become more of themselves when they're with someone that they've known for a long time? It was a bit like that. On the way home Rochelle made a comment about how she hated this Sam Smith music. A bit rude when you're in someone else's car, but on it's own no biggie. But anyway, then she called him a fag. God that's a distasteful word. I hate writing it on my blog. I hate hearing it. I'm sure I looked shocked. What annoyed me most is that I felt so shocked that I didn't say what I should have said.
Sam piped up about how he wrote some song about his boyfriend and they were twittering about it and I said quite calmly that the whole album was written about his ex-boyfriend, and that I thought it was great how he thanked him at the Grammys because at least he got an album out of the experience. I nattered on some more about how great music comes from pain and how I only hope that I enjoy his next album as much. So I showed my support and all that, but I didn't say what I should have said. I should have said that I find that word and those attitudes way more offensive than saying "fuck," which she apologises for on reflex.
It's changed the way I feel about her. I am shocked that in this day and age young people (she's in her late 20s) are homophobic. I'm shocked that she felt it was OK around me. I just shared a post from the Australian Marriage Equality website because I wanted her to know that I'm not the person to talk that way around. I once de-friended a girl on Facebook because she was talking about how disgusting it was that a gay Big Brother contestant kissed his boyfriend when he came out of the house, but it's a bit trickier when they're in your real life social circle.