LGBT issues in the western world.

[rosac]

So today I saw a video posted on Mr. George Takei's facebook page (may he live long and prosper, he truly is an amazing person) that showed a straight man's reaction to a teen being kicked out of his home for coming out, and the replies he got to "would you choose to be gay or straight?"

The video is actually rather heartbreaking:

Spoiler

[youtube]watch?v=3NNgReolAZY[/youtube]

however, another related post showed that the teenager who was kicked out received $100,000 dollars of help, and redirected some of the money to a charity that offers homes to disowned LGBT people

Spoiler

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/03/1326819/-Gay-teen-kicked-out-of-parents-home-directs-funds-raised-online-to-finance-LGBT-homeless-shelter#

Now, personally, this is shocking to me. I come from a rural town in Yorkshire, a right wing area that has voted conservative ever since I moved here (16 years). There are still a lot of people who are intolerant towards gays and hold old-school views (my friend sees it as unnatural) but even the most extreme aren't going to go out of their way to beat an LGBT person up (in the same friends words, "I may not like it, but that's the way some people are, I'll leave them to it as long as they leave me alone")

But in any major city that I've lived in for a prolonged period (York, Nottingham), there is very little visible stigma. When I worked alongside 3 or 4 lesbian promoting, the worst they got was "Dyke" shouted at them for refusing to go back with someone, and when my gay friends came out it's normally a bit weird for a couple of days, then we say fuck it, lets have a coming out party (then we all have a beer or 10).

So have you come into contact with much intolerance in your personal experience? As I'm straight I'm probably ignorant to many forms of discrimination, or underrate how offensive forms of discrimination are. What's your thoughts on the videos?

EDIT 1- I am rather camp, and once I had an uncle needle me about my sexuality, question the colour of my watch (pink and white, my university colours), the drinks I drank (sambuca over ice), why I never seemed to have a girlfriend (I had one, didn't end well for anyone involved) and why I seemed to spend a lot of time around guys half naked (ignoring the fact I was on nights out with volleyball, and I get more pictures alongside girls). Seeing as I was at his daughters wedding I didn't say anything, but it did make me uncomfortable. He's generally seen as a bit of a bellend by our entire extended family, including his own daughters.

EDIT 2- The friend I mentioned actually holds a mishmash of views, he sees it as unnatural but also believes that people "can't help who they like I suppose"

 

[runequester]

I grew up in Denmark and currently live in the People's Republic of Oregon so I don't run into it much in a public sense.
Occasionally, someone will voice that they "don't agree with the lifestyle" but it's not a mainstream opinion in public, at least in the places I've been.

It helps though that the place I worked last was extremely socially liberal, as long as you could do the job. As a result, it became a bit of a haven for TG individuals.

 

[SnakeTrousers]

I live in a small-town in Canada and nobody around here really seems to cares too much. They might think its weird and won't hesitate to say so around their friends, but as far I know nobody has ever been attacked, booted out or even really been called a rude name in public for a good while.

 

[Fappy]

I have lived in the suburbs of Atlanta for most of my life. I have seen equal measures of bigotry and support for the LGBT community in that time. Bigotry is still a huge problem in the western world, but things ARE changing.

 

[LarsInCharge]

I have lived in the suburbs of Atlanta for most of my life. I have seen equal measures of bigotry and support for the LGBT community in that time. Bigotry is still a huge problem in the western world, but things ARE changing.

Looking at your avatar makes me sad. I loved Satsuki's long hair...

OT: The fight is in its closing days. I'm glad to see the US will finally join the rest of the civilized world in equality.

 

[Fappy]

I have lived in the suburbs of Atlanta for most of my life. I have seen equal measures of bigotry and support for the LGBT community in that time. Bigotry is still a huge problem in the western world, but things ARE changing.

Looking at your avatar makes me sad. I loved Satsuki's long hair...

OT: The fight is in its closing days. I'm glad to see the US will finally join the rest of the civilized world in equality.

You can always headcanon that she grows it back out!

OT: I agree that the US is by no means leading the charge for gay rights, but I would argue that we are far better about racial/ethnic minorities than most of our western peers. We are by no means good, but we're not as bad about it as most of Europe from what I have seen.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

I live in Mississippi. You can probably imagine how LGBT individuals are treated here.

Granted, I think younger generations are growing more and more socially progressive, so it's not absolutely terrible. Just kind of terrible.

 

[thundra]

I life in Finland. There are many LGBT issues, like how they can't get married, trans people are forced to go sterilized or else they can't change their name and gender from their id, also they have to fear hate crimes towards them. At least in Lapland where I life hate crimes are issue not sure about eastern Finland how things are there. Bigotry towards people who are considered outsiders by general public is big issue in this country (people who are gay, immigrants, trans etc).

 

[Twinrehz]

I haven't had much dealings with gay people, and while the whole homosexual aspect actually scares me (probably insecurity issues), I keep that to myself, and let others live their lives as they want. I'm not going to yell or berate anyone for having a different opinion, if I did, I'd have no friends. I have nothing against them, and I don't mind if they get married, or adopt children. Getting married to me smacks of making excuses, "you're not truly in love until you get married". Yeah right. Its inherent meaning seems lost to me.

