Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucdavis.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!ucdavis!up547413042 From: up547413042@ucdavis.UUCP (0048) Newsgroups: net.motss Subject: Re: Celebrating Differences. Message-ID: <279@ucdavis.UUCP> Date: Mon, 11-Nov-85 22:07:32 EST Article-I.D.: ucdavis.279 Posted: Mon Nov 11 22:07:32 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 13-Nov-85 07:04:15 EST References: <1262@decwrl.UUCP> Organization: University of California, Davis Lines: 64 > > > What's with this anti-heterosexual kick? "Any derogatory signs, like > > 'breeder'"?!? > > as well). Calling straight people "breeders" is a harmless, childish > way to vent steam. I don't condone it, but worse evils demand my > attention. It's not the greatest evil, but name- calling is not harmless. It creates antipathy, and can lead to worse troubles. It doesn't hurt physically, but it can hurt inside. > There is a school of gay thought that says that gay people *are* > different. We are the same as straights in our humanity, but different > in our expression of that humanity. Since we break societal mating > norms, we are free to experiment with the male/female role > models. Hence, we have formed a distinct gay/lesbian subculture. You > can even make a good argument for a gay male subculture distinct from > a lesbian subculture. I reccommend that it just be called school of thought. It is not restricted to gays. Besides, what is "gay thought"? Is it really signifcantly different than any other type of thought that it should be classified by itself? Being gay, the concept of gay subculture rather disturbs me. I think that, since we are different, gay people have purposely affected in particular manners to be non- conformist. Personally, I think many gay men I've met are affected (femme or macho), but also I've met men both straight and gay who are effeminate but not affected. I really don't care if somebody is effeminate, but the affectedness really bugs me. I also dislike being pressure to become part of this whole gay subculture. I want to be myself. I feel sometimes like I'm being forced to conform to society (straight) from one side, and from the gay "non- conformist" society from the other. I would much rather have diversity, and have it well mixed up with all my gay and straight, etc friends. I prefer people who are just natural with themselves. They act the way they feel, and express themselves in the manner they feel most comfortable in. I think all this stuff about subcultures, as well as acting like a man/woman are garbage. I'd rather just act like me, and everybody else act like them. I don't care much for classification. > What's the matter, Mark, do our differences bother you? If you are > unable to celebrate differences, then you can concentrate on the many > things that straight people, and gays and lesbians have in common. I really don't think that is Mark's problem. I can understand his position (what I read in this article.... I didn't see the original posting), and I'm gay myself. > > Anyhoo, the whole message is let's stop this differentiation on meaninless > > attributes ... sexual orientation, skin color, drug usage... > > Gee, if you want to treat everyone the same, why shouldn't we stop the > differentiation between gay "posers" and "masculine" gay men, between > "butch" lesbians and "feminine" lesbians. Why can't we celebrate > these differences, or will celebrating these differences in gays and > lesbians cause straight people to question their own male/female role > models? A role model is a role model, gay or straight. How about one that failed to differentiate based on sex or sexual orientation? -- Chris.