Here is a shout out to Gene!
So I met this guy last night, his name was Gene, he is/was an ex-boyfriend of one of my friends. We started talking, you know the usual small talk; politics, economics, the war in Iraq, and on drugs, the U.S.' foreign policy on terroistic cells held under a religious sect of one kind or another....you know just the day in day out, mundane kind of talk.
It hit me like a big rig semi named Belle, most of my friends are Republicans. It struck me as odd, because in this date and time, most want to be around those with the same thought process and views as themselves. And with the exception of my family, and a few others, that I truly consider to be my friends and not just some acquaintance, everyone I know is a Republican. Maybe it is the highly religious people that I tend to consort with (however on a side note I was in a church last night for a PFLAG presentation and I escaped without any injuries, plus the building itself was still standing. There was a small "electrical fire" which the minister thought was due to the surge of electricity from the lightening strike but we won't know until the building inspector comes to assess the damages) which come from a religious family, where their entire life it has been part of the everyday routine. Go to church three times a week, be there for youth group, be there for adult group, be there to play in the "band" be there for Sunday school, church, and the light brunch afterwards. For some reason, these type of people flock to me, maybe because (I like to think) that I break that "normal lesbian" stereotype. Which is not a bad thing, but then when conversations come to politics, as they always do, I find these things out about these people and it blows my mind.
Most of our conversations do wind up on the subject of politics, well with those that are close enough to me to have that conversation. I have noticed that when people are friends with someone from a different background, whether it be religious, sexual orientation, whatever is the difference between the two, it makes for a better forum. Before these people met me, I do not think that gay rights would have been on the top of their list, but it funny to see peoples' perception change influence how they act in the everyday world, how it affects their view, their attitude and most importantly their vote. Here is a little story for you, and then I will be on my way and you won't have to listen to the ramblings of a tired old woman!
Earlier in the year, I went to this kegger with a few friends, it was out in this field, in the middle of nowhere. One of the guys with me was just an acquaintance from work, a guy I saw maybe a few times a week, but he was cool enough. We had had a conversation about gay and lesbian couples. As any hetero man would tell you, "I understand two chicks, but two guys, I just don't get it" Well throughout the night, people became a little more loose lipped, and I spotted a hottie on the other side of the fire pit, so I strut over there, and one of her party members, gets up and says, "I cannot believe that you would say something like that!" I sit down and strike up conversation with the hottie, and she says, "that they are having an intellectual conversation and it is all good, they really aren't mad at eachother". She points out her roommate, which is the girl who was up in arms, and her brother and his roommate, who obviously were the provokers at this point.
I was curious, so I started asking what it was that had gotten her roommate all excited...gay marriage. Her little brother, who I think was a skin head (because of the tattoos, bald head, and the point of views that he held) was stating something about how Gays are disgusting and blah blah blah. Whatever, so I say, "that's funny because I was actually coming over to tell your sister that she is gorgeous, and ask if we could go grab a beer." If I ever thought I was gonna get hit, it might have been at that moment, but it wouldn't be the last time of the night that I felt that urge that I might have opened my mouth around the wrong people. Next thing I know this guy, we will call him Kyle, came over, now this guy is about 6 foot tall, about 180, pure solid ripped muscle, he is/was a kickboxing champ in Souix City.
So Kyle came over and started talking to the brother, talking about homosexuality, and asking him questions. Kyle looks at me and says, "Terri this guy says that 'homos' are fucked up in the head and that they should all be taken care of. Is that the truth? Are homos fucked up in the head" I respond with, "I am pretty sure that I have all normal function, oh yeah and I am smarter than him too." Kyle then preceded to tell the guy to shut up or that they could take care of this away from the group of people. He was protective of me, I thought that was awesome! Anyway that is a lot of schnat for you all to read, so I will end here. Just think about all of those that you call friends and how your views would affect them.
We don't have to (or should we want to) be clones when it comes to political views, if we were then life would be mundane and boring, become friends with someone of a different lifestyle, broaden your horizons. If you are homophobic, got to a PFLAG meeting, if you are intolerant of other races, surround yourself with those types of people. Most hatred comes from not understanding and fear. Do not hate me because I am gay, Jewish, Transgender, Hispanic, Muslim. More than likely you hate me because you do not know me. Take some time, learn who I am then you can hate me! Deal?
