Do you believe many straights fail to recognize the great diversity that exists among gays? If so, what do....

Question

....you believe the underlying reasons for this are?

After all, straights are quite familiar with the broad spectrum of individual differences that exist in the straight segment of our society. Why would they fail to recognize the same in the gay segment?

Answer 1

A majority, not just "many", can't or won't acknowledge that gays are diverse. Or more precisely, they see us as stereotypes and caricatures.

It is a hell of a lot easier to accept the stereotype that reinforces the suspicions, fears and loathing than it does to think it out logically. Even those that have rather benign prejudices about lgbt people can justify their indifference to pain and suffering by thinking "they have their self to blame" "if they weren't always advertising it" "if they didn't act like that" "...none of this would happen" so they turn their back and say "tsk tsk tsk"

This I suppose is human nature, that empathy rarely extends to those that are different. Once you accept the caricature or the belief that we are not like everyone else, it becomes easier, to hate, to discriminate, to kill us.

The fact that this idea that we aren't diverse is reinforced by the media, we are portrayed almost exclusively as humans of no worth, to be mocked or feared. Watch the Tonight Show any night and there's a slap at lgbt people, and the crowd roars with laughter.

Some dismiss it as just a joke. But unfortunately there are many unstable people in the community who do not get that its a joke, they absorb it as fact and act on it.

It became very easy for them to string Matthew Shepard up, torture him, set him on fire, laugh at him, left him to die alone on a deserted Wyoming road because they bought into the belief that this young man was a demon that had it coming.

As news of Matthews death got out, straight America did the perfunctory "tsk tsk" for a day or two, but then came the inevitable "well if they weren't like that it wouldnt have happened" and countless hours by talking heads how the victim was to blame, because "gays are like that, so why should they protest?"

This numbing ability of straight America to dismiss us (lgbt) as a monolith, as stereotypes, as a evil entity and not seeing us as individuals has had devastating effects that even permeates with in the gay community by those who seek to curry favor with straights by using appelations like "straight acting" or dismissing those that are "too gay.".

The LGBT has some soul searching it needs to do on the issue, BUT the blame and the onus lays at the door of the media, organized religion, government and the public who so readily buy into and perpetuate this belief that gays are caricatures and are disposible, people of no consequence.

Meanwhile another Matthew Shepard will be strung up, and straights will say "tsk tsk tsk" then shift blame onto the victim.....and the band played on.

Answer 2

The majority is usually only aware of the minority in the abstract and always considers them as a groups rather than individuals....until or unless they have sufficient personal interaction with members of the minority.

For example, if a bank is robbed by a black man the white media will report that a black man committed a crime and that is what white people will hear and understand.

Most straight people only know gays from a 30 second sound bite on TV of a pride parade...or from WIll & Grace or Birdcage maybe.

So, when they hear that someone os gay they assume that person is like the limited images that they have.

This is why it is so important to be out of the closet everywhere. By being out we can give people more images and help them to understand that we are individuals.

Answer 3

Everyone is an individual whether gay or straight. Is the implication here that straight people think all gay people are the same? If so you must be getting your information from some extremely narrow minded individuals.

Answer 4

sure, regrettably . This proves that the US is between the main homophobic countries in the worldwide. Europe and Canada are way forward. in spite of the certainty that the war mst proceed n victor will come quicker then the homophobes skinny.

Answer 5

some straight people lack the social ability to accept others for being different.. they have lil compassion for what is different.. I have gay friends and they are the most compassionate and loving and accepting people i know..

Answer 6

Because those in the majority find it easier to apply broad, sweeping stereotypes to those in the minority. Afterall, there are a lot of white people who can't tell black people apart...even though blacks have facial and other physical characteristics that are as distinct as whites.

Answer 7

yes i do belive this

it may be related to the fact that straight people that are not comfortable with gays are like raciests they beleive that we are all the same

Answer 8

Many of them don't want to except the gays or anything about them because its unnatural. I am a christian, and I know that God gave everyone the right to make our own decisions, and he is the judge. But I have to raise my children in the way they should go so we will not be "recognizing" anything of the gays except for their right to choose that path, and our love for their souls.

Answer 9

it's the radical right wing that are that way . some are real understanding and accepting of us and really find no difference accept as to who we fall in love with

Answer 10

i really don't think most of them care to see us as differing individuals. same bias for all minorities...