Monday, August 21, 2006

We actually do have equality?

One straight man's thought on gay rights: "One man, gay or straight can marry can marry one woman, gay or straight...there is no right that's taken away from you."


This was an opinion stated on the show Real Momentum during it's documentary of Gay republicans, "Elephant in the Room."

One Gay republican had rallied a small group of gay activists to appose a state amendment to ban gay marriage. While on a radio show, the host opposed this gay man's position by stating, "One man, gay or straight can marry can marry one woman, gay or straight...there is no right that's taken away from you."

My jaw dropped…I was confused at first, he was partially right; I could marry someone of the opposite sex just like a heterosexual person, but does that mean we’re equal?

Immediately I say, "No, not at all!"

Did this heterosexual imagine what this would sound like if the situation were reversed? What if gay was normal and hetero was the minority; gay was accepted, straight was not. "We have the same rights; you can marry anyone of the same sex you want."

I ask, "Does that sound equal to you?"

When will we be able to marry the person we wish? Only when silly ideas about equality and stereotypes have diminished

Friday, August 18, 2006

A Choice?

There are quite a few gay people in the world that don't like the fact that they're gay. Yes, even more gay people that think that being gay is the source of most of their problems. But I, I am not one of those people. I am happy with who I am.

How does it feel to be straight? I really couldn't tell you because I've never felt that way. How does it feel to be gay? I have an answer to that question, but the answer never seems to vary all that much from straight people's answer to my first question.

Can any of us really know what another person feels? I really don't think so. We might be able to come to and understanding, an inkling perhaps of a person's joy, ecstacy, sorrow and pain. But the best we can do is compare it to the way we have felt or might feel.

That being said, how can a person tell me how I feel?

"Being gay is a choice!" is common rhetoric today.

Who are they talking about? Who has made this choice?

I always think to myself when "gay is a choise" is uttered, "Did you make that choice?"

The question really comes down to, who do you define as gay? Anyone who has had a homosexual feeling or fantacy? Anyone who has experimented with the same sex? Anyone who has ever had a homosexual experience? Bisexuals? People who prefer the same sex? Or people who are only interested in the same sex?

For those who find themselves attracted to both sexes, gay might be a choice; for the rest of us, gay is simply who we are. Telling us that gay is a choice is like telling us, "Being born is a choice, being human is a choice."

Being with someone of the same sex might be a choice for those who only have gay fantacies, gay experiences, or for those who are bisexual. But for the rest of us, we can be with someone of the same sex, or we can be alone.

Whether I'm alone or not, that will never change the fact that I am gay!