I'd also prefer to keep it to the same level we have here right now. If I wanted a flame war, I'd go find some fundamentalist group and troll their forum.
First off, being who I am is not a choice any more than those 90% who are straight chose to be who they are. When exactly did you choose to be straight? I know I never chose to be who I am, and frankly, I don't know anyone who actually chose their preferences. It's just a fact.
There was a study done, oh, it's probably been about five years ago now, that demonstrated marked physical differences between women who were attracted to women (that would be both lesbians and bi) and those who aren't. I don't remember who did the study off the top of my head, but if anyone's interested, say so and I'll go find it again. Physical differences. It's not a behavior. It's genetic.
I don't have a problem with other people thinking there's something wrong with me. If you don't want me near your kids because you think my genetics are somehow a communicable disease, well *shrug* I don't care. I care about other people trying to make it a constitutional amendment that I don't deserve to be treated like a person. If your religion tells you it's wrong, great, don't have a gay marriage. My religion doesn't prohibit it, so why should your religion be legislated on me? You might as well pass a law saying that I count as 3/5 of a person in the census because I have red hair. It's just as nonsensical.
Tuins, I would much rather have you as a friend. Not everyone loves old books like we both do. But please understand that I am having more than a little trouble reconciling "I'm your friend" with "but I think that you, everyone like you, and everyone single who cohabits without marriage, regardless of gender preference, should have a Constitutional Amendment barring them from being considered a full human being."
rude, what I meant was, it's the mindset. The thing that IS a choice in the matter is whether or not to be in the closet. If I was so closed off and denied who I am, in any respect, I would be a terrible designer. I would second guess everything I did, oh, is that too fashionable, oh, is that too masculine a design? Was I careful enough in my explanation? Will they figure it out? And the "broader view" I mentioned is my ability to ignore social and intellectual boundaries. It's also part of the mindset. It's a result of looking at the world and realizing that the stupid compartments people make up to shove the rest of the world in are just that, made up. It evolved from realizing that just by existing as I am, I already transgress those boundaries. I do not feel constrained by the intellectual walls that say "you must solve all things this way and this way only". As Keith put it a couple weeks ago, for me there is no box.
And the reason the realities of life as glbt are harsh is because of people who make it that way. If people would, to be blunt, get their heads out of their @!!es and realize that people are just people and deserve to be treated that way, and all given the same opportunities, then life as glbt wouldn't be any harsher than life as a straight. Same is true for all minorities. It IS harsh. I have family who won't speak to me, who wouldn't let me hold their babies at the last family reunion, because they think I'll rub off on the child or something, I don't know why exactly. They're scared of what they don't understand, what's different from them, so I must be eeeeeeeeeeeevil incarnate. But you know what? I don't want their fundamentalism rubbing off on my son either, because as far as I'm concerned, they're nine-tenths of the reason this country has strayed so far from its founding principles. They make me wish there really was a hell so I could point and laugh when they end up there for judging others.
But that's neither here nor there. The real point is: Love is never wrong.
