The Gay Thread

[innerSpaceman]

I think it's a case where, quite seriously, I've seen dozens upon dozens of gay mens' gaydar go off when he speaks. Maybe he's not, and I'm sure the theories that his motivation is scorned-loverhood are way off base. Closet case may just be vengeful thinking, but there IS such a thing as gaydar - and it often works.

In any event, the Daily Show had the best run-in with Shirvell. He did not seem to get that he was the brunt of their joke, and he's an idiot as well as a closet case.

It's a very funny piece, and the place that seems to come up first on a google search to view it is here.

Enjoy.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Oh, I understand all that. I just still don't like it as a response. I mean, isn't the whole point that one's sexuality is one's own business? That no one should be ridiculed because of their sexuality? Criticizing this guy for publicly demeaning someone because of that person's sexuality...by publicly demeaning him about his sexuality? Doesn't jive. And make no mistake, making armchair clinical diagnoses of psychological flaws like projection is demeaning.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I don't see it that way. If I was picketing, stalking, and created a blog devoted to pointing out how fat one guy is, wouldn't you say something like, "Uh dude, you're fat too." That's not mocking me because I'm fat, that's pointing out the ridiculousness of my behavior.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by SzczerbiakManiac

I don't see it that way. If I was picketing, stalking, and created a blog devoted to pointing out how fat one guy is, wouldn't you say something like, "Uh dude, you're fat too." That's not mocking me because I'm fat, that's pointing out the ridiculousness of my behavior.

No, because I have no idea if you're fat (I have no idea what you look like, for a long time I thought that basketball player avatar you had was you). So for me, it'd be me saying "well, since you're so mean to fat people you must be fat yourself."

Besides, personally, the self-loathing gaybasher is not a person that increases my opposition to them, but rather tends to increase my empathy for them (while not lessening my disagreement). Which I think is the opposite intended result when someone says "and I bet he's queer too!"

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by Alex

No, because I have no idea if you're fat (I have no idea what you look like, for a long time I thought that basketball player avatar you had was you).

For the record, Alex, I'm not a corgi.*





*Then again, we've met so the joke only half works. If at all.

[Betty]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

For the record, Alex, I'm not a corgi.*





*Then again, we've met so the joke only half works. If at all.

You're not as cute and fluffy as I'm imagined then.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by SzczerbiakManiac

I don't see it that way. If I was picketing, stalking, and created a blog devoted to pointing out how fat one guy is, wouldn't you say something like, "Uh dude, you're fat too." That's not mocking me because I'm fat, that's pointing out the ridiculousness of my behavior.

Being fat is a visible public fact, as much as one is a brunette or tall. Being gay is a personal fact. Part of what is troubling about being called gay is that someone is treading on your personal ground.

Maybe he is gay. Maybe he's bisexual. Maybe he has had lovers, maybe he's a virgin. Maybe he was abused as a child. Maybe he's battling his own internal war. You don't know him, and he's probably a lot more complicated than one three-letter word. Calling him gay dismisses him as much as it dismisses anyone else. If you don't want this for yourself, don't propagate it. Call him a crazy asshole instead.

[Alex]

Plus, I think it is a certain amount of confirmation bias. Yes, there have been many cases of anti-gay mouthpieces who turn out to be gay themselves. And each time that happens they immediately become a "prominent" anti-gay mouthpiece regardless of how prominent they were before (some were very, some not so much). Considering there are hundreds, if not thousands, of anti-gay activists I'm not sure it even counts as a real trend.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

...and the Awesome Mom of the Week award goes to this lady!

[Betty]

Originally Posted by SzczerbiakManiac

...and the Awesome Mom of the Week award goes to this lady!

I concur!