I really hate when so many gay people insist that a person who claims to be straight is actually a closeted gay. It contributes to homophobia and resentment towards gays. It is rude, offensive, hateful, and hurtful for anyone to impose any sexual identity/preference onto another human being. And when gays do it, then it also becomes hypocritical, because such insistence on a particular sexual identity has always been a homophobic attempt to coerce gays into being straight.
A person's sexuality is nobody else's business but that of himself or herself and his or her significant other.
It is especially horrendous when people insist that a person is gay, even after that person has identified himself or herself as being straight! If somebody already identified himself/herself as straight, then why does anyone else need to speculate any further or, even worse, INSIST that he/she "might" or "could" be gay? It is ridiculous and unacceptable to make such speculation or insistence.
As a proud gay man, nothing offends me more than when homophobes insist or speculate that I am really straight, but just "confused" about my sexuality! Or, that I am actually straight, but I "choose" to be gay and so I could easily just choose to be straight again if I really wanted to! Or, that I am straight but just "experimenting" or "going through a phase"! I really hate all of that. Such insistence is dehumanizing.
I am sure that almost every gay man and lesbian has had to deal with this type of intolerant ignorance.
So why are so many gays so often so quick to impose their homosexuality onto someone who identifies himself/herself as straight? This happens most often to straight men who are considered to be attractive and/or who exercise, especially if he is pro-gay rights or "gay for pay". It is very rude and offensive. Also, it sustains and contributes to homophobia because it makes straight men afraid to support gay rights. A heterosexual man who is pro-gay rights will always get labeled as being gay by homophobes (and many other non-homophobic straight people.) He SHOULD NOT get it as well from the gay community, which he is supporting! But unfortunately he most likely will, especially if he is deemed physically attractive. As a volunteer at a local gay rights organization, I cannot even count how many enthusiastically pro-gay heterosexuals whom I witnessed being driven away from supporting the gay community as a result of such unacceptable and inexcusable imposition of sexual identity.
It is degrading and shameful to force any sexual identity onto another human being. I know firsthand how insulting and painful it feels to have people insist that I am somebody who I am not. I am sure that most other gays know firsthand too. So I hope that members of the gay community will soon finally reflect on their own negative experiences with offensive impositions and, as a result, will stop inflicting the same pain and offense onto others. Only then can we attain true equality for all people, and defeat homophobia once and for all.
A person's sexuality is nobody else's business but that of himself or herself and his or her significant other.
It is especially horrendous when people insist that a person is gay, even after that person has identified himself or herself as being straight! If somebody already identified himself/herself as straight, then why does anyone else need to speculate any further or, even worse, INSIST that he/she "might" or "could" be gay? It is ridiculous and unacceptable to make such speculation or insistence.
As a proud gay man, nothing offends me more than when homophobes insist or speculate that I am really straight, but just "confused" about my sexuality! Or, that I am actually straight, but I "choose" to be gay and so I could easily just choose to be straight again if I really wanted to! Or, that I am straight but just "experimenting" or "going through a phase"! I really hate all of that. Such insistence is dehumanizing.
I am sure that almost every gay man and lesbian has had to deal with this type of intolerant ignorance.
So why are so many gays so often so quick to impose their homosexuality onto someone who identifies himself/herself as straight? This happens most often to straight men who are considered to be attractive and/or who exercise, especially if he is pro-gay rights or "gay for pay". It is very rude and offensive. Also, it sustains and contributes to homophobia because it makes straight men afraid to support gay rights. A heterosexual man who is pro-gay rights will always get labeled as being gay by homophobes (and many other non-homophobic straight people.) He SHOULD NOT get it as well from the gay community, which he is supporting! But unfortunately he most likely will, especially if he is deemed physically attractive. As a volunteer at a local gay rights organization, I cannot even count how many enthusiastically pro-gay heterosexuals whom I witnessed being driven away from supporting the gay community as a result of such unacceptable and inexcusable imposition of sexual identity.
It is degrading and shameful to force any sexual identity onto another human being. I know firsthand how insulting and painful it feels to have people insist that I am somebody who I am not. I am sure that most other gays know firsthand too. So I hope that members of the gay community will soon finally reflect on their own negative experiences with offensive impositions and, as a result, will stop inflicting the same pain and offense onto others. Only then can we attain true equality for all people, and defeat homophobia once and for all.
