Some People Are Gay
I saw this over at Shakesville and felt it necessary to repost. The message is clear and simple.
The poster is part of a campaign by Stonewall in the UK designed to help stop homophobic bullying in schools. A Scottish actor supporting the organization (who I don’t know because I barely watch TV) added: “Be bold. Be brave. Be a buddy not a bully.” That short, sweet message applies to everything.
I’m going to be a buddy to Rufus Wainwright tomorrow night in NYC.
I love it. I LOVE IT! I was just thinking today that “Get Over It” is one of my favourite things to say.
It’s the #1 one thing that people need to hear more often. A lot of people have a carrot up their arse about *something* and they just need to….relax and gently let it go. tee hee.
I love it, too… Will it do what it’s supposed to do, though? I don’t know, I’ve never been very optimistic about these kinds of campaigns
But I guess it also depends on whose thinking you wanna shake. It might get the ‘border-line’ kids thinking, you know the ones that aren’t really bad but not fully tolerant, either (which of course would be great — and is probably the idea).
Yeah, nothing will entirely stop hate and violence. I’m never optimistic about anything… But every action and campaign which is headed in a positive direction is helpful. :-)
Hey Leena, I left a long comment here. Did your spam filter eat it?
Agh, it must have. If you remember it or have it, please try to post again… Sorry!
I was just saying that I looked up the campaign, and liked it. It’s unapologetic without being strident, and spare without being ugly.
I’m what a lot of people would consider a homophobe, but a mild one. I think it’s kinda gross and unnatural, but to each their own. Some dudes like dudes, some ladies like ladies. Not a big deal. I hang out with gay men sometimes and I appreciate their company; no macho headgames, no (literal or figurative) pissing contests.
What’s funny to me is straight men who make a big deal about “I’m cool with it but they better stay away from me”, as if they’re so studly that gay men just won’t be able to resist them. Most of these guys are like me; fat, unshaven jokers with the fashion sense of street bums who sing out of tune with the radio in the car. I’m always like “trust me dude, gay men have much higher standards than straight women, you’re safe.”
I’m in favor of legalizing gay marriage (and polygamy, but that’s another story), partially because of my stubborn psuedo-libertarian streak, but also partially because of the insights I’ve gained getting ready for an intercultural and interracial marriage. It wasn’t that long ago that marriages like mine (and yours, for that matter) were illegal in much of the US because a bunch of assholes and busybodies felt a need to circumscribe everyone else’s life in accordance with their own dumb ideas of what’s “natural”. And fuck that, I don’t want to be that guy. If I’m marrying Shan, there’s no reason Shan’s homie Gao, who’s a total queen, can’t marry my uncle. “Get over it”, for sure!
All that being said, I still reserve the right to exude machismo at various times and be grossed out by Brokeback Mountain.
Btw, Let us know how Rufus is.
I’m happy you re-posted that comment, it was a great one (as usual)!
I appreciate the libertarian streak. I’m for everyone having whatever beliefs they have as long as they don’t feel compelled to violence or oppression of any sort. That’s when my own compulsion to violence and oppression kicks in.
But I just don’t understand how anyone gets so worked up about other people’s sexual preferences or identities. As long as it’s consensual and human (or inanimate), what’s the problem? (I mean, besides those “16 kids isn’t enough” folks, of course.)
Re: Rufus: I’ll try to post after the concert tonight.