[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Homosexuality (from the main list)

[ender_w]

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Michela Ecks 
  To: HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2001 6:54 AM
  Subject: Re: [HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Homosexuality (from the main list)


  Parts of this swing back to HP and on topicness though not sure how
  appropiate it is for the main list.  Give me a nudge and I'll x-post it
  there.

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Neil Ward <neilward at dircon.co.uk>
  To: <HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com>
  Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2001 2:50 AM
  Subject: [HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Homosexuality (from the main list)


  > I wrote:
  >
  > <<It will always be an issue until people stop assuming heterosexuality as
  a
  > default.>>

  Huh.  Real life experince has been teaching me lately that the default
  assumption has become homosexuality as the default, especially when it's two
  young males or two young females out together in public or when it's a guy
  with some femine characteristics.

  <snip of some examples>

  I found this to be so in many cases as well, cases in which one person or another was deemed "gay" simply because he or she had not dated anyone of the opposite sex recently (this often happens to celebrities who aren't as open about their lovelives as the public would like).  I haven't seriously dated any ment recently and one of my closest friends made a statement along the lines of "We'll accept any boyfriend you choose...or girlfriend."  And i'm thinking "Where did that come from?"
  I haven't dated any men recently, but i haven't dated any women either, so why was homosexuality assumed in this case?  
  I have a problem with the public's need to impose sexual labels.  It seems that everyone needs to be pigeonholed.  there's no room for the grey areas that Neil alluded to.  As Michela said, rumors fly about celebrities all the time, especially those who do their best to keep their love lives private.  Kevin spacey never mentions his love life so he *must* be gay.  Michael Stipe stated in a magazine article years ago that he is bisexual, but people still talk about his sexuality as if it's a huge, intriguing mystery.  Dave Matthews had dated the same woman for nine years, recently married her and is now expecting twins, and there are still fans posting on the DMB message board asking if Dave is gay.
  I have my own opinions about sexuality that I don't want to get into on this or any other list, but i'll say it loud and proud: I hate labels!  Let people decide for themselves if they want to love someone of the opposite sex or the same sex.  Who are we to place that label on them?
  I hope I didn't offend anyone.  i'm not the best "orator," and what shows up on paper can sometimes be even more confused than what it was in my mind.  If any of this is offensive, please let me know gently and i'll be happy to clear up any misunderstanding.  (gee, that should probably be my sig line.)

  ender
  putting away the soapbox now





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