[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Homophobia

[Sheryll Townsend]

Excellents posts, both of you. Let me throw another
thought out to you. Let's not forget that the
discrimination goes both ways. Having been the 'token'
straight person in a GLBT organisation for the past 4
years, I've experienced myself, though certainly not
to the extent that members of the GLBT community have
experienced intolerance from the straight community.
When first elected to our Board of Directors, the
local GLBT newspaper wanted to write a rather scathing
article about my presence withing the organisation.
Kind of a 'what do we care what the straight people
think' sort of thing. It was only the threat of a
reverse discrimination lawsuit that stopped them. 

This past summer, and I think Jamieson can attest to
this one, I was on the receiving end of some rather
nasty stuff from one of our stage performers, who
seemed to think I had no business putting a straight
performer on stage for Pride Day. My criteria for
performers did not include asking their sexual
preference. The last phone call I received from said
disgruntled performer began not with 'hello' but with
the remark 'well, I hear you're not a member of the
community either'. Hmmm... my reply? 'If you mean, I'm
married to a member of the opposite sex, you're right.
What does this have to do with anything?' Needless to
say, I was met with a few moments of silence on the
other end of the phone line.

Just a few of my experiences. Certainly nothing
compared to the discrimination, intolerance and
violence experienced by members of the GBLT community,
just something to show it goes both ways.

Sheryll, who knows she's been rambling, but Jamieson
knows what a desperately difficult 4 years I've had
working with Pride

--- Jamieson Wolf Villeneuve <crowswolf at sympatico.ca>
wrote:
> --- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Tabouli"
> <tabouli at u...> wrote:
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I don't usually comment on stuff like this, but what
> the hey, it's 
> been that kind of day..
> 
> 
> <<snip>> 
> I think it's 
> abominable that gay couples risk being physically
> attacked for doing 
> things in public that heterosexual couples exceed
> all the time.
> <<snip>>
> 
> Very true. It's hard to be gay and be public about
> it. I don't like to 
> see anyone sucking face in public, but a kiss here
> and ther is Okay, 
> as is holding hands. For me, that goes for everyone.
> The world tends 
> to preach oppeness and acceptability, but it all
> comes down to how 
> people feel. Peoples views and opinions  tend to
> have a lot of baring 
> on how they react to things. I just think it's sad
> that I can't hold 
> my bf's hand in public without having people look,
> stare and yell 
> things like f****t and the like. It's saddening, but
> you get used to 
> it. It becomes a part of who you are, always with
> one foot in the 
> closet.
> 
> 
> <<snip>>
> Part of me applauds his stand 
> on the issue, part of me thought that he was foolish
> to put himself at 
> risk.  
> <<snip>>
> 
> It evokes a double reaction in everyone. I do what I
> want, when I want 
> to, even if it means holding my bf's hand in public.
> But it's like a 
> constant fear, sometimes. Will I get hurt doing
> this? Will I shock 
> others with the most natural of gestures? Even
> though I say I don't 
> care, get used to it, we're here, we're queer, blah
> blah blah, theres 
> still that little bit of me that feels I'm breaking
> some sort of law 
> by doing so. 
> 
> I've been beaten and worse for being something I
> can't help being. 
> It's a battle of sorts. I know that those that
> disaprove might always 
> disaprove, and theres nothing that I can do to
> change that. However, 
> if I can let one person know what it feels like,
> then it's worth it. 
> 
> Anyway, now I'm rambling. Hugs to you all...
> 
> Jamieson
> 
> 
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=====
"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."

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