It Gets Better

[Gillette]

And is getting better every day.

Please use this thread to post any and everything that shows that there is hope that the world is coming to recognize that homosexuality isn't an issue, but the intolerance shown by the small minded is. Whenever you come across an example of someone speaking sense to the foolishness of homophobia I hope that you'll add it here.

It may help someone accept themselves somewhere along the way.



Dale Hansen Unplugged: Celebrating our differences - YouTube

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

*stands and applauds*

This.. is awesome. I have nothing to post just this moment.. but I'm sure I can find something or recall a situation that will fit in nicely here.

 

[LaFemme]

Great idea! I love the idea of focusing on the positive stomps on intolerance.

 

[MickeyLee]

Ellen Page comes out

 

[MickeyLee]

Janet Mock and Laverne Cox kicking ass all over the media

 

[Gillette]

Mom's letter to son after reading his coming out on facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/MyGayDay/p...34793.192269477545840/421179784654807/?type=1

 

[Gillette]

Dad's letter after overhearing part of a phone conversation.

Dad Overhears Son's Plans to Come Out, Assuages His Fears with Preemptive Letter of Acceptance [UPDATE]

 

[Brisler]

Another letter, man is this one personal:

 

[concupisys]

homosexuality is definitely becoming highly accepted, especially among young people who are coming out to their families.... what's becoming confusing to people is this new influx of gender labels, which seem to be multiplying like bunnies.... i wish them all the best in becoming what they are inside on the outside, but i don't know if i can keep up with all the labels and definitions.... one cool thing about it though is that a transgender finally got her very own TV show with 'brave new girl' on the 'E!' network.... that girl jenna is so TALL!

 

[Brisler]

homosexuality is definitely becoming highly accepted, especially among young people who are coming out to their families....

Not nearly enough, though.

 

[concupisys]

well, it's not going to be an overnight revolution or anything.... but at least it's not the 1950's.... in any politically charged landscape, nothing is ever enough, and there will always be someone in the crowd who wants the opposite.... i'm afraid that as a society, we will never be satisfied and once one barrier is broken down we will put up another one in its place....

 

[Dport]

When college football players come out before Hollywood stars, you know things are getting easier for them.

 

[Brisler]

well, it's not going to be an overnight revolution or anything.... but at least it's not the 1950's.... in any politically charged landscape, nothing is ever enough, and there will always be someone in the crowd who wants the opposite.... i'm afraid that as a society, we will never be satisfied and once one barrier is broken down we will put up another one in its place....

I think it's kinda sad that you would downplay the issue. I realize we're moving in the right direction, but homophobia is still a major problem. Besides, Canada is not the world.

 

[davidjh7]

Attitudes ARE improving--yes, we have some throwbacks, like Russia, but over all I can personally attest that just in my lifetime, homosexuality in the US at least has gone from a sociopathic extreme mental illness, to being ALMOST mainstream acceptable. Being in a minority, you are never going to get full acceptance--that is true of ANY minority group---but it is a HELL of a lot better than when I was growing up.

 

[hairynyc]

I think it's kinda sad that you would downplay the issue. I realize we're moving in the right direction, but homophobia is still a major problem. Besides, Canada is not the world.

You know, I think it's great that more and more straight people are troubled by homophobia and are speaking out about it. As I said in response to an essay a friend of a friend wrote, after years of feeling like a target it's nice to feel like more and more straight people have our backs and we can take a breath.

At the same time, there is something in your post that is kind of bugging me. A straight person telling a gay person that it's sad for them to downplay the issue of gay rights is really patronizing. First, I don't believe concupisys was downplaying anything. I think he was just recognizing that changing societies does take time. The world feels vastly different to me now with regard to gay rights than it did when I was 18. When you spend a large part of your life, if not all of it, having society shit all over you, you learn to appreciate progress even if you know you have much farther to go. It's very easy for you to tell us we should want more when you haven't suffered through the bad. I don't know what it's like for a person of color, or a woman, or a trans* person, and so on and I would never presume to make a remark like that to any of them.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm glad you want bigger and faster steps and that you're willing to say it. I wish there had been more straight guys like you when I was younger. But you also have to understand that this isn't just a cause we're signing up for and if it seems like we aren't demanding enough, it's mainly because people in power have made sure to keep that bar as low as possible for a very long time.

 

[Brisler]

You know, I think it's great that more and more straight people are troubled by homophobia and are speaking out about it. As I said in response to an essay a friend of a friend wrote, after years of feeling like a target it's nice to feel like more and more straight people have our backs and we can take a breath.

At the same time, there is something in your post that is kind of bugging me. A straight person telling a gay person that it's sad for them to downplay the issue of gay rights is really patronizing. First, I don't believe concupisys was downplaying anything. I think he was just recognizing that changing societies does take time. The world feels vastly different to me now with regard to gay rights than it did when I was 18. When you spend a large part of your life, if not all of it, having society shit all over you, you learn to appreciate progress even if you know you have much farther to go. It's very easy for you to tell us we should want more when you haven't suffered through the bad. I don't know what it's like for a person of color, or a woman, or a trans* person, and so on and I would never presume to make a remark like that to any of them.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm glad you want bigger and faster steps and that you're willing to say it. I wish there had been more straight guys like you when I was younger. But you also have to understand that this isn't just a cause we're signing up for and if it seems like we aren't demanding enough, it's mainly because people in power have made sure to keep that bar as low as possible for a very long time.

I get what you're saying. It did feel weird for me to even write that to a gay person, and I did wonder if it was kinda out of line.

It's not that I'm demanding that the "gay community" stands up and fights at all times. I do understand that a sigh of relief over the fact that we have actually come this far is needed now and then, and that gays can get sick and tired of having to stand up for a political cause that's so rational and logical that the fight against it is a downright insult.

I do not pretend to speak for the LGBT community. I would never claim to know the struggle they've had to go through, and still have to go through. And I am not prepared to lecture anyone on how they should handle a situation that I cannot possibly understand. But I am at all times prepared to speak up against bigotry, and it pisses me off that people are clinging to beliefs that I consider to be in violation with the human rights.

I do not speak on behalf of anyone, I speak only from a personal, political point of view. That's why I decided that it shouldn't matter to whom I express this point of view. But like I said, I do get your point.

The reason I reacted was the "at least it's not the 1950's" comment. That's the comment that made me think that he was downplaying the problem. 'Cause in many places (not only geographically speaking, but demographically as well), it is still the 1950's (at best). That's not to say that we shouldn't be happy by the progress that's been made in certain areas.