Sexuality Thread

[Slaggis]

 

I thought this was amazing. I loved the idea of two difference sides of the audience, and having a proper debate on it.

 

The black woman that moaned about having gay marriage compared to when interacial marriage wasn't legal needs to get a fucking clue. Her:

"Well, have you ever met an ex black person before? THERE ARE MILLIONS OF EX GAYS"

line had me in fits.

 

 

 

Then, this debate on the Tyra Banks Show. The two women saying how it's a choice, and how "People choose to be straight or gay. I chose to be straight", or "What is being a lesbian? It's broken hearts, it's disease, it's unnatural".

 

 

Bigots are amazing entertainment.

Edited August 25, 2009 by Slaggis

[Daft]

Why people feel a need to get involved in other people's lives is beyond me. I can only think it's insecurity that causes certain groups to attack another, why else?

 

I'm sure a fair amount of the queer community would like to have this choice, in a quite frankly aggressive hetronormative society, to be "normal". It's amazing how people choose to ignore the whole spectrum of humanity and see the world in black and white.

 

I'd be angered by the whole situation, but really, I'm just left with a sense of despair.

[Chris the great]

its cos a bunch of god botheres seem to think it'l make jesus cry. frankly, any one who thinks i should live my life acording to thier imaginary friend's commandments is going to be disserpointed.

 

and i love how "think of the children" is always popping up. who says the gays arnt good parents?

 

belive what you want, but don't force it on people, its like diffrent storkes theamtune tells us "well, the world don't move, to the beat of just one drum, what might be right for you, may not be right for some."

[mcj metroid]

oh it makes me sad.. being accepted is never going to happen in our lifetime..

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

Stuff like this makes me a sad panda. Fuck, stuff like this makes me a pissed off panda.

[Daft]

Just found an interesting photo essay on transgender and transsexual people.

 

A Series of Questions

 

This ongoing body of work explores the power dynamics inherent in the questions asked of transgender and transsexual people.

 

Many documentary photographic projects that deal with trans issues exploit the genders of their subjects, pointing to an "otherness" or inappropriately exoticizing their bodies. "A Series of Questions" seeks instead to make visible the transphobia and gender-baiting that can become part of everyday interactions and lives, forming a fuller picture of the various lived experiences. In so doing, this work contrasts with the dehumanizing approaches that predominate the images made of transgender and transsexual people, which often focus solely on their trans status or use them to further a specific point about social construction and gender.

 

The subjects, self-identified people of transgender and transsexual experience, hold signs depicting questions that each has had posed to them personally-- some by strangers, others by loved ones, friends, or colleagues. Presented on white wooden boards, the questions are turned on the viewer, shifting the dynamics under which they were originally asked, and prompting the viewer to cast a reflective, self-critical eye upon him or herself, revealing how invasive this frame of reference can be.

 

As a greater number of subjects and questions are accumulated, a relentless conversation of questioning emerges. Presented together in democratic, square format, the images show how each question relates to the next, directing attention not on the backgrounds of the transgender and transsexual subjects, but on the dynamics at work in these conversations. I am interested in uncovering the typology of these questions, discovering what categories of questions emerge as the script of power dynamics and interrogation is flipped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure anyone will be interested but I thought it was worth a post.

[Fresh]

 

Just something I have been doing a lot of reading up on. It's really heart-warming to see such support and while I have nothing to do with the US really it is a cause I feel for.

[Ashley]

The stuff Daft posted reminded me of an art project a friend did. She took close ups of parts of her body and wrote on them "Male?" or "Female?" (or maybe masculine or feminine, whatever) to question how we take for granted the body as a whole as belonging to a gender, but is it as simple as that? Dunno...just sprang to mind.

 

And while at it, on the train to London the other day I saw that "Some people are gay. Get over it." posters at four different stops. Never seen it before. Are gay people particularly vulnerable/frequent to attack at stations?

[MoogleViper]

And while at it, on the train to London the other day I saw that "Some people are gay. Get over it." posters at four different stops. Never seen it before. Are gay people particularly vulnerable/frequent to attack at stations?

 

Not seen it before? There's been billboards with it on for months.

[Ashley]

Yes but my eyes have yet to cross one.

 

I just found it strange that it was featured so prominantly within train stations.

[Slaggis]

 

Just something I have been doing a lot of reading up on. It's really heart-warming to see such support and while I have nothing to do with the US really it is a cause I feel for.

 

I love this campaign. Seen lots of stuff about it on the web since it began.

