Hello David,
I read an article earlier this week relating to the “Kiss-In” in SLC, UT on the KSL online newspage, in which you were mentioned a few times. A link for this is below.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=7301980
I have some remarks of my own I’d like to pass your way. I first want to applaud you for being a voice for equal rights for the GLBT communties. I applaud anyone taking a stand for equality as I believe all ought to be entitled to the same rights. I 100% support any group of people that currently is not entitled to all the same, as I genuinely believe we all deserve equality.
I do have some hang up’s here though regarding the GLBT communities and their cries for equal rights. Please keep in mind it is NOT the equal rights I have hang up’s with, but rather the CRIES for them.
I dont know all the details of the SLC arrest of the two men kissing on the Main Street Plaza, but I did read that their behavior was more than a friendly kiss. I also read alcohol was somewhat involved, which was part of the reason for the arrest.
It seems (and please note Im totally generalizing here, so please keep this in mind. I have many gay friends who I respect and love, and support them in the fight for equality)that these two men pushed the envelope with their behavior which was the cause of them being asked to leave Main Street Plaza. When they didnt and the behavior continued, and there was belief of alcohol involved, they were then arrested.
My gripe here is this: Often times I’ve seen and/or read about people in the GLBT crowds push the envelope in public places/circumstances with over the top behavior of making a show, for what I assume is to prove their sexual orientation to those around them, to make a point. However, when its time to pay the consequences for those actions they want to cry they are being picked on and treated unfairly. This makes me insane. Again, please note Im generalizing here, as I feel the same for heterosexuals for the same type of behavior in certain circumstances, in public as well.
Its an issue of being responsible for your actions, and being accountable for them. I see many GLBT’s cry about being mistreated and judged for their sexual orientation, rather than taking and assuming responsibility for inappropriate behavior. Not sure why so many seem to think they are the exception to the rule.
I look at GLBT communities, I hear your cries for wanting to be treated equally, and because of so many circumstances as I’ve just described, Ithink to myself hhmm, do you want equal rights or do you just want special treatment?
The GLBT communties have their “Pride Weekend”- AN ENTIRE WEEKEND that is hosted by major cities in the Country, dedicated to your sexual orientation! ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS?! This weekend long event is always filled with lewd, over the top behavior in part with what I know is a festivity to promote equality. However, its mostly an “In your face, Im gay so stick it” attitude. I’ve even had a gay friend admit that himself.
You have “Gay Days” at Disneyland, dedicated to the GLBT population.
Most cities have GLBT DISTRICTS- A portion of a city for GLBT.
You have your own free weekly publications that are put out each week alongside newspaper stands.
The weekly free City publications in most Cities are chock full of GLBT ad’s and services as it is, on top of having your OWN publications. A little inundated here, maybe?
You have your own clubs/bars for GLBT crowds, which I know are open to the general public, but are geared towards GLBT with themed nights pertaining to GLBT lifestyles.
You even have your own ICON/SYMBOL!
Im sorry, but WHAT ELSE IS IT THAT YOU ALL WANT?! You say you want equality, but in a lot of cases its safe to assume what many of you really want is continued special treatment!
If its equal rights and unity within society that you’re truly after and want, GREAT, lets ALL GET ON BOARD, focus and work towards THAT! But when I see more and more things created to be geared towards and for your crowds, I think this: You’re guilty and are feeding the very thing you’re crying about! You dont want to be ostracized by society but rather accepted and respected, but your ostracizing yourselves in the process !!!
HOW is that going to help your stand for equal rights?!?
Im waiting for the day that style chairs in salons are labeled “hetero” and “homo”! Unfortunately, that day doesnt seem too far away. TO see it now wouldnt surprise me in the slightest. You dont want to be exlcuded within society for your sexual orientation, yet you keep creating and forming things exclusively FOR your sexual orientation– You’re doing the very thing your complaining about!!!!!!!
I know you want every religion on the planet to embrace your lifestyle, but Im gonna tell you that is not ever going to happen. Christianity in general will never change their very religion to encompass GLBT lifestyles. That my friend is the RELIGION. Period.
The only thing you have to work with here are THE CONGREGATIONS of people within any given religion and their perspective on things. Let the religion alone, honestly, it just is what it is and its not going to change, its a futile fight to be honest. You dont have to participate in it, just respect it there as it is for those who DO want to practice and particpate in it. I know several gay men, who are LDS members and know they cant 100% participate in the LDS faith, but particiapte in what they can and respect it for what it is.
Instead of protesting this faith or that, that wont accept you’re lifestyle, transfer that focus on broadening PEOPLE’S perspectives within any certain faith in helping them to learn, love, and respect ALL, but let the religion aside. It is what it is and has been in most Christian religions for hundreds of thousands of years. PERIOD.
It seems your people want everyone and everything to come around to your belief system and accept it 100% with no questions asked, and to do so with the utmost respect to you, but you dont want to do that in return. The outright, over the top, pushing the envelope behavior of so many within the GLBT crowds has proven that over and over. If you want to be treated with respect, you have to give it. Thats not a new concept to life.
AGAIN, Im generalizing here and I feel the same way about different groups of people that cry to be treated fairly and want to be accepted by society instead of segregated but two things are happening on the other side of it-The behavior their exuding isnt deserving of the respect they want and more groups are creating segregated types of things within “their kind”, which is KEEPING THEM from the very thing their fighting FOR. EQUALITY and UNITY. It’s very prevalent from the GLBT crowds in the news and all around, more and more and more.
Im a caucasion, 35 yr old, single, with a full time career, woman.
There is no parade for me, no special sections of town for “my kind”, no publications, no bars, no icons/symbols, no rants and raves for people not respecting MY life and making way for it. If I were to get on a table and scream about it, many would look at me as if I were completely absurd. And believe me I COULD get on the table about and feel like I were being treated unfairly because believe me, I get PLENTY of backlash for my lifestyle. Especially in a conservative State like Utah. Me being single at 35 is practically considered a sin to the PEOPLE IN the dominant religion here, but I dont get out and behave inappropriately to get people’s attention so they listen to what I have to say, to prove a point. If I behaved that way, people would think I were absolutely absurd and it wouldnt get me to far.
Often times, the ways GLBT go about “protesting” or trying to get a point across is the same: ABSURD and it accomplishes very little.
What is the point of these organized “Kiss-In’s”, I ask you?
What is it accomplishing?
How is it helping you obtain EQUAL RIGHTS and UNITY?
I tell you this, when you behave this way, many dont want to support you in return.Nine out of ten times, you’re going to be treated the way you behave.
I know this all sounds really harsh and critical, but if you want equal rights, then stand up and fight for them instead of continuing to use the energy and focus on continuing to segregate yourselves within society, but behavior like this is never going to accomplish that.
I appreciate your taking the time to read this as I know its quite long, but I’ve listened to the gripes from people of your crowd too often and for toooo long.
Wishing you the best of luck in your endeavors and I truly hope for a day of equality and I 100% support you in obtaining it for GLBT crowds!!!!
Love and Peace,
Lola