Author Topic: I am angered right now  (Read 8366 times)

Offline bbm_stitchbuffyfan

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I am angered right now
« on: June 19, 2006, 11:23:19 pm »
Okay, I don't want my true, dumbass colors to shine through or anything and find out that I'm wrong about this but I'm so not giving into this that easily. It seems like bullshit to me.

I went out to eat the other day with two people, one of which is a friend of mine and the other a friend of her's. 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..."

So then, aloud, I ask "Yeah, are these the same people who think homosexuality is sodomy?" They have no idea what I'm talking about, I assume, since they don't respond. I continue, "You know, the people who run around with their Bibles and say--" They're both rather quick to say "Oh, no, not at all."

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."

What especially pissed me off about this, aside from the fact that it seems to be information bred by closet-case homophobes (awkward pun) is how my acquaintances stated this as fact -- using the word 'abnormality.'

Regardless, I'm pissed right now... What do you guys think/know?
If you'd just realize what I just realized then we'd be perfect for each other and we'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other now
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gattaca

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2006, 11:39:26 pm »
First - I'd let it roll off your shoulder like water. Don't let it rile you. You will find that people hold all kinds of ignorant misinformation about all kinds of things.

Hatred and ignorance is usually an outward manifestation of fears that we can't articulate. These people sound like they are merely parroting what they have heard. They probably didn't even realize they were using the word 'abnormality' in a context you would find offensive.
I have been gay for as long as I can remember, and I don't think there's anything wrong with my brain (that I'll admit to), but I also did not consciously decide to be homosexual.

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.

Offline bbm_stitchbuffyfan

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2006, 11:43:48 pm »
You're right. With time, I'll be able to just brush it off but at the time, I was just so irritated. I felt like asking them where they had heard this but I didn't think about it for some reason...

And one of them, my friend, isn't even homophobic. (Unless there's something we all don't know about her.) But she has a number of gay friends... But I suppose even that isn't enough to prevent someone from making ignorant comments.
If you'd just realize what I just realized then we'd be perfect for each other and we'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other now
We missed out on each other now


R.I.P. Heath Ledger

vkm91941

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2006, 11:46:53 pm »
Here are just a few links with pages and pages of the kinds of misinformation some people swallow as "fact".  Sounds like your friends are not malicious they just need educating.


http://home.netcom.com/~masonc/homosexuality.html

http://www.uncommonforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=16659&start=45

http://www.e-thepeople.org/article/43294/view?viewtype=


Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2006, 11:54:53 pm »
I'm no expert on the subject of clinical or psychological studies on homosexuality, but I'm quite sure the opposite has happened from what your friends said.  No respected psychiatrist would claim homosexuality as an "abnormality" anymore.  Quack psychiatrists used to think it was a disorder or could be cured, but boards on the regulation of psychiatry as a practice officially discredited those claims long ago (sorry I don't have the year at my finger tips).

It's hard to say "don't let it get you down" when it was your friends who said these things.  I can imagine it would be very frustrating.  It's good that you can come here and let off some steam.  Do you have other "real life" friends that you can talk to about this?  It will probably help to talk it all out.
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Offline serious crayons

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2006, 12:42:20 am »
From Wikipedia:

Among the most noted examples of controversial diagnoses is the classifying in the DSM-II of homosexuality as a mental disorder, a classification that was removed by vote of the APA in 1973 after three years of various gay activists groups demonstrating at APA meetings (see also homosexuality and psychology).


[In other words, subsequent editions (DSM-III and DSM-IV) do not list homosexuality as a disorder.]

The DSM is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States.

PS I am no expert on this, either, but I remember this issue pretty clearly from my Intro to Psychology classes in college, 20+ years ago.

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2006, 12:45:04 am »
Yeehaw Katherine!  Thanks for looking that up.
 :D
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2006, 01:34:34 am »
What Vickie said.

Whenever anyone says something off the wall like that, my usual response is an astonished, "Says who?"

If they can't remember or heard it on TV or read it on the net, I'd cast my usual aspersion on it unless they can be specific.  If they persist, ask them to please send you the information because - other than the AMA needing this information - obviously not 'everyone' knows and there is probably a Nobel Peace Prize waiting for someone who has this 'proven' information.   ::)

I'd say that last to them as snidely as I could.  ;D

Offline starboardlight

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2006, 02:11:29 am »
you should have asked them to site their source. it's their responsibility to back up their claim. but yeah, i totally see where your anger is coming from. worse of all,homophobia coming from a friend is disheartening. but it's good that it reveals how deeply ingrain it is. many of us would like to think that's it the bible thumpers and the back water hicks that are homophobes, but truth is, even the most "enlightened" and "sophisticated" urbanites can be homophobic. it's good that it reveals to you, your friend as she really is.
"To do is to be." Socrates. - "To be is to do." Plato. - "Do be do be do" Sinatra.

Offline starboardlight

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Re: I am angered right now
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2006, 02:13:46 am »
What Vickie said.

Whenever anyone says something off the wall like that, my usual response is an astonished, "Says who?"

If they can't remember or heard it on TV or read it on the net, I'd cast my usual aspersion on it unless they can be specific.  If they persist, ask them to please send you the information because - other than the AMA needing this information - obviously not 'everyone' knows and there is probably a Nobel Peace Prize waiting for someone who has this 'proven' information.   ::)

I'd say that last to them as snidely as I could.  ;D

i'm gonna go practice my snide voice now.  ;D
"To do is to be." Socrates. - "To be is to do." Plato. - "Do be do be do" Sinatra.