It’s not about my opinion Smiles, or whether or not someone agrees or not, it’s about what is discrimination. Everyone has their own point of view or opinion on something and I totally stand by their right to hold it, however offensive I may find it but when it comes to being homophobic, racist or breaking any other of the laws of this land designed to protect people then that’s a different matter. It always worries me when folk start spouting about what’s normal because pretty soon someone will want to get rid of what’s
not ‘normal’ – what about children with special needs, babies in wombs that have problems, whole races of people who can be wiped out? It’s all happened folks and it only needs intolerance to start it off. Bobh wouldn’t answer as to how he’d react if one of his own children came out but no doubt it would horrify him. I’m pretty sure that all my children are not gay but all their lives I’ve promised that no matter what they do in life I will be there for them. I guess I’d be very upset if one had turned out gay but only because of the prejudice and hate I know they would have to face.
The childhood friend I grew up with hid her sexuality successfully until she was in her 40s and when her personal pain and suffering due to living a lie was no longer bearable she came out. Her mother promptly disowned her. How in God’s name can you purport to love a child for 47 years and then turn your back on her? I find that abhorrent. The worst thing was that she watched her mother being beaten by her dad all her life and yet her mother told her she would rather have her married to a husband like that than to a woman who loved her.
My own lovely nephew, at the age of 25, came out last year. His pain and fear about his situation worries me greatly. When he told his extended family, we embraced his news. Why? Because my other brother’s lovely son, who would now be roughly the same age, tragically and needlessly died at the age of 19. Take it from me that my brother and his wife (and myself for that matter) would gladly swap places any day because my brother and I would, rather than tend our sons’ graves on a weekly basis, be sitting in a pub with them and watching the odd peck or two!! When I sat my own children down to tell them, I was proud they didn’t react with “That’s not normal” – in fact they were relieved because they thought the news was going to be so much worse.
Live and let live I say, the world is full of hate without adding to it. I don’t want to see couples heterosexual or otherwise fully snogging in the street, it may make me break out in a rash of envy - but pecking in public? Jings, give me a break, I can think of a load of other issues that I find offensive: children dying in Africa through poverty, old people unable to afford heating, barabaric cuts by this current Government, etc. etc. – oh and racism, homophobia and other prejudices.
EMDEE wrote: and anyone speaking out against their actions will be regarded as a bigot
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I'm sorry Emdee I hate political correctness as much as the next person and I can assure you that I am not part of their brigade but if the name fits . . .
smiles wrote:Can you honestly say two men kissing is normal???
Erm, yes.