I think we really need to reaffirm now that no amount of homophobia can be acceptable in our culture. There is no such this as harmless or victimless homophobia. All homophobia contributes to violence against us. You can not “disagree” with lgbt people’s “lifestyles” without supporting the rhetoric and legislation that puts us in very real danger.
Disagreement is not violence…
“Disagreeing” with LGBT+ people’s right to exist, right to live safely, right to full protections under the law, and right to equal treatment within society IS a violence.
You can disagree with a lifestyle without wishing that person harm. You can disagree with a lifestyle and respect the person. You can disagree with a lifestyle and love the person. There should never be hate but everyone doesn’t have to agree with everyone’s lifestyle.
See, and here’s the thing: it’s not a “lifestyle.” It’s not like all LGBT+ people are vegan hippies who moved to a commune. This isn’t a choice we’ve made for how we are going to live.
It’s who we are. It’s an integral part of our identity.
I can not be sub-divided into some “straight version” of myself PLUS an added layer of queerness that you can separate me like a stubborn LEGO to justify your bigotry.
If you disagree with me BEING bisexual, then you disagree with me EXISTING. You disagree with me being alive. And that IS a form of harm. No respect, no love can be built on a situation where you “disagree” with my right to be alive.
There’s also some stuff going on that’s similar to some of the rape joke issues. When you’re willing to talk publicly about disapproving of LGBT+ people, the kinds of folks who are potentially getting violent will hear that as you supporting them. When you say you disapprove of us, there are people out there who hear you saying that they should kill us. Do you really want to be sending that message?
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