A little while ago I watched the movie ?Milk?, and it spurred many thoughts into my mind.
One of the main ideas that I took away from the film is the idea of a single generation suffering, for the good of the future generations. What I mean by this, is if one generation decides to take the burden of harrassment and abuse unto themselves, it will lead to future generations having the luxury of acceptance.
Take for example, the ideas of homosexuality. At the moment, in most communitites being gay is not accepted. At most, it is tolerated (this is not government stance, but social). Imagine if the entire same sex attracted population came out en mass. We would have approximately 10-13% of the population coming out.
The fact that EVERYONE already knows at least 1 gay person, imagine if all those that they didn?t know came out. We would be living in a society in which straight people could not escape homosexuality, no matter how much they tried. This sounds rather? scary? It doesn?t mean to. What it does mean is that heterosexuality-norms (heteronormative stereotypes) will be challenged, and perhaps even changed.
People would realise that their teachers, hairdressers, butchers, brothers, sisters were gay- and normal! How does this help ssa people? Well, simply it creates a chance of acceptance. If it were to be our generation who does this, all come out- then we may be hackled and looked upon in a bad light: but that?s no difference to what we?re already treated like. It would be a minority within a minority who are sacrificing something. It is this minority which would be the brave &remembered.
So, once our generation has come out and done this, the next generation would come up with less resistance, as laws and reform would have been put in motion. The generation after less and les, until acceptance is met.
I?m of the opinion that acceptance will not be met while the community does not demand it. Sitting quietly hidden sqeeking out ?give me acceptance? doesn?t work.
I think not until the gay community comes out as a whole- that is ALL closeted gays, lesbians, trans, inter?s, bi?s: the whole shabbam- comes out!
I think this also falls inline with the idea that the gay ?community? should be dissolved. I very strongly recommend keeping the community in the insitution of friendships and support groups, etc- but what I more mean is stop segragating ourselves. Stop the idea of there being a ?gay? and ?straight? community. No acceptance will be met if there is seggragation. Gay people need to join the straight community in harmony- stop being so heterophobic.
I can already see some poeple shouting at me saying they aren?t heterophobic, and to that I say get over yourself. I talk collective and in generaliations ^_^
So, where from now?
I understand that coming out is a massive personal choice which can wreck entire lives (in the worst possible scenarios) but to that I say remember there is support! And also, think of the future: what are your kids kids going to think? Sacrifice a little, to earn a lot.
Are you going to be part of the movement towards acceptance?
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