What is a "gay right"?

Question

could someone explain to me why a gay person should have a right a straight person doesn't have?

If its a right that everyone should have, why call it a "gay right"? Call it a "right".

Mark D,, I know a straight bartender at a gay bar, does he need "straight rights"?

Answer 1

I thought "gay rights" was just another name for Republicans and their spiritual guides.

Answer 2

Every thinking person knows that what gay activists want is not equal rights (they already have them), but special allowances and priveledges. They want a special allowance to marry whomevery they please. What they have now is the same rights to marry as every other US citizen. They want employers to be forced to insure their partners of choice, though employers are currently not forced to insure partners or spouses of any employee. They want to force hospital ICUs to allow their partners to visit when they are ill - why not lobby hospitals about their visitation policies - not Congress. They want probate laws changed specifically for them in case they die intestate. They are currently allowed to write wills just like the rest of us. If I want to leave everything to my cat - I need a will too.
For years they have tried to justify their chosen lifestyles by theorizing that they posess a gene that makes them more susceptible to homosexuality (i.e., the "I was born this way" argument). Though the human genome project has been complete for several years now and no such gene was found, they continue to put forth this theory. A similar gene was found over a decade ago that causes a greater susceptibility toward alcoholism, yet we call alcoholism a disease.
I know I have set myself up for a lot of thumbs down here. That usually happens when you state the facts.

Answer 3

It's about acknowledging that gays should have all the same rights straights do. Same as it's been when referring to the rights of any group that's been discriminated against.

As a related aside, I'd like to say that the determination of who can or cannot get married should remain in the hands of the churches where it belongs and not be interfered with by federal, state, or local governments. It's a matter of protecting religious freedom by stating that the governments do not have the right to tell the churches who they can and cannot marry.

Answer 4

OK, gays who are partners for life could be left out of the Er or ICU when their partner is sick or dying. spouses children and parents only.even who gets the burial rights etc. and inheritance. you'd scream from the grave if your parents got all when you died leaving your wife and/or kids in poverty would you not? they do too.
many things are denied when they are NOT legally FAMILY.
MANY health INSURANCE AND family law effects. adoption even their own child custody can be effected.
they have problems getting jobs and housing and i ran into a kid who got out of an abusive situation and been sober for a couple years couldn't get domestic violence shelter 'cause gay male and was in a sober living home run by a church .. called n**gr and fa**got and threatened with guns in orange county ca! not the back woods.
i helped him through several bad situations where he because he was black and gay mostly had no rights and couldn't get the help.
he gave up on so cal and is now in San Francisco. where he didn't really want to go. should he have to go to one or two cities in the country to get the help and supports others can get at home?
they, like the disabled, are trying to get equal access to human and civil rights.

and mark could get what's called reverse discrimination. also illegal, but happens. hope not.

Answer 5

The term "gay rights" is a sound byte. It means an effort to ensure equal rights for gays.

How many heterosexuals do you know have gone around worrying, "If anybody finds out that I'm straight, I could lose my job" ?

Do you think that gays have an equal right to serve in the military? To get married? To adopt kids?

{edit} He does if someone is going to fire him just because he's straight. He needs to have a law which says that sexual orientation is a protected class under employment discrimination laws.

BTW, I don't agree with what the U.S. Supreme Court did in Romer v. Evans, 1996. But I don't agree with it because of what the Court said in Section 3 of it's opinion. However, I think you'll find Sections 1 and 2 quite enlightening. Check it out. Section 2 addresses this "straight rights" concern you have.

Here's a link to that SC decision.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=000&invol=U10179

Answer 6

A gay person belongs to what is considered as a minority group or specialised group. All groups like this are attempting to have their rights recognised equally to the majority groups. However, I do agree with what you say. I am straight, but I can't claim for "straight rights" or say "I am straight and I am proud of it" without looking like I am picking on the minority groups. Yes, it is a confusing world we all live in.

Answer 7

This is a very, very good question. Gay rights are really just another way of saying human rights. One of the best questions I have read on yahoo answers. Yay! We want more intelligent questions!!!! Sorry. Im a goofball.

Answer 8

People call things by various names. Everyone should have the right to freedom if it does not harm others. That includes the freedom to call it a "gay right" if they so please. The important thing is to understand what they are referring to and not to get angry over nothing.

Answer 9

They have all rights that we all have. They are in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They have the same right to free speech, carry a gun, right to assemble, etc. that a straight person has.

Answer 10

If they establish a right now, they can get in line with other minorities that our ancestors won over. Just a guess. And for the two points.