LGBT Support Thread

[GreyScholar 1,584]

Oh, sorry for not @mentioning you. Nothing is actually being debated about you or your position so far. I was pointing out that heterosexuals can debate something like a religious position opposing homosexuality (using your post as an example of such) and treat it as an academic issue because it's not our sexuality on the line. Like two men discussing the question of whether or not women ought to be subservient to men. The "issue" feels completely different if you're LGBT (or a woman, in the second example). I was explaining the concept of heterosexual privilege, rather than addressing you specifically or the link you provided in your post.

Ah, I believe I understand what you're saying. Experience is the best way to understanding something fully. One example that comes to mind is that of rape and abuse, unless you've experienced these things you cannot truly understand what the person has going through.

 

Though I will counter to an extent your statement because if one has friends or family members that have experienced what you have not one can still come to at least partly understand the situation.

 

Also I think I could agree there's truth to what you say about heterosexual privilege, what something is the norm or the commonplace there is hardly any issue but if you go against the norm or common place that is when you can run into problems. Being different is never easy, I understand the sentiment because there are things that make me different from others.

Edited September 11, 2013 by EquestrianScholar

[just ignore me 86]

I am a bisexual male but i'm still in the closet to friends and family. Honestly i'm planning on tagging along with my good friend to our schools Gay Straight Alliance meeting next week in the hopes it will make me come out of my figurative shell a little and open up , wish me luck. 

[Finesthour 7,287]

I had my awkward phase of confusion with my sexuality, but I finally found my lining with straight. However, I have deep appreciation with anyone who is brave enough to admit they drift past that line.

 

While I do not agree with all of the publicity they get (I understand to change something you need to raise awareness, but in my view people are people. You shouldn't treat anyone different at all), but I'd never go out of my way to judge someone for their choices in life.

[NotDavid_ 62]

I'm a bisexual male, more leaning to homosexual but I have had feelings for girls before.  I wish I had the courage to come out to everyone.

[NavelColt 22,879]

I'm a bisexual male, more leaning to homosexual but I have had feelings for girls before.

 

Two peas in a pod

 

 

And yeah, courage isn't as easy to come by as lots of people make it sound like. Everyone's situation is different, as is their personality. I hope you do find someone who you can talk to, though!

[Galen 1,354]

Not sure I've posted here before but here goes. I've never questioned my sexuality tbh. I've always liked girls as far as I could remember ever since my early teens. However, I've also never really cared about whether or not someone liked someone else of the same gender. By some stroke of luck (considering my parents are anti-LGBT rights, particularly my dad who thinks it's a mental illness), I've grown to really appreciate homosexuality and sympathize with the struggle they face because of people like my dad, or generally people who believe there's some tradition in family values and gay couples can't be good parents. We're all human beings who are perfectly sentient, conscious and aware of our existence and feelings as the next person is, so nothing should influence whether one should have more rights than another.

[Le Kvlt Dawn 2,364]

Not sure I've posted here before but here goes. I've never questioned my sexuality tbh. I've always liked girls as far as I could remember ever since my early teens. However, I've also never really cared about whether or not someone liked someone else of the same gender. By some stroke of luck (considering my parents are anti-LGBT rights, particularly my dad who thinks it's a mental illness), I've grown to really appreciate homosexuality and sympathize with the struggle they face because of people like my dad, or generally people who believe there's some tradition in family values and gay couples can't be good parents. We're all human beings who are perfectly sentient, conscious and aware of our existence and feelings as the next person is, so nothing should influence whether one should have more rights than another.

Yea my parents are like that too, my mom doesn't mind the LGBT community too much but I have heard my dad speak out against them. My parents are what you would call "traditional", they believe in traditional gender roles, are very religious, etc. it makes me sick sometimes.

[MelancholicMemory 2,025]

Yea my parents are like that too, my mom doesn't mind the LGBT community too much but I have heard my dad speak out against them. My parents are what you would call "traditional", they believe in traditional gender roles, are very religious, etc. it makes me sick sometimes.

Same. My mom acts like she's tolerant, but her behaviors show that she's not actually as tolerant as she claims to be. My dad on the other hand is very traditional and very hateful towards minorities, gays, etc. even though he's nonreligious. My grandma and stuff also dislike LGBT. My grandma was disgusted when a news story about gay marriage being legalized in some state (I think New York) played on TV.