Disregarding my personal fear, I don't understand why people are so intolerant towards gays. They haven't done anything wrong, and I don't give a shit about what a 2000 year old book says about that. The same book says that children born out of wedlock are bad, that women need to be controlled by men, that hearing voices telling you what to do is OK, as long as you say it's God. I guess it all comes down to selective thinking. It's stunning how many women actually defend this book, it's basically the cradle of misogyny to our modern society.

 

[carnex]

In Serbia... urgh, im getting sick just remembering that shit that happened there. Atmosphere is so bad that pride march was canceled in 2012 and 2014, in 2012 protestants actually broke the police cordon because they formed in early morning before police and charged them before they established the cordon. Every time when Pride march took place policemen god hurt badly, dozen of them ended up in emergency services, some stayed in hospitals. Hat's off to them, they always volunteered for protection.

Worst of all, there were fucking priests agitating the hooligans (granted, there were priests that tried to calm them down too). With general poverty, sellouts in politics (well there aren't any that are not), unhealed scars from local wars, most disgusting rebirth of church (people don't have an idea what religion they "believe in" contains or stands for, it's bloody pop culture) there are a lot of young people who are just angry and can be swayed to flail just about anybody. And LGBT, but male homosexuals more than any others, were always seen as ultimate corruption of humans soul. As I said, I'm actually felling sick when I think about it.

you want to see how it looked in Belgrade?


no, those are not pride marchers...

But you know what's ultimate irony? Belgrade is known around the world as a place where you can get gender change surgery of highest quality for peanuts compared to western surgeons. And that reputation is well deserved from mid seventies on.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I live in Argentina.

-Same-sex marriage is legal.
-Same-sex adoption is legal.
-Same-sex relationships (cohabitation) receive legal recognition.
-Transgender persons can change their legal gender and name without surgeries or judicial permission.

What's your excuse, first-worlders?

 

[Fappy]

I live in Argentina.

-Same-sex marriage is legal.
-Same-sex adoption is legal.
-Same-sex relationships (cohabitation) receive legal recognition.
-Transgender persons can change their legal gender and name without surgeries or judicial permission.

What's your excuse, first-worlders?

I'm sorry, one of our hedge funds was too busy stealing an Argentinian sailboat to get back to you XD

In all seriousness, there is no excuse. Not a single one.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

I agree that the US is by no means leading the charge for gay rights, but I would argue that we are far better about racial/ethnic minorities than most of our western peers. We are by no means good, but we're not as bad about it as most of Europe from what I have seen.

It's a nuanced issue, considering that on one side, you're talking about a lot of different nations with their own laws and cultures, and on the other there's a federal union who's individual states have far more freedom to govern themselves than any nation in Europe would give to any one district. Simply put, it depends a lot on where exactly you are in both places. Countries on the Mediterranean by and large have very deep Catholic roots, which comes with its fair share of social problems. On the other hand, bible-belt states have made nowhere near as much progress as some others.

As for the UK, we're technically behind, legally when compared to the most progressive states. However, I'd argue a gay person out on the street is far, far less likely to face open harassment here than even some comparatively liberal areas in the States. For Brits, no matter what you believe, the principle of minding your own business and not causing a scene is universal.

As far as personal stories go, my best friend at Uni is a lesbian, and besides one particular knuckle-dragger who most agree has no business being there in the first place calling her a 'dyke' once, everyone is either passively or actively supportive.

At the other end of the scale, my Nan was born in the 1920's... in Belfast. As such, she was of the opinion that homosexuality was wrong, and I think she would have struggled to even comprehend the idea a transgender person. I never agreed with her on that point, but I also never held it against her for two reasons:

1) She could no more help the environment that moulded her when and where she grew up than anyone else can.

2) Despite her beliefs about certain types of people, she would always judge individuals on their own merits. There were occasions where she met gay people (on some occasions knowing their sexuality, but not all), and at those times she would always be as polite and generous to them as she would to anyone other person. No matter her beliefs, she took the principle of treating others as you yourself would wish to be treated very seriously.

(If there was one exception to that rule, it was that she also really didn't like Jews. But then, that was less to do with cultural bias, and more to do with the fact that she was an axillary with the British Army in Palestine in 1948, and to put it mildly, she saw some shit that she was never quite able to reconcile. Again, I never agreed with her views, but I also find it hard to judge her harshly for it, and not just because she was my family.)

 

[Something Amyss]

I live in one of the bluest states in the US, and I've been stabbed for being a "******" before. Might have been killed if I didn't fight the guy off. Also had the crap kicked out of me several times. I also live not too far from the school where a kid once had "homo" carved in his back in four inch letters. Admittedly, things have improved a bit since then.

In all seriousness, there is no excuse. Not a single one.

Morality. I mean, sure, we could treat homosexuals with kindness and decency as though they were normal folk, but that wouldn't be moral.