 

--

 

I thought this was such a haunting but utterly brilliant video. It's a video consisting of hateful soundbites from people against anything homosexual which then slowly moves towards ones with a postive message and arguing against such hate, all set to a Sigur Ros’ video.

 

Edited September 1, 2009 by Slaggis

[Haden]

Guess who would vote for that Prop!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgDwI1EC5iY

 

I realise I am in the utter minority literally of (1 with Oddy) here but ah well nevermind. I just wanted an excuse to post that vid so many hillarious wwe memories.

[chairdriver]

You know how gay marriage is illegal? What happens if you do it anyway?

 

I want to. I'm so ready to commit a crime I believe in.

[Paj!]

You'd vote for Proposition 8?

 

Sorry if I didnt get what you said, I was distracted by that amazingly awful video? :p

[Haden]

You'd vote for Proposition 8?

 

Sorry if I didnt get what you said, I was distracted by that amazingly awful video? :p

 

Here is a better one

 

I would I realise boo etc. But at the same time I dont feel guilty I pointed u towards arrested development in our last post exchange.

[Fresh]

Brilliant video Slaggis, the women speaking from 4:36 onwards really moved me. I would recommend all to watch this. I know it's quite long but it's worth it.

 

Some people really do confuse me. I just can't understand.

 

They seem not to realise that being gay really isn't a huge thing. It is just a small part of who you are, being straight isn't the "normal" thing, it's just the most common and there is nothing wrong about being different. People are so quick to place you into a box because it's easiest however if they once opened their eyes they would see so much more.

 

I suppose I am fortunate living where I do and it being such a welcoming community, I feel sorry for those less fortunate. What particularly irritates me are those so called "gay converters", those making money of some peoples insecurities and others prejudices.

[Supergrunch]

I came across a nice petition today. If you've never heard of Turing, suffice to say that without him, it's possible computers wouldn't exist.

[Gizmo]

Yes but my eyes have yet to cross one.

 

I just found it strange that it was featured so prominantly within train stations.

 

I saw one at 3 out of the 4 stations I was at yesterday, never noticed any before then.

[jayseven]

Brilliant video Slaggis, the women speaking from 4:36 onwards really moved me. I would recommend all to watch this. I know it's quite long but it's worth it.

 

Some people really do confuse me. I just can't understand.

 

They seem not to realise that being gay really isn't a huge thing. It is just a small part of who you are, being straight isn't the "normal" thing, it's just the most common and there is nothing wrong about being different. People are so quick to place you into a box because it's easiest however if they once opened their eyes they would see so much more.

 

I suppose I am fortunate living where I do and it being such a welcoming community, I feel sorry for those less fortunate. What particularly irritates me are those so called "gay converters", those making money of some peoples insecurities and others prejudices.

 

That's all 'normal' is, to be honest :P

[Ronnie]

being straight isn't the "normal" thing, it's just the most common

 

I'd agree with that. People often confuse majority with normality. But a person's sexuality should feel normal to them and that's the bottom line really. It's a subjective thing. People who have problems with another person's sexuality are often the ones with doubts about their own.

[Iun]

that's the bottom line really. .

 

Hurhurhur... I draw the line at bottoms...

[Daft]

I guess it's semantics.

 

Although being gay may not be a social norm, it is a personal one.

[Ronnie]

Hurhurhur... I draw the line at bottoms...

 

Not an arse man then I take it... legs?

[Iun]

Not an arse man then I take it... legs?

 

Two for preference, one for desperation, none for a guaranteed score.

[The fish]

Brilliant video Slaggis, the women speaking from 4:36 onwards really moved me. I would recommend all to watch this. I know it's quite long but it's worth it.

 

That was Ellen DeGeneres, I believe. If you don't know her already, she's famously one of the first openly lesbian TV personalities in the States, and, amongst other things, got John McCain to admit that same-sex marriage was OK, and it was on her show that Obama did that famous little dance.

 

On the majority/normality point, if you ever hear a white person trying to claim homosexuality is wrong because they're a minority, tell them they're "wrong" because they're white, and therefore from Europe originally. A vast majority of the world's population is Asian, so, by their argument, they're a "wrong human". If anything, they'll realise how rediculous an argument it is, especially when you're the "guilty" party.

 

As for the Proposition 8 shenanigans, that was a case of the ultimate dick-move by voters. I would have called apathy and people not turning out to vote, but it was the same voting session as the Presidential vote, and loads of people turned out. As for what is proposed, why do people have a problem with people getting married? In the words of a Facebook group, "don't like gay marriage? Then don't get one and shut the fuck up!"