When did Calling Others People ‘Gay’ Become an Obsession?
When did calling someone gay become such an obsession?
I don’t get it.
When I was a young kid, I don’t remember calling anyone gay or queer as one of the rank out that kids did to one another. We called kids ugly and told them their clothes were out of style, but people being gay wasn’t part of our discussions. I went to an all girls high school and I only remember one student being labeled “a lesbian” because it was rumored that she looked over the bathroom stall at another girl. Years later, the student who spread the rumor actually came out publically and said she was gay.
When AIDs was first discussed in the ’80’s, I remember my mother stating that it was a punishment for gay people. I think a lot of religious people still hold this view. When I hear Christians discussing how God will punish people who are gay, I shake my head and laugh because if God made them gay, why would he punish them for it. My mother always believed that people chose to be gay. When I was a kid, I believed her and thought people who said they were gay (mostly movie stars) did it so they could get more movie roles. As an adult, I know no one would chose to be gay. No one would choose a life where other people hated them based on who they wanted to love.
Now I hear kids saying “you’re gay” to other kids on a daily basis. It’s as if being gay is the worst rank out and form of humiliation you can put on someone. Or maybe it is just a way for kid today to question their own sexuality?
Movie stars are being labeled and discussed the same way. Even people who are obviously not gay, are being rumored to be gay, such as former American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson. And Clarkson says she wasn’t insulted by it. But was Clarkson labeled gay because she spoke out in favor of gay rights? Most people are in favor of people’s rights – women, different races, gay – whoever. Everyone should be able to love whoever they want to love. And why do people care so much? I mean if you care so much about who someone else is kissing, you have wayyyyyyyyyyy too much time on your hands and you should come and clean my house. Dust builds up as I write this blog post to you so you will think about being a nice person.
I don’t see understand why people become so wrapped up in questioning someone else’s sexuality, unless maybe they are questioning their own. Most people aren’t gay, so why would this be so popular now? Lee thinks that people who call others gay have been raised in homes where that and other types of hate are accepted r even encouraged by example, so that’s pretty sad. I mean most parents are my age and they should know better than to allow their children to spread hate.
I’m a teacher of adolescents and I cringe when I hear students call each other “gay.” Although they are probably just joking around, they don’t realize they may be hurting a classmate. someone who’s hanging around them must have a gay relative and it must be hard to hear the term gay being used to degrade or humiliate people. And if you are straight, don’t worry about everyone else, worry about yourself and your own relationships (or come clean my house)!
Hugs,
marlene
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