Can you explain me this?

Question

Well,I've been using this site for a while and find it quite interesting.I just noticed then when it comes to talk about gay people,it seems that in the USA it is still considered out.I mean,I live in Italy and here all in all this is an issue that is quite normal nowadays.i just thought that in the USA you were even more open-minded than us but it seems to be exactly the contrary.Can you explain me how are gay considered in your society?

Answer 1

gay people catch alot of hell living here. most people dont come right out and persecute them to their faces, but rather do it behind thier backs with other striaght people. its rather rude i think. im using my boyfriends avatar/profile on yahoo answers to answer this question. 23/female/usa here.
hopefully soon things will change and the usa will be a more welcoming place to every type of religion/sexuality/race, but it seems everywhere you go in the usa there is stories to hear about racial conflict, sexuality crimes, and religion persecution. its sad, but true, and we as americans have become ammune to it. i believe even the gay people have become ammune to the mortal hell they recieve from the ones that are not supportive and happy for them in thier sexuality.
i believe we do not have a right to judge other people, because i was raised up a christian. i might not agree with everything that goes on around me, but i also dont have to hate it or try to understand it and judge people. people just want to love and be loved. its human nature. and we as a civilization keep making it harder and harder for peace loving people to live a normal, healthy life without judgment on every little thing they do. to each his own i say. let who ever wants believe in whatever god they chose to....let who ever wants to be gay or lesbian or bisexual if they want to.....let who ever wants to be any color or weight or financial state they are, and leave them in peace, wish them the best and be happy for them when they do get to be happy.
hope this helps. not all of us in the usa feel harshly towards gay/lesbian people.

Answer 2

Speaking just as a Historian, although I'm a Texan born and raised, the U.S. is still bound very much by it's roots. The country was founded as a slave trading, puritanical, sexist, racist, religiously bigoted, Empire building nation. Many U.S. citizens still cling to that. A key factor to the Civil War was the position that the Union was in opposition to the Bible, which supports slavery, and, as taught by most churches, White supremacy. Both the Confederacy and Nazi Germany were founded as Christian Nations, and, in 1994, the Republican Party of the U.S. adopted as it's Party Platform, they called it the "Contract with America", the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the Confederacy, leaving out only the "Right to Own Slaves". One can suppose they'd put that in when the made Christianity the "State Religion", which was part of the plan. Europe, like the rest of the World, was totally accepting of homosexuality until the 10th century when it was banned by the Pope for people outside the clergy, that is when gay marriage ceased to be allowed by the Church. The Puritans took it further, eschewing sex for any reason other than procreation, that is why they created the chastity belt, which was not, as they now claim, a medieval invention. They banned homosexuality at the same time and for the same reason, it was for pleasure rather than for procreation. That is also the reason for the Catholic ban on contraceptives. Now that it is no longer socially acceptable to attack people on basis of race, sexual orientation is the easiest ground for picking a target, you can still get away with hate crimes against gays in many states by claiming the man made a pass at you. Sad, but a fact of life.

Answer 3

One reason might be that there are more straight people than there are gays, and like any minority they are subject to prejudice, which I agree is grossly unfair. However, I think that the reason most gays get such bad press here in the United States is due to the increasing number of people with AIDS. While promiscuous homosexuality does promote that disease, there are other ways of contracting it. But since gays are particularly vulnerable -- unless of course they're monogamous -- the association stays valid. Also, there is an abject repugnance on the part of straight men in particular, to be hit on by gay guys. So, unfortunately a lot of gay people have been the target not only of prejudice but even violence. The United States is not as tolerant of the gay movement as other, more liberal countries. And here, open mindedness depends on the situations taking place. The gay culture is not one of them, at least at this time in our history.

Answer 4

change always seems to come slowly to America. I'm from Canada, not the states, so maybe this is a bit biased, but here goes:

The States have a reputation spread out before them. They're big, powerful, and they have a lot of muscle. They like to throw their weight around. They also treasure their past like none other. Tradition is strong, especially religously. Tradition wise, they're still imperial in the measurement system. It seems entirely backwards yes, metric makes much more sense, but they keep imperial around cause that gives them a sense of control. They're powerful enough that keeping imperial around affects other nations as well, especially Canada. On the gay rights thing, Canada was completely for it. We're just that kind of country. Same with most of the rest of the world. The states doesn't like it because its against the old ways. They feel they won't have as much control anymore as they used to.

Really the States is like one of those big ancient empires. Egypt. Egypt fell because times changed. Rome. Rome fell because times changed. The most recent: The British Empire. That fell because again, times changed. The states is seeing history repeat itself. They have been effectively in control of the world for quite a while now, and they're starting to see things change. They feel by changing with it, they'll lose control. So its not just gay rights that they're holding back on, its a much bigger issue at hand as well.

Answer 5

Hi Brenno,

It has been a long time coming, but gay people in our society are finally getting noticed and are being accepted. We have many groups in our culture who hate others for being different. Being gay is just one of those differences. Hatred occurs on many levels, such as: race, religion, color of skin, national origin and of course sexual orientation. It is a sad truth that we all can not love and accept one another for who and what we are, but that is the way it is in America. I am very happy for you that Italy may see things differently. God Bless!

Jim

Answer 6

I think that the religious right makes up a larger percentage of the population than it does in Europe. I've found that most religious people in Europe are not as bothered by homosexuality as in the United States. I am not sure why that is.

Gay people are still kind of treated like a controversial minority. Some feel the need to protect us, and others still think we're icky.

Answer 7

Europeans have always been more progressive concerning sexual matters. Here in the USA, we have to deal with a government that is so backwards it's pathetic, plus the bible thumpers and other idiots who think it's OK to hate and hurt people who don't fit their ideas of normal.

Answer 8

I've been entertaining the idea of moving to Italy. My father just had a house built in his hometown. I just may do it. I think the US is definitely not as progressive regarding homosexuality as other countries.

Answer 9

I have to admit that I am a "homophobe." I live in Eastern Kentucky, and we still have bans on alcohol and strip clubs. So, you can imagine. Gays? Out of the question. Even though I am married, and very much heterosexual, gay men gross me out. I can watch two women, but I still would not participate in a lesbian act. I grew up in a Pentecostal church, and it's not something the Bible tolerates. Sorry that I am so egocentrical, but I'm just being honest. To each his own....I just don't want to see it.

Answer 10

I'm not an american either...but the us does seem to be particularly uptight about sexuality and racism.....I'm trying to say this without offending people...it's just what I notice from these sites...