If the LGBTQ+ community want to be taken seriously...

If the LGBTQ+ community want to be taken seriously... May 11, 2019 9:09:29 GMT

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Post by Toasted Cheese on May 11, 2019 9:09:29 GMT

May 10, 2019 1:06:40 GMT rachelcarson1953 said:

May 10, 2019 0:05:57 GMT Toasted Cheese said:

I prefer homo, if I am being referred to or identified by a sexuality. My main point rachel was, that I am not a part of this LGBTQIA thing though, just because I am not sexually attracted to women. It is all one community out there and this thing does not even really exist. Where is it, as opposed to the 'straight' community? Straight people and gay people are everywhere, around every corner, in every street, in every store. How do we even know if someone is bisexual? Just because they are with someone of the different sex, or same sex, doesn't mean they aren't sexually attracted to the other.

Back in the 1990's, in the USA, it was a separate, and secretive community, because there was discrimination, and during the AIDS crisis there was fear. I was fortunate to be one of the few heteros to be trusted, so I saw an amazing community of support. I know you live in Australia; perhaps you have never seen the HBO movie "And the Band Played On" - it depicts the conflict during that time fairly accurately. Since that issue has passed and most intelligent people understand that HIV doesn't care about gender, the stigma has lifted. According to the scientists who studied the 'outbreak', it actually gained it's foothold in the IV drug using community first, but those folks weren't a cohesive group demanding that the Government take action along with the medial community.

It's been a long time since I have been a part of those tight-knit support groups; the world has changed and my world is that of a small, rural community. Anyone in my town who is 'different' has fled to the nearby large metropolitan city. So I've had little interaction with anyone who isn't a white, straight, church-going farmer. Only when I am in the medical community do I have contact with any diversity, including race. Back in the day, some of my closest friends were gays and lesbians. It was a different time. I spend most of my time now with retired "crazy cat ladies" in the cat rescue group I volunteer with.

But thank you for updating me on the current vocabulary. To me, we are all just human beings.

I have seen And The Band Played On several times Rachel. It got a cinema release where I was living. Excellent film!

There have always been gay hang outs, bars etc, but it is only perceived as secretive if you don't know where they are. Once you do, it is no longer a secret. People wouldn't have been actively seeking them out, unless they wanted too. Just as people don't actively seek out any other type of hang out or bar, which may pander to certain demographics, unless by chance or they have an intention too.

Say in an Irish Bar in NY city for example, there may be a large contingency of Irish people hanging out there and they would be people of hetero, homo or even both sexuality persuasion. Most people are going to claim straight before gay and I doubt if they are bi, most are going to admit to it. This could be considered predominantly an Irish community, but everything is community and sexuality is moot.

I like how you have commented on the term 'support groups' and these can be for any reason within the collective community. It is the compartmentalizing that is condescending, when it is promoted that people who aren't straight, are suddenly lumped into this LGBTQI community thing which is a fallacy and contradiction in terms. Yes, we are all humans, or even earthlings.