[Jon the VGNerd 885]

I'm not LGBT, but I don't have a problem with them. I haven't seen anyone on here be mean to LGBT people. This is honestly the most tolerant community I've ever seen.

 

Same here. I may be straight, but even I tolerate LGBT people very well. No matter what their S/O are, as long as they're nice like on the forums here, I'll always be nice to them in return.

[Galen 1,354]

Same. My mom acts like she's tolerant, but her behaviors show that she's not actually as tolerant as she claims to be. My dad on the other hand is very traditional and very hateful towards minorities, gays, etc. even though he's nonreligious. My grandma and stuff also dislike LGBT. My grandma was disgusted when a news story about gay marriage being legalized in some state (I think New York) played on TV.

 

My mother's very weird like that herself. She often posts things that suggest support for LGBT rights on her facebook so you'd think she's in favor of same-sex marriages but she's not. I really can't see how anyone could be in support of LGBT rights but not support same-sex marriages when that issue forms the core of LGBT concerns themselves in comparison to heterosexual marriage rights.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Freedan

[Thuja 3,659]

My mum's like that as well, she outwardly seems very tolerant but I've seen certain behaviours that might say otherwise.  Most of my family is more of a, "Just keep it to the bedroom" type.  Even though being gay doesn't really mean just sex(for some it might be).  I have yet to come out to my family as a whole, but I feel it would be better off to not come out to some of them.  I've been rather "obvious" with them and I'm sure they're smart enough to get it by now...    

[James 302]

I saw this board on Pinterest a few weeks ago;

 

http://www.pinterest.com/abigailandava/retro-lgbt/

 

It's old pictures of gay couples, it's really uncommon and nice to see something like this, some of them are from before the 50s even.

[Hawk Moth 390]

How do you appreciate LGBT people? It's one thing to accept people and treat them as equals, but appreciation implies separatism. It's why I don't think any racial or ethnic group should have a pride day. Such things only succeed at forcing people apart rather than bringing them together.

[Hansel 1,512]

How do you appreciate LGBT people? It's one thing to accept people and treat them as equals, but appreciation implies separatism. It's why I don't think any racial or ethnic group should have a pride day. Such things only succeed at forcing people apart rather than bringing them together.

 

I bring up a similar point to this often, along with other arguments. It seems unnecessary, and at times even damaging, but a lot of people obviously don't really agree.

On the other hand, I've also spoken to many queer folk who feel the same way.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Hansel

[Hawk Moth 390]

I bring up a similar point to this often, along with other arguments. It seems unnecessary, and at times even damaging, but a lot of people don't seem to agree, so meh.

 

I'd argue that a lot of it is subconscious. When I was a kid, I thought white people were the default humans and everyone else was a modified version. Diversity is just another way of saying, "You are different", and I don't think that's the right way of going about things. If we focused more on our similarities, I think society would improve. Right now, everyone still has their teams, and pride days are no more than pep rallies.

[James 302]

Just once I'd like to have an LGBT thread that doesn't have any arguments on it. It's not likely to ever happen, but I can dream.

 

This thread is for support and positivity for LGBT people, nothing more.

[Iudicium86 24]

How do you appreciate LGBT people? It's one thing to accept people and treat them as equals, but appreciation implies separatism. It's why I don't think any racial or ethnic group should have a pride day. Such things only succeed at forcing people apart rather than bringing them together.

 

Might work like that, if oppression of racial/religious/sexual/etc groupings was never a thing.

Pride is a reaction, a defiance of being oppressed or shamed by others. Long as there are folk out there rallying for only "Traditional marriage", firing employees only because they found out he/she was homosexual, murdering the 'fag', denying adoption rights, refusing donated blood, or any other acts against a sexual minority, there will be the opposing force of Pride. 

[Hansel 1,512]

I'd argue that a lot of it is subconscious. When I was a kid, I thought white people were the default humans and everyone else was a modified version. Diversity is just another way of saying, "You are different", and I don't think that's the right way of going about things. If we focused more on our similarities, I think society would improve. Right now, everyone still has their teams, and pride days are no more than pep rallies.

 

I would argue that demonstrations have been helpful in the past, but it just seems unnecessary to have them in a country like mine (UK), where by law, LGBT people have equal rites. I get that we still have a shit ton of homophobia, but this has more to do with individuals as opposed to the country itself, and if anything, parading in the streets, making a mess, and probably causing a lot of issues for drivers probably fuels their hate even more.

