Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
Assumptions and Homophobia
Blackjoker:
--- Quote from: cabbagehut on 26 Feb 2011, 13:23 ---Well, thanks, Carl-E! I have a tendency to ramble and lose my focus, so I worry that I'm not quite making sense, or that I'm using the wrong words or something.
Blackjoker, I'm sorry if it seemed I was linking Christianity to homophobia. They're linked in my friend, but not for all people! Actually, when we talked about how I felt about her homophobia, she asked me, puzzled, "But you knew when you met me I was a Christian. What did you expect?", and I told her that there are many kinds of Christians, so one never knows. When she said she was a Christian, I assumed she probably believed in a God and a Jesus, but you can't know a whole lot beyond that.
--- Quote from: Blackjoker on 25 Feb 2011, 19:55 ---Does a person who is offended by being assumed gay have to be branded homophobic? I think it's based on the reasons why they feel that way.
--- End quote ---
I think that's what a lot of us have been trying to get at. If you're irritated at being assumed to be gay because it happens ALL THE TIME and you're tired of correcting people (like a poster mentioned earlier), no, that's not homophobic. If you're irritated because eew, gays are gross, you'd like to not be associated with that, or it threatens your masculinity, yeah, that's homophobic.
--- End quote ---
Oh, I wasn't thinking that homophobia and christianity were linked. I just used the comparison because it is something I have personally experienced and figured it might work as a useful different context.
akronnick:
Y'all know what happens when you assume, right.
You make an ass of u and me.
Carl-E:
--- Quote from: cabbagehut on 26 Feb 2011, 13:23 ---
--- Quote from: Blackjoker on 25 Feb 2011, 19:55 ---Does a person who is offended by being assumed gay have to be branded homophobic? I think it's based on the reasons why they feel that way.
--- End quote ---
I think that's what a lot of us have been trying to get at. If you're irritated at being assumed to be gay because it happens ALL THE TIME and you're tired of correcting people (like a poster mentioned earlier), no, that's not homophobic. If you're irritated because eew, gays are gross, you'd like to not be associated with that, or it threatens your masculinity, yeah, that's homophobic.
--- End quote ---
There's a difference between being offended because assumptions are made about you (some of us are, some aren't - see below) and just being plain old offended by gays, as El Flesh's "arm's length" comment indicates, despite his/her interactions with them.
--- Quote from: Andy147 on 27 Feb 2011, 02:33 ---Would you be equally judgemental of a woman being offended by someone saying to her "You're a woman? I assumed you were a man!" (or vice versa). Or "You're just fat? I assumed you were pregnant!"
--- End quote ---
The fact is, few people would be judgemental of someone who got offended by comments like that. It's natural to get upset when other people make assumptions. If they're made once or twice, most people will just laugh it off, but it will still disturb others. Same when it happens repeatedly - some people get disturbed, some don't (a lesbian friend of mine considers it a point of pride when she's mistaken for a man, though she doesn't consider herself as "passing" - that might just be denial of the next step on her journey, though). And as several posts have pointed out before this, if you're repeatedly assumed to be something you aren't, it's natural to get upset to various degrees. Being upset about being assumed you're gay when you're not isn't necessarily homophobia.
But if you're upset by it because you find gays offensive, then yes, it really is!
Looking at this I realize I haven't added anything to the conversation that hasn't already been said - consider it a summary! :psyduck:
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