I wasn’t sure what to write for the final holiday post until I remembered that yesterday (a fortnight ago to the rest of you when this is published) I signed a petition run by an international organisation called All Out. It’s a movement that strives to prevent and end anti-LGBT laws, and it’s excellent. I first heard of it through Lindsey Way on Twitter, when she signed, I think, the petition to prevent a Ugandan law making it illegal to be gay or some such shit.
I signed it too and since then have been kept up to date on the insane statistics associated with homophobia. For example. it’s illegal to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in 76 countries, and in ten it’s legal grounds for life imprisonment or execution. So, basically, it’s against the law to fall in love and/or be yourself.
I don’t even know how to follow that up with a witty comment, because I don’t think there are any witty comments to be gained from that. It’s insane and makes me really, really angry. It’s not just the law that’s a problem, though – remember how a few years ago in the UK, kids were getting beaten up for wearing black and listening to rock music? Well, in Iraq, wearing black and listening to rock music is synonymous with being gay, which is synonymous with devil worship. So, of course, these youths need to be stoned to death. (Don’t get me started on the misinterpretation of the word ’emo’, but I think we can overlook that in this case.)
I’m not pretending that the UK is any better in regards to people’s homophobia – the amount of kids calling things ‘gay’ as an insult is immense, and it seems like I can’t sit with adults over 30 without some sort of homophobic comment coming up somewhere in the conversation. But at least we don’t get imprisoned for being ourselves anymore. Scotland’s been discussing gay marriage, Obama thinks it’s great and bands like the Scissor Sisters are huge.
The way I see it is that a large majority of people think Freddie Mercury was the world’s greatest frontman. He was bisexual. Large amounts of people like Elton John, but are happy to spout off homophobic crap. A large amount of people see racial discrimination as being wrong because our race is “just part of who we are”, but are content to call lesbians ‘dykes’ and gay people ‘queer’. If you’re gay and you like those terms, that’s cool; but I mostly hear them used as snide insults.
A large amount of people are convinced they can ‘cure gay’ – because, you know, your sexuality is a contagious illness. What even…
I need to go and pack and I’m just getting increasingly frustrated while I write, so I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes.
Aww, it’s titchy. Okay, have a GIF-that’s-a-picture-unless-you-click-on-it-I-think instead.
Francesca's Thoughts 
maybe you’re sitting with the wrong over 30’s 🙂 I fall into that age category – and it’s unlikely you’ll hear anything homophobic, racist or other-ist coming from me. But yeah, I get where you’re coming from. Many times do I find myself in the company of people for whom bigotry is second nature – or more accurately, their primary nature. And sadly, sometimes they’re family 😦 Only so much you can take, being the sole objecting voice of reasonable being drowned in a sea of bigoted nonsense before you gotta get the heck outta there.
On the upside, as a parent, I can strive to ensure that my son grows up to be non-judgemental and accepting of everyone. He’s been on the receiving end – he knows what it’s like to be made fun of for what you look like/wear/listen to/enjoy etc. But he knows it’s the person you are inside that matters & how you treat people.
So, there is hope – maybe not for the generations whose bigoted views are already entrenched but hopefully there’s enough people out there trying to make the world a more accepting place that eventually it will happen.
LikeLike
Thumbs up! (I only just learnt how that works…)
Sorry for genralising with the age thing, it just seems that 8/10 thirty-plus people who have at least two ‘isms’.
Keep fighting the good fight!
LikeLike
It’s a very valid generalisation – many people, the older they get, become more conservative in their views. Society as a whole is now more selfish, people don’t think beyond their needs and think their way is the right way. The web has prob added to the abundance of ‘ism-people’ – they can say what they want without thinking of the repercussions when face to face they might think twice. So unfortunately there is more homophobia, racism, sexism and all the isms – maybe it’s always been there, it’s just that now there’s a worldwide platform for it.
Friend on facebook posts great quotes – ‘stand up for what you believe in, even if it means you’re standing alone’ & ‘You’ve got enemies? Good – that means you stood up for something in your life’
And that’s a pretty good attitude as far as I’m concerned
LikeLike
Thumbs up part two. I’ll talk about this is greater deatail… one of these days. 🙂
LikeLike