First off, thanks for the replies. There are some interesting things to point out I think. Like I said in the original post, this post is not about changing. I am who I am and if others label that something incorrectly, then so be it. I'm not going to be someone that I am not. Furthermore, not everyone I encounter thinks I'm gay. Most don't or don't say anything. I am simply trying to learn why some people get the "are you gay" question more than others. Even more-so, why some of my gay friends never get asked if they are gay.
Part of this is because I guess I have always been judged by others and so I don't judge people based on trivial/stereotype stuff. So this whole questioning/accusing thing doesn't make sense to me. I agree with the below statement totally.
Gay people are attracted to/have sex with people of the same sex as themselves. Straight people are attracted to/have sex with, people of the opposite sex. Everything else is stereotyping.
I do do some of the other things that have been mentioned for both sides.
Straight: I watch sports. Like country music. Also not mentioned but I also work on the car, carpentry, have an obsession for power tools, and love my home theater setup.
Gay: I like reading (but it isn't Vogue or anything, it's politics...), I like art
What does everyone make of the whole brother thing too. I have two brothers which are both younger than me. One looks more like me than the other... and he is the one that also gets called gay. So it seems that everyone does have a stereotypical gay
look. All my siblings received the same parenting... and we all have the same general demeanor.
I've never understood why many people are hung up on determining someone's sexual preference. Also, I never knew having a cat was a sign of being gay. Are straight people only supposed to have dogs?
I agree and this is my whole reason for this thread. Having a certain pet to make a basis of someone's sexuality seems completely ridiculous. Hell, I've had pet dogs in my life too, and still been asked if I was gay.
But really, all these "OMG you're gay traits" that have been mentioned, whether it be dancing or reading aren't things that someone gets to see when I first meet them. So whether or not I "dance gay" or "read" is irrelevant in some of the snap judgement calls I've received within minutes of meeting.
I think perhaps you might live in a very provincial place where many people might be quick to judge based solely on appearance. My two cents.
This may be worth a look at though. But still doesn't explain the whole picture. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, which in general I'd say is above average in looks. I would say that people here generally are more concerned with their looks than say, in, Ohio. But then again, I've been asked if I am gay in Ohio too (my brother too). So if I live in a place that I'd say is more inclined to be groomed well... and I do groom myself nicely... then it doesn't seem like I should be or am sticking out as going "above and beyond" to be gay.
I can buy that I may be metrosexual... but since when is metrosexual... homosexual? Hell, I have at least one friend that I'd say that is way more metrosexual (i.e. I've seen him do his hair and put on cologne while camping) but he never gets asked if he is gay.
Again, there seems to be some sort of weird unwritten aurora about being gay or straight - and of course I don't get it.
Actually, Plug, looking at this (conveniently edited) list, I'd be more inclined to ask if you were Italian. :biggrin1:
Ha. One of the things on the edited list that I think has a chance at me be considered gay is my gesturing. But then you make a good point - I gesture no more than these manly men do in, say, the Godfather. You watch any great speaker, and they use their hands when they speak. But, nobody calls them gay. So is hand gesturing outside of a lecture hall... gay? Or is it simply the fact that I am a good speaker... that I am deemed gay?
I guess what I am really trying to figure out is if snap judgement on sexuality is based on very simple things such as body type and physical attire.
Is there anyone else out there that is gay and gets questioned if they are straight? Or someone else that is straight that gets called gay? I'm interested to see if their are any similarities.