Is Coming Out A Trend?
First things first: No I'm not gay, I'm definitely attracted to males and I highly doubt my sexuality will change anytime soon if ever. This post is not a comment on my sexuality! Good that's clarified and out of the way but now down to what I wanted to talk about in this blog post: coming out and homophobia. (Also sorry if this posts offends anyone but it is a touchy subject and I have had a friend review it and censor it)
Recently a lot of people have been speaking up from the LGBTQPA community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, pansexual, asexual) and coming out is starting to be seen as a trend. To be frank this really pisses me off, why does being comfortable enough with yourself have to be seen as just a mere trend.
People are not just going along with the masses, if you're gay then you're gay. If you feel comfortable enough to come out then for fuck's sake just come out and screw other people. The idea that people are gay because its in style is ridiculous. Do I think that sometimes being gay can be merely a phase? Yes I do but answer me this: Why does that make the person's identity any less valid than the person who goes through a phase of dyeing their hair blue, becoming a hermit or abandoning ship and travelling the world? Everyone goes through phases in life and they are perfectly entitled too as long as its not harming anyone else. Realistically for the majority sexual orientation is not a phase, no matter how late in life they realize who they are it is a lifelong decision. It is not a handicap anymore than being red headed or blue eyed is. It is a biological phenomenon that just happens to have long been regarded as immoral and unnatural. The answer as to why more and more people are coming out is really quite simple: society is becoming more accepting (mostly thanks to the media and increased social awareness), which is a brilliant and beautiful thing.
I do understand that there will always be a percentage of the population that sees homosexuality and transgenderism as indecent and to be honest I used to be part of that percentage. I was raised in a religious family where anything but hetero is unnatural and for a long time I believed this too, until one day one of my best friends came out to me and I suddenly questioned how someone who was so kind and fun and made me a better person could be bad.
It was a struggle for me to adapt my beliefs:
Step 1 was to realize that just because they were living a life I didn't believe in didn't mean I couldn't love them and try to accept them. The bible says to love your neighbours and to love those who have done wrongs. (No its not wrong but this was step 1). I learned to still love and respect my friend.
Step 2 was to say hey wait if I'm still able to love this person and them love me what has really changed? Also research: even in nature homosexuality, asexuality etc. exists. It makes sense for the "devil" to mislead humans but animals too? If it exists among other animals why not us, after all we are mammals too.
*non binary genders and being transgender also exists among animals and cultures that go way before the bible's time.
Step 3 was being totally cool with it, continuing to educate myself and start to advocate for equal rights
*The marriage of homosexuals in churches is a whole other subject that I really cannot make educated commentary on without offending either side. Though personal opinion, mariage should totally be allowed, where and by whom is different
And now here I am accepting and fighting for the rainbow community. The reason I am telling you all that is not because I am proud of my past views but rather to say I understand where the "haters" are coming from. I get that accepting and understanding doesn't always come easily and that its hard to undo your beliefs and you shouldn't have to. But the important thing is that whether or not you agree with someone's lifestyle to love them anyway and to try to accept them. So many Christian's and Muslim's are prosecuted for their beliefs and they hate it as much as the LGBTQ community hates it. I'm not saying like it, I'm saying tolerate if not accept it. Apologize if you insult (The Christians are able to do it albeit not all... read this) and have a civilized debate to express opinions. Accusing and offending get you nowhere.
What needs to happen is a general buggering off of differing beliefs and the encouragement of those who come out because the world can be scary and support makes a whole lot of difference.
-Flo
Recently a lot of people have been speaking up from the LGBTQPA community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, pansexual, asexual) and coming out is starting to be seen as a trend. To be frank this really pisses me off, why does being comfortable enough with yourself have to be seen as just a mere trend.
People are not just going along with the masses, if you're gay then you're gay. If you feel comfortable enough to come out then for fuck's sake just come out and screw other people. The idea that people are gay because its in style is ridiculous. Do I think that sometimes being gay can be merely a phase? Yes I do but answer me this: Why does that make the person's identity any less valid than the person who goes through a phase of dyeing their hair blue, becoming a hermit or abandoning ship and travelling the world? Everyone goes through phases in life and they are perfectly entitled too as long as its not harming anyone else. Realistically for the majority sexual orientation is not a phase, no matter how late in life they realize who they are it is a lifelong decision. It is not a handicap anymore than being red headed or blue eyed is. It is a biological phenomenon that just happens to have long been regarded as immoral and unnatural. The answer as to why more and more people are coming out is really quite simple: society is becoming more accepting (mostly thanks to the media and increased social awareness), which is a brilliant and beautiful thing.
I do understand that there will always be a percentage of the population that sees homosexuality and transgenderism as indecent and to be honest I used to be part of that percentage. I was raised in a religious family where anything but hetero is unnatural and for a long time I believed this too, until one day one of my best friends came out to me and I suddenly questioned how someone who was so kind and fun and made me a better person could be bad.
It was a struggle for me to adapt my beliefs:
Step 1 was to realize that just because they were living a life I didn't believe in didn't mean I couldn't love them and try to accept them. The bible says to love your neighbours and to love those who have done wrongs. (No its not wrong but this was step 1). I learned to still love and respect my friend.
Step 2 was to say hey wait if I'm still able to love this person and them love me what has really changed? Also research: even in nature homosexuality, asexuality etc. exists. It makes sense for the "devil" to mislead humans but animals too? If it exists among other animals why not us, after all we are mammals too.
*non binary genders and being transgender also exists among animals and cultures that go way before the bible's time.
Step 3 was being totally cool with it, continuing to educate myself and start to advocate for equal rights
*The marriage of homosexuals in churches is a whole other subject that I really cannot make educated commentary on without offending either side. Though personal opinion, mariage should totally be allowed, where and by whom is different
And now here I am accepting and fighting for the rainbow community. The reason I am telling you all that is not because I am proud of my past views but rather to say I understand where the "haters" are coming from. I get that accepting and understanding doesn't always come easily and that its hard to undo your beliefs and you shouldn't have to. But the important thing is that whether or not you agree with someone's lifestyle to love them anyway and to try to accept them. So many Christian's and Muslim's are prosecuted for their beliefs and they hate it as much as the LGBTQ community hates it. I'm not saying like it, I'm saying tolerate if not accept it. Apologize if you insult (The Christians are able to do it albeit not all... read this) and have a civilized debate to express opinions. Accusing and offending get you nowhere.
What needs to happen is a general buggering off of differing beliefs and the encouragement of those who come out because the world can be scary and support makes a whole lot of difference.
-Flo
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