It hit me like a big rig semi named Belle, most of my friends are Republicans. It struck me as odd, because in this date and time, most want to be around those with the same thought process and views as themselves. And with the exception of my family, and a few others, that I truly consider to be my friends and not just some acquaintance, everyone I know is a Republican. Maybe it is the highly religious people that I tend to consort with (however on a side note I was in a church last night for a PFLAG presentation and I escaped without any injuries, plus the building itself was still standing. There was a small "electrical fire" which the minister thought was due to the surge of electricity from the lightening strike but we won't know until the building inspector comes to assess the damages) which come from a religious family, where their entire life it has been part of the everyday routine. Go to church three times a week, be there for youth group, be there for adult group, be there to play in the "band" be there for Sunday school, church, and the light brunch afterwards. For some reason, these type of people flock to me, maybe because (I like to think) that I break that "normal lesbian" stereotype. Which is not a bad thing, but then when conversations come to politics, as they always do, I find these things out about these people and it blows my mind.
Most of our conversations do wind up on the subject of politics, well with those that are close enough to me to have that conversation. I have noticed that when people are friends with someone from a different background, whether it be religious, sexual orientation, whatever is the difference between the two, it makes for a better forum. Before these people met me, I do not think that gay rights would have been on the top of their list, but it funny to see peoples' perception change influence how they act in the everyday world, how it affects their view, their attitude and most importantly their vote. Here is a little story for you, and then I will be on my way and you won't have to listen to the ramblings of a tired old woman!
Earlier in the year, I went to this kegger with a few friends, it was out in this field, in the middle of nowhere. One of the guys with me was just an acquaintance from work, a guy I saw maybe a few times a week, but he was cool enough. We had had a conversation about gay and lesbian couples. As any hetero man would tell you, "I understand two chicks, but two guys, I just don't get it" Well throughout the night, people became a little more loose lipped, and I spotted a hottie on the other side of the fire pit, so I strut over there, and one of her party members, gets up and says, "I cannot believe that you would say something like that!" I sit down and strike up conversation with the hottie, and she says, "that they are having an intellectual conversation and it is all good, they really aren't mad at eachother". She points out her roommate, which is the girl who was up in arms, and her brother and his roommate, who obviously were the provokers at this point.
I was curious, so I started asking what it was that had gotten her roommate all excited...gay marriage. Her little brother, who I think was a skin head (because of the tattoos, bald head, and the point of views that he held) was stating something about how Gays are disgusting and blah blah blah. Whatever, so I say, "that's funny because I was actually coming over to tell your sister that she is gorgeous, and ask if we could go grab a beer." If I ever thought I was gonna get hit, it might have been at that moment, but it wouldn't be the last time of the night that I felt that urge that I might have opened my mouth around the wrong people. Next thing I know this guy, we will call him Kyle, came over, now this guy is about 6 foot tall, about 180, pure solid ripped muscle, he is/was a kickboxing champ in Souix City.
So Kyle came over and started talking to the brother, talking about homosexuality, and asking him questions. Kyle looks at me and says, "Terri this guy says that 'homos' are fucked up in the head and that they should all be taken care of. Is that the truth? Are homos fucked up in the head" I respond with, "I am pretty sure that I have all normal function, oh yeah and I am smarter than him too." Kyle then preceded to tell the guy to shut up or that they could take care of this away from the group of people. He was protective of me, I thought that was awesome! Anyway that is a lot of schnat for you all to read, so I will end here. Just think about all of those that you call friends and how your views would affect them.
We don't have to (or should we want to) be clones when it comes to political views, if we were then life would be mundane and boring, become friends with someone of a different lifestyle, broaden your horizons. If you are homophobic, got to a PFLAG meeting, if you are intolerant of other races, surround yourself with those types of people. Most hatred comes from not understanding and fear. Do not hate me because I am gay, Jewish, Transgender, Hispanic, Muslim. More than likely you hate me because you do not know me. Take some time, learn who I am then you can hate me! Deal?
posted by T at 11:18 AM
1 Comments:
Wait, you went to a party in a field and didn't invite me?!!
Dan
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