Gay Stereotypes

[Former Member]

Somewhat off topic but related:

I'm afraid religion is becoming a problem for many people in many places. People seem to think now that if someone disagrees or believes something different that it's ok to blow them up.

 

Most people can be fitted into a pigeonhole if we push hard enough. Stereotyping can be easy if we don't look too closely...

 

I know effeminate straight men and I know very masculine gay men. I know very masculine women for that matter. Straight women. My straight brother-in-law hates sports and my gay best friend is an absolute lunatic when he's watching football. I sort of like the see-through shorts but even that loses its appeal after a few minutes.

 

Soccer and basketball used to interest me - back when shorts were short, and men's legs were hairy, not smooth and shiny like my sister's legs. But I digress...

 

I spent quite a few formulative years in Alabama growing up, and unfortunately I know very well indeed what role religion can play for anyone different, gay, minority or anything else. It's like it gave them a license to be as cruel, insulting and aggressive as they wished based on the religion book's words. It's why I infinitely prefer living in Europe than the USA, no matter where. And I have traveled and variously across the states also.

 

Becoming a problem? Religion's always been a problem throughout mankind's history, and the insistence of most to try to press their beliefs onto others. I feel it is one of the greatest reasons gays became stereotyped in the first place. And why, conversely, some gays felt they really need or needed to exaggerate whatever things about themselves as a protest of a sort. A determination to behave exactly as they wish.

 

When you say your examples, to me that stereotypes also. It's irrelevant to me anyone's sexuality even to get to the point TO stereotype them, especially in those ways. And I, and I know it's just me, seldom think of anything or anyone regarding their sexuality. It's just another part of them like skin. It's there of course, but it's their own. I think too much emphasis is given to sex and sexual attraction. It's like eating. You have to eat and take it nourishment to be healthy, but you don't talk or think about it all the time. LOL But then, that's another of those stereotypes some people believe: gay guys are always thinking about sex and in sexual terms.

 

It's again, one of those things of a religion "obsessed" and dominated society, sexuality or sex is seriously suppressive and results in over-sexualization of it's population, covert or highly public. Only have to reference the insane numbers of religious groups with the high numbers of pedophiles. But I'll stop being off-topic now :-)

Edited June 30, 2010 by Red Haircrow