The Non-Issue of Homosexuality

Hi Readers,

I have harbored some reservations against the gay community community on this campus, and I thought I'd share my thoughts on the issue. Since I now (kinda) belong to this community, I've started taking note of the different ways that gay people fit into the local community. My reservations really only apply to those who fit and propagate the "gay stereotype" - effeminate, fashionable, flamboyant, and hungry for sex with every guy that moves. For themselves personally, I think it's fine that they act the way they do. After all, it is their life, and they are free to act as they wish. But I feel like by propagating the gay stereotype, all they are doing is to make homosexuality even more distinct separate group in society. But do we really want to be a distinctly separate group? Do we really want our sexual orientation to be the only quality that defines who we are?

In my opinion, in order to make homosexuality a non-issue, we should be aiming to integrate ourselves seamlessly into the society (sans the dating opposite sex part), in order to show others that we are not that different after all. Because in my mind, we aren't that different. We aren't unique, nor are we special...we're as special as anyone and everyone who was born with a sexual orientation, whether straight or gay. Our lives are much more than what you see on "Queer as Folk" or "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" - it spans across the entire spectrum of society, into virtually every corner that is enjoyed by "regular" people. Our world doesn't just revolve around sex, hooking up, and fashion - we care about academics, our careers, the environment, and everything else. We can accomplish the same things, enjoy the same hobbies, have the same causes that we care about, as those who were born to like the opposite sex. My belief is that acceptance of gays will come when people can see past our inherent sexuality trait, and see instead our extrinsic accomplishments in life.

That's another reason why I'm proud of my accomplishments. The first step towards acceptance is respect - and there's no easier way to earn that than to have solid accomplishments that people can look up to. To those people who believe that gay people will never amount to anything in life, or that gay people are somehow inferior to straight people, I'd like to be a counterexample to their mistaken beliefs. I'd like to think that I'm doing my part in improving the perception of gay people, in a different manner than people who wear pink and participate in Gay Pride parades. All they are doing is raising awareness about the existence of gay people ; what we are doing is much more important: mitigating the prejudices against gay people. To those of us who are taking this route, I salute you all - we have a long way to go, many battles to fight, but we will be a vital component in the victory in the end.

-FCDH