As for the UK, we're technically behind, legally when compared to the most progressive states. However, I'd argue a gay person out on the street is far, far less likely to face open harassment here than even some comparatively liberal areas in the States. For Brits, no matter what you believe, the principle of minding your own business and not causing a scene is universal.

Do you have any equivalent to stop and frisk, or so-called "breathing while brown" laws? I'm serious, because I've never heard of anything going that far. And even in New York/Vermont/Massachusetts, liberal Yankee states with no direct access to the border, we still have a lot of fear about dem mexican imigints. And other brown people.

 

[Erttheking]

I live in a fairly large town in Massachusetts. Gay marriage has been legal here all the way back since 2004, so I think it's safe to say that we get it better than other people. I know two homosexual people, a gender fluid person who was in a homosexual relationship (Not sure what her precise sexuality is), and a transsexual woman. I know the gender fluid person and transexul person had to go through a lot of crap, but they lived in the next town over and most of their problems came from an extremly sports centered school where nearly all the coaches were teachers and the ahtlets got special atteniton.

I don't remember that much anti-LGBT stuff at my high school, but then I remember that I don't remember ANY LGBT stuff...well there was a transsexual anatomy teacher, so I think it's safe to say it was a fairly accepting school.

 

[CymbaIine]

I feel that masses more needs to be done to combat transphobia (not a massive fan of that word but it'll have to do). They are the minority within the minority. On TV nowadays you never see an overt joke about homosexuality where the butt of the joke isn't a homophobe. The same isn't true for transgendered people. In the UK you have to go through a long and I imagine humiliating (if for no other reason that you are forced to do it) to get your mental illness diagnosis and change your sex on public records. Just the fact that it's a mental illness piles one stigma on top of another (I'll stop now before I go off on my "Arbitrary distinction between mental and physical illness rant).

 

[Fappy]

I feel that masses more needs to be done to combat transphobia (not a massive fan of that word but it'll have to do). They are the minority within the minority. On TV nowadays you never see an overt joke about homosexuality where the butt of the joke isn't a homophobe. The same isn't true for transgendered people. In the UK you have to go through a long and I imagine humiliating (if for no other reason that you are forced to do it) to get your mental illness diagnosis and change your sex on public records. Just the fact that it's a mental illness piles one stigma on top of another (I'll stop now before I go off on my "Arbitrary distinction between mental and physical illness rant).

Wait, you seriously have to get diagnosed for a mental illness before you can get a sex change in the UK? REALLY?! Wow, that's fucked up. That would never fly in the US (I don't think). Not because we're any less bigoted, but because we put A LOT of stock in personal autonomy. Life liberty, etc. etc.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Do you have any equivalent to stop and frisk, or so-called "breathing while brown" laws? I'm serious, because I've never heard of anything going that far. And even in New York/Vermont/Massachusetts, liberal Yankee states with no direct access to the border, we still have a lot of fear about dem mexican imigints. And other brown people.

We do, I believe, have something similar, but I gather it's only practised in a few places. There is, naturally, a debate about it unfairly targeting minorities. However, police in the UK being a lot less tooled up than their states counterparts naturally makes the debate more low-key.

 

[LarsInCharge]

I feel that masses more needs to be done to combat transphobia (not a massive fan of that word but it'll have to do). They are the minority within the minority. On TV nowadays you never see an overt joke about homosexuality where the butt of the joke isn't a homophobe. The same isn't true for transgendered people. In the UK you have to go through a long and I imagine humiliating (if for no other reason that you are forced to do it) to get your mental illness diagnosis and change your sex on public records. Just the fact that it's a mental illness piles one stigma on top of another (I'll stop now before I go off on my "Arbitrary distinction between mental and physical illness rant).

Wait, you seriously have to get diagnosed for a mental illness before you can get a sex change in the UK? REALLY?! Wow, that's fucked up. That would never fly in the US (I don't think). Not because we're any less bigoted, but because we put A LOT of stock in personal autonomy. Life liberty, etc. etc.

Unless you want to have an abortion. As they say "We care about children until the very moment they're born. Then they're on their own."

 

[Fappy]

I feel that masses more needs to be done to combat transphobia (not a massive fan of that word but it'll have to do). They are the minority within the minority. On TV nowadays you never see an overt joke about homosexuality where the butt of the joke isn't a homophobe. The same isn't true for transgendered people. In the UK you have to go through a long and I imagine humiliating (if for no other reason that you are forced to do it) to get your mental illness diagnosis and change your sex on public records. Just the fact that it's a mental illness piles one stigma on top of another (I'll stop now before I go off on my "Arbitrary distinction between mental and physical illness rant).

Wait, you seriously have to get diagnosed for a mental illness before you can get a sex change in the UK? REALLY?! Wow, that's fucked up. That would never fly in the US (I don't think). Not because we're any less bigoted, but because we put A LOT of stock in personal autonomy. Life liberty, etc. etc.

Unless you want to have an abortion. As they say "We care about children until the very moment they're born. Then they're on their own."

Shhhhhhhh! No, stop it! Keep abortion out of this! *Plugs ears* LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALA!