Our BetterMost Community > Chez Tremblay
I am angered right now
Lynne:
--- Quote from: gattaca on June 19, 2006, 11:39:26 pm ---Hatred and ignorance is usually an outward manifestation of fears that we can't articulate
...
You say in your post that, "They both said 'Yeah, they've proven that. That's a fact.' ". You might reply with something like, "It's proven? Where? Show me the report/study/analysis that proves what you're saying." They can't, of course.
--- End quote ---
StitchBuffy...Everyone else has had awesome responses to this. I like gattaca's reply, partially quoted above, myself. You just hang in there.
I was telling my oldest friend a few days ago about some of the Pride activities people around here are getting involved with (because BetterMost and BBM are my two fave topics of conversation, yanno?) and had to go through de-bunking the gay/pedophile (non) connection.
The *single* thing she knew about Gay Pride parades was the controversy over that man/boy love contingency marching. I was proud of myself because instead of swallowing my anger and the other negative feelings that go along with it, we talked enough to get to the root of her reservations, did some (admittedly light) research, but I believe she came away with an understanding that homosexuals are no more likely, and probably less likely, to be sex offenders than the general population.
Lynne
welliwont:
--- Quote from: bbm_stitchbuffyfan on June 19, 2006, 11:23:19 pm ---
The topic of homosexuality came up in discussion and they both said that "homosexuality is an abnormality of the brain." I responded with "What?" in obvious disbelief. They both said "Yeah, they've proven that. That's a fact." I'm thinking, "okay, whatever..."
.....
Then my friend says to me, "You've never heard that before?" I say, "No, I haven't."
All right. You have to be coming out of a long-term, memory-altering coma to not know that the world is littered with homophobes. But I have never heard of this before and I was wondering if any of you have any insight into these so-called "scientifically-proven facts."
--- End quote ---
At the risk of beiing pilloried, I would just like to offer this... perhaps it was the use of the word abnormaility that made you angry? Ok, I was not there to hear the conversation, but my first impression is, maybe they were referring to the news items that have made the news periodically in the past few years, whereby scientists who are studying the brain have pinpointed differences between the brains of homosexuals and non-homosexuals. Using the CAT scans, MRI's, brain-imaging technology, whatever other new-fangled technology that is out there now.... this is science, trying to explain how homosexuality comes to be. -- Is it learned, is it inherent in the genes?
Yeah, I can see that there might be differences in the brains of homosexuals vs non-homosexuals. That supports the theory that some homosexuals are born 'that way'. I accept that, so the brains being wired differently makes complete sense to me.... If I used the term abnormal I might raise someone's hackles though....
J
ednbarby:
That's what I was thinking, too, Jane. But I do think their choice of the word "abnormality" instead of "difference" belies their homophobia.
I was irritated this morning to click on the radio just as a male DJ's voice was saying "Brokeback Mountain" (which of course made my ears prick up) only to have a "comedian" visiting the station go on to make a joke about it. Actually, it wasn't a bad joke - he was making an excellent point - he was saying that his guy friends had no interest in seeing it and were all "Ooh, nooooo, that's gay..." but that these same guys would pay double to see it if it were about two hot lesbian cowgirls. What irritated me is he then referred to it as (I shudder to even type this) "Brokebitch Mountain." GAH! It's still under my skin two hours later. Out, OUT damn spot!
starboardlight:
--- Quote from: JCinNYC2006 on June 20, 2006, 02:22:36 am ---You have no snide voice! Not a snide bone in yer body!
--- End quote ---
oh it's there. it's just a little rusty. ;)
starboardlight:
stichy, I wonder if this is what your friend is talking about.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid32775.asp
_____________________________________________________
Pentagon policy document lists homosexuality as a mental disorder
Although homosexuality was declassified as a mental disorder more than 30 years ago, a Pentagon document still regards it as such. Discovered by the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military earlier this month, the document outlining retirement and other discharge policies for service members lists homosexuality as a defect along with mental retardation and personality disorders, the Associated Press reports.
"The policy reflects the [defense] department's continued misunderstanding of homosexuality and makes it more difficult for gays and lesbians to access mental health services," Nathaniel Frank, senior research fellow at the University of California center in Santa Barbara, told the AP. The policy in question, called the Defense Department Instruction, is the only Pentagon regulation that considers homosexuality to be a mental disorder.
"It is disappointing that certain Department of Defense instructions include homosexuality as a 'mental disorder' more than 30 years after the mental health community recognized that such a classification was a mistake," U.S. representative Marty Meehan, D-Massachusetts, told the AP. Nine Congress members sent a letter to secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld yesterday asking for a full review of all documents pertaining to homosexuality.
The American Psychiatric Association decided homosexuality was not a disorder in 1973, and since then all other major health and mental-health organizations have followed suit. James H. Scully Jr., the head of the APA, sent a letter to the Pentagon's chief doctor informing him of that fact, according to the AP.
A Pentagon spokesperson told the AP that the controversial document is being reviewed. (The Advocate)
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