Was it Homophobic?

[clockout]

A friend of mine saw a very provocative gay rights poster in our school. He was two gay men dressed as hockey players making out. He asked me if was homophobic if he felt uncomfortable with it . I told him " It's fine to be uncomfortable with it, you're not a gay basher so I don't see a problem". I knew which poster he was talking about. I told him " It pissed me off, but for a different reason". The poster said "Homophobia is a social disease".When I saw it I thought to myself " fuck you, just because a person isn't down with who you are does not make them socially diseased."

That poster just really bothers me in general. It's really in your face. I understand the fact that the homosexual community hasn't had it easy, but I don't think you need to be all up in peoples face about it. You're homosexual, big fucking deal ( i'm in Canada).I almost want to rip that poster down. Your part of the human fucking race, you sexuality in meaningless and none of my concern.

In short; Is okay to be uncomfortable with homosexuality. I say yes.

I'm most likely wrong somewhere in here. I do enjoy other peoples perspective in such things, and love expanding my own perspective.

 

[Nurb]

Tolerance doesn't mean you have to like anything, you just put up with it in a "live, let live" situation.

 

[BioHazardMan]

I think the reason that homosexuals/bisexuals etc are often so vocal is to compensate for ignorance. Sure there are people like you who don't care, but others have rallies outright against their lifestyle. I think many feel they need to go the extra to make social progress.

 

[amoamaremetallum]

I disagree with the poster as you do, homophobia isn't really a disease. It's natural for most people, and anyone who isn't even SLIGHTLY uncomfortable with homosexuals must be some sort of equal rights idol or something. It's human instinct to fear what isn't normal. Doesn't mean that not normal is bad, it's just, you know, not normal I think you have a pretty valid argument.

 

[Leg End]

Um... you are... actually... right, OP. It's okay to have posters up but that one seems too In Your Face about it.

[sub][sub][sub]Wait... if they can put that poster up... can I put up a...? You know what, nevermind. I didn't say anything.[/sub][/sub][/sub]

 

[Julianking93]

Well, I'd be uncomfortable with that poster and I'm omni. Posters and ads like that are just ridiculous. They're just asking to get complaints about it. I don't care if it's a straight couple making out, I don't want to see it.

Still, it isn't homophobic to feel uncomfortable with openly sexual things like that, if that's what you mean. If he's only uncomfortable with the gay aspect of it... then yeah, that's a bit homophobic. So long as he's not going around saying they're immoral or some shit like that, then it's fine.

 

[Icarion (aka Stockholm)]

Its not Homophobic if you dont enjoy watching two dudes make out. Thats just being straight, or Heterosexual. Being Homophobic is hating someone because tehy're a Homosexual. And yes, the whole "Look at m, I'm straight and Catholic and set the standard for normality so anyone who is Homosexual or different from me must be diseased, because no one could possibly WANT to be different from me"* mindset makes me angry too. I live in the Liberal state (Massachusetts) so, I'm pretty damn liberal in most things. Like gay marridge.


*Not saying that all Heterosexual Catholic males think like this, just saying in America, thats where most of it stems from. As far as I can tell, I might be wrong, not trying to flame anyone here.

 

[(sic) humor]

I think I'd be off-put if a guy and a girl were furiously making out on that poster. Equal rights to gay people and all, but it's sort of rude to be that egregious then insinuate someone is homophobic for being uncomfortable with it.

There are valid, non-homophobic reasons to be put off by that poster. Get a room, people.

 

[xdom125x]

Being uncomfortable with displays of sexual attraction from people that you do not find sexually attractive seems logical. I mean a straight man seeing 2 gay guys making out can feel wierd about it because straight men do not find men attractive.
However, if you pull down that poster you would probably be in for some trouble for being homophobic( read: not doing everything to support the homosexual agenda. Or inconveniencing it in the slightest) even if you aren't homophobic. I get why you object to it "we get it, you are gay, we aren't going to try to make you stop but please don't shove it in our faces".

 

[Dags90]

It's not homophobic but it does hint at an underlying prejudice (which I imagine may have more to do with gender than orientation).

Also, I don't see how saying "homophobia is a social disease" translates into calling homophobic people diseased. The LGBT community still doesn't have it "easy", and they need to be "up in people's faces about it" otherwise enough people don't listen or care.