As I've already mentioned in this thread, I see sexuality/gender as a non-issue, and I don't really see why I should be proud of my sexuality. For me, pride is like a byproduct that comes from achievement, so I'm not really a fan of the "gay pride" concept either.

 

As for your other point, I think our difference sis what makes the world interesting, and I think it's healthy acknowledge those difference. But different doesn't necessarily equate to "bad".

Edited October 15, 2013 by Hansel

[Hawk Moth 390]

Might work like that, if oppression of racial/religious/sexual/etc groupings was never a thing.

Pride is a reaction, a defiance of being oppressed or shamed by others. Long as there are folk out there rallying for only "Traditional marriage", firing employees only because they found out he/she was homosexual, murdering the 'fag', denying adoption rights, refusing donated blood, or any other acts against a sexual minority, there will be the opposing force of Pride. 

 

I think people should be proud of their personal accomplishments and not their skin color, sexuality, or heritage. Having the same skin color as a successful person doesn't help you at all. Being descended from a family that used to live in another country doesn't give you an success.

I would argue that demonstrations have been helpful in the past, but it just seems unnecessary to have them in a country like mine (UK), where by law, LGBT people have equal rites. I get that we still have a shit ton of homophobia, but this has more to do with individuals as opposed to the country itself, and if anything, parading in the streets, making a mess, and probably causing a lot of issues for drivers probably fuels their hate even more.

As I've already mentioned in this thread, I see sexuality/gender issue, and don't really see why I should be proud of my sexuality, as for me, pride comes from achievement, so I'm not really a fan of the "gay pride" concept either.

 

As for your other point, I think our difference sis what makes the world interesting, and I think it's healthy acknowledge those difference. But different doesn't necessarily equate to "bad".

 

Demonstrations are necessary for civil rights, but once a group gets equal representation, it's no longer necessary. There will always be hatred between people. That can never be fully stamped out. I agree that pride should be merit based as well.

[James 302]

I regret bumping this thread now. I think that people having a problem with a thread like this and having to argue why there shouldn't be positive discussion and appreciation of LGBT stuff is proof that the world still doesn't quite accept it, even if we have made progress.

[Hawk Moth 390]

I regret bumping this thread now. I think that people having a problem with a thread like this and having to argue why there shouldn't be positive discussion and appreciation of LGBT stuff is proof that the world still doesn't quite accept it, even if we have made progress.

 

I accept LGBT people; I just think it's counterproductive for everyone to have to trumpet their pride for their own specific group.

[MelancholicMemory 2,025]

Oh hey, we're appreciationg LGBT people again, I see. I'm doing some big presentations in favor of LGBT (mostly LGB) rights this week. Wish me luck!

[James 302]

I accept LGBT people; I just think it's counterproductive for everyone to have to trumpet their pride for their own specific group.

 

Do you really accept it? You're here trying to tell us that we shouldn't celebrate our sexuality and our differences because it might negatively impact other people's opinions of us.

 

Isn't this entire forum a negative thing by your logic? Aren't we, as bronies, just pushing other people to hate us more by celebrating something that makes us different?

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

I'll re-instate what I've said before. I'm pretty sure I'm straight for all intensive purposes despite any confusion I've felt(which oddly, I think my mom become far more accepting over night when I discussed my confusion with her and she fully realized what emotions people must go through and how the world makes them feel).

 

There's one thing I know, and something I wish others could see the same way. Even if you can't understand it or fathom how it works, you should still be able to feel good that there's two people that love each other in front of you. Even as a Christian I've come to understand that fact, that there's no reason to call two people wrong for loving each other, and whoever is up there probably feels the same way.

 

So keep on living your lives, a future where people don't hate each other for petty reasons is something we both hope for. 

[Hansel 1,512]

I regret bumping this thread now. I think that people having a problem with a thread like this and having to argue why there shouldn't be positive discussion and appreciation of LGBT stuff is proof that the world still doesn't quite accept it, even if we have made progress.

 

I accept LGBT people. Hell, I'm one myself. I just see sexuality and gender as a non-issue, and I think that the only way we can reach a stage where all people are treated fairly is if both sides stop making something as insignificant as who you find attractive into an issue. (whether it be positive or negative.)

Edited October 15, 2013 by Hansel