I get the point that you are making Peter but on the other hand there are moments which are very moving and unforgettable
Or thisâŚ
âŚbrings a lump to my throat and a tear to my eyeâŚ
Tim, I rather think it will be a long, long wait - if ever, before that comes about.
To you heterosexuals I have a couple of questions. When did you realise you were hetero and was it difficult coming out to your parents and friends?
Here you go folks. Gays & Lesbians for the miners in the 80s.
Darren, interesting point, but I still beg to differ. The first âGay Prideâ parade I saw was in Sydney, (Australia for those who donât know?) which must have been about the same time as Stonewall in London, although I have to show my ignorance of that event.
Yes, there was a lot of fun in it,and even though Australia probably had one of the biggest âmachoâ images at that time.
However it would be foolish to deny that the âin your faceâ attitude of the participants, did very little but reinforce the prejudices of those who have them. These things are two-edged swords, and as such require judicious handling. I still remember the semi-joking statements at the time âOnce it was illegal, then it was legal for consenting adults in private, then everyone started to âcome outâ (although that wasnât a term I heard) - how long before it becomes bloody compulsory?â
It has to be said the similar situation with the vehemence of the #Meetoo movement turning into a perceived âanti-menâ movement. Demonising any Group or Opinion is invariably counter-productive, as Farage has pointed out.
I suppose what I am trying to say is there are many ways of handling opposition and or prejudice, but I am fairly certain that (again) âin your faceâ is not the best.
For myself, I never really thought too much about homosexuals except when younger (but not a child) I had two attempted âgropesâ at me. A REALLY wrong move, as they found out!
I carried these vague memories with me for years, and it was only when I actually met at dinner parties homosexual people - who surprise, surprise seemed no different from me - other than usually they were funnier, and far better informed on âcultural mattersâ than I ever was. This ânormalityâ rather than the âdifferencesâ was the way for me to find acceptance.
One point, I have objected to the hijacking of the word âGayâ (did you know that to be âgayâ in the late 19th Century was to be a prostitute?) It has buggered up a lot of songs for starters!
THis is a bit rambling but it is still only 5.00am, and the first coffee of the day has yet to kick in!
I do not understand why you call the actions of women who are now standing up for themselves and refusing to accept the sexual misbehaviour of men as âvehementâ in an obviously derogatory way.
The awareness by men in positions of authority that this does not give them licence to predate upon young women is long overdue and if you have ever had to leave a job because of unwanted advances by a boss then perhaps you would choose your words more carefully?
Pride is a great film, funny, true and thought provoking on many levels.
Chris W asked a couple of excellent questions which us âstraightâ people obviously canât answer other than say âthe situation never aroseâ to both, maybe some time in the future a personâs sexuality will be such an irrelevance that the questions will never need to be asked by anyone.
I donât have a problem with the perceived âin your faceâ part of the Me Too movement as the only men who need to be worried are those who think along the same lines as Weinstein etc.
Norman, that doesnât make it right, or mean that everyone, regardless of who they are should stop fighting for it. Intolerance will only stop when we all take steps towards stopping it.
I agree, although I think itâs worse in some parts of the up than others. I have many friends in the community including a much adored nephew in law who is in his early 20s, he and his long term (considering his young age) partner both have the same name and are very open and comfortable with who they are, this is obviously helped by very supportive friends and family on both sides. He lost his mum when he was in his teens and told everyone before she passed away as he wanted to do it whilst he still had her support (extremely brave and mature as a young teen).
They live in Southampton where many of our friends do, although we have many friends in London and Brighton too who have no problems, further north in Yorkshire I have a couple of friends who donât have it quite so easy. I hate that there are still so many intolerant people, why canât they see that the world, and themselves would be happier if they were just more accepting of others.
Weâve come a long way but still have so far to go, and those saying that a âstraight dayâ would be frowned upon, too right it would, since when were âstraightâ (a ridiculous saying) people attacked and stigmatised for being heterosexual?!
Dizzy - must admit I quite like the idea of a âstraightâ day, somewhat flippantly thinking any excuse for a party but, also, in the certain knowledge that my friends would join in - regardless of their sexual orientation.
It might be an opportunity to show the world how stupid the intolerance is, when one sees that folk really are⌠simply folk.
I have wide diversity within my group of friends and I defy any stranger to correctly identify each oneâs sexual orientation correctly.
Perhaps renaming it âHumanity Dayâ ⌠would be one idea
Very amusing Christopher, had a good laugh at that. A lot of closets around here
On a more serious note, the idea that young people who are often distraught about their sexual feelings should keep it to themselves for fear of being âin your faceâ and offending others has to be wrong. We should see it as a cry for help. The saddest thing is when young LGBT+ attempt to seek help from their friends and family and find themselves completely rejected. Regrettably, this often (but by no means only) happens on religious grounds. Exclusion can never be condoned. Ever.
Please donât call me Norman, thanks.
Iâm glad that there is open talk about sexual feelings - as you say, especially important for the young.
In our late teens, one friend turned up in âfancy dressâ (very popular at parties in those long ago days). We cheered and laughed, good naturedly (and innocently), but he was distraught. For me, when the reality hit, I felt anguish and shame that we had (however inadvertently) caused pain to another human being. Awful, seeing his face crumple before he rushed from the room.
Donât forget ageism, people marginised by all sorts of sexualities just because they have been around longer
Quite right John⌠we will all be old one day (those who do not die young ) yet some folk will simply ignore/cast aside/deride old-folk
Parents didnât feature much in anything concerned with my growing up; I suppose I just noted what and when something stirred behind my trouser buttons (theyWERE buttons in those days!).
Lol, didnât know where thenpost would land
Stella, I love the idea of a âhumanity dayâ as a day to bring all people together, sadly I fear there will always be small pockets of people who use religion as an excuse to hide behind their failing/lacking compassion for other humans, this goes for all situations, including the current behavior of some towards refugees.
It frustrates me beyond words that there are those in this world who have no compassion and think their nasty ways are right, or that they are somehow superior to others, and that I canât do anything to change it