 

[Ladette]

That poster is stupid. There's nothing wrong with being uncomfortable around something that just isn't you, I get uncomfortable around really religious people. As long as you accept that it's their right to do as the wish then you're fine.

 

[cthulhumythos]

way i see it, if you don't tell me your opinions and i don't tell you mine, i think we'd get along just fine.

(sorry, that's kinda harsh; i just came from a thread discussing something halo related, and therefore my tolerance for people open about opinions has been lowered.)

 

[clockout]

Being uncomfortable with displays of sexual attraction from people that you do not find sexually attractive seems logical. I mean a straight man seeing 2 gay guys making out can feel wierd about it because straight men do not find men attractive.
However, if you pull down that poster you would probably be in for some trouble for being homophobic( read: not doing everything to support the homosexual agenda. Or inconveniencing it in the slightest) even if you aren't homophobic. I get why you object to it "we get it, you are gay, we aren't going to try to make you stop but please don't shove it in our faces".

It is behind glass,and ya they would call me a bigot. I feel like less of a person to bow before such things. I am not fool though, such an act could cost me greatly and outcast me.

 

[ecyor0]

I heartily concur. People are uncomfortable around depictions of intimate homosexuality. People are also uncomfortable around BDSM, religious gatherings, wildly divergent political groups, videogames, bees, and so on. Discomfort does not automatically translate into prejudice, especially if the person in question makes some effort to suppress said feelings of discomfort. Insisting that something is wrong with you if you cannot react to two guys making out with anything less than perfect, impassive neutrality does nothing except generate anger and defensiveness - which, in a discussion about orientation, will be immediately interpreted as rampant homophobia.

 

[azukar]

See, I don't think it'd be any more appropriate to put up, in a school, a poster of two straight people making out. But that's not the question you asked.

Personally, I don't have any problem with gay people, but that's got more to do with how I was brought up than anything. I'm uncomfortable with people who loudly flaunt their sexuality, whether it's homo-, hetero- or anything else.

Homophobia is not acceptable, period. Hatred is something that needs to be very carefully considered. Being uncomfortable with something you don't understand is normal, so long as you recognise that psychological discomfort is not a conscious, rational choice.

 

[Signa]

It sounds like the poster is crying the same message as when others cry "racism" for making a joke about black people and watermelons. It may be an untrue stereotype, but it hardly means you hate blacks.

 

[lovest harding]

Phobia: irrational fear.
I think everyone in this equation needs to make sure they're defining homophobia correctly. Homophobia is not just "I don't like gays." which a lot of people (pro-gay and anti-gay) seem to like to twist it.
Phobias are real issues. Being homophobic leads to violence and hatred beyond things like "That's gay". Being offensive doesn't make someone homophobic, it makes them a jackass.
Being anti-gay, just makes someone anti-gay. Being a jackass, just makes someone a jackass.
But homophobia is a serious issue as it tends to enter the territory of physically attacking someone in the gay community or major harassment or things that cross a major line into someone's rights in one way or another.

Anyway, outside of my rant...
To be honest, whoever made that poster was, as the internet kids say, 'Doing it wrong.'
Being uncomfortable with it (generally), speaks to someone's own sexual insecurities (and that's not an insult, everyone has insecurities, sexual or not). It really has nothing to do with offending anyone unless they decide to show those insecurities as hate/attacks/etc.

I could go on about the implications of "I don't think you need to be all up in peoples face about it", but that'll have to be a discussion for another time. xD

 

[thylasos]

If, as you've said, you're not homophobic, you've no right to get take action over it, certainly. Think what you want, but don't let it affect the way you deal with people. Put yourself on the other side of the fence, wherein even in action movies a paper-thin heterosexual love interest is plugged in. Also: practically all advertising.

 

[ecyor0]

Also, I don't see how saying "homophobia is a social disease" translates into calling homophobic people diseased.

Simple. People who don't have a good understanding of what the term 'social disease' means in a modern context will only catch the 'disease' part, and perhaps equate 'social disease' to 'mental illness'.

If they interpret it the old-fashioned way to mean STD, they'll probably just be confused..