Try being gay growing up in rural Kansas. Let me give you a hint: it sucks, and there are GOP law-makers who want to enact laws protecting people who outright terrorize these people. I grew up in Kansas City and any time I traveled west of Topeka you saw this. When you live in more civil parts of the country it is easy to ignore that there is still extreme discrimination.

To be fair homophobia is way newer than racism. Racism has existed for thousands of years. Homosexuality has only been taken seriously for maybe 20 years. I don't think being gay is easy. I just think that saying straight people can't have similar or equal levels of struggle is unfair. There are happy gays and miserable gays, just as there are of every demographic. And I think labelling one group as more "privileged" than the other does nothing but harbor resentment.

The only law I've heard of that could hurt gays from the GOP is the cake baking one. What else?

There is currently laws in both Texas and South Dakota looking to be passed. Also Trump's pick for Supreme Court (while I agree with him on his search and seizure policy) is a known supporter of such acts to protect "Religious Liberty"

I call bull shit. I bet you went west of Topeka and witnessed people just going about their life.

Why is s "religious liberty" in scare quotes, Mr. Libertarian? Do please just call yourself a leftist. You are no libertarian based on your writings here.

I suppose you supported Oregon v. Smith and laws blocking Native Americans using peyote in their religious ceremonies? Justice Scalia wrote that opinion.

If you really think I am lying then I win. But I suppose my own life experiences with one of my good friends means nothing to you because it does not support an unbreakable Ideology you have. I apologize to get a bit heated but it all occurred in the small town of Wimmega just past Fort Myers, multiple times. On this topic out of respect for the privacy of my friend I will not continue any further.

And Native Americans should be able to smoke peyote.

Are you kidding me? Are you REALLY this fucking clueless? There's actual passages of the Bible that declare homosexuality to be an abomination and gay people have been treated accordingly for about as long as that damn book has been around, especially starting in the Middle Ages. That "homosexuality has only been taken seriously for maybe 20 years" is because it was completely taboo before that and people only started making small steps towards trying to make homosexuality a more openly accepted thing when there was less of a chance to be ostracised or, oh hey, killed for it.

That it's only been taking seriously for so short a time is a problem, not something to bring up following "To be fair--" as if it's no big deal. Hell, prior to the court ruling a year and a half ago gay people in America didn't even have equal rights. How is that not a big red flag that the state of being a homosexual in your country is far, far from fortunate and not at all equal to that of straight people? I live in a country that's generally seen as far more liberal than the US and I'm still not 100% comfortable being openly gay, because unlike being in a straight relationship and being open about it, it's still something that can draw negative attention. I'm not even going to go into what it's like to be gay in Texas: it's just not something you do where other people can see it.

zwackerm vs. the world

Well I'm pretty sure in the 90's and earlier people believed it was a choice. People didn't understand they were being assholes, they thought that gay people were just trying to cause problems.

Again, I never said being gay wasn't hard.

It's like listening to Lenny from Of Mice and Men, except not as smart.

Are Elton John, Ellen and and Rosie O'Donnell not privileged?

What does that have to do with anything?

That privilege is relative and who you're attracted to doesn't necessarily damn your quality of life? It certainly can, but it doesn't have to.

You know, I think I'm just going to stop.

Yes because every gay person has had a life like Ellen.

People still claim it's a choice, and it's never been anything but insulting and ignorant. But then ignorance seems to be a thing you're really into, so that's hardly a surprise. The reason behind the homophobia, or even the terminology not being defined until later (as is the case with this), doesn't mean it didn't exist and in no way excuses it.



Are they privileged because of their sexuality? No, they're privileged DESPITE their sexuality and already achieved a high level of success before they came out as gay. Elton and Rosie had careers for nearly twenty years before they came out. There is no gay privilege, just like there's no privilege for being black or being a woman. Are there measures to make sure that (just to name a few) black people, women and gay people are put on equal footing as others? Yes, but that's not a privilege because it doesn't give those people a special advantage.

I'm sorry if I've come off as tactless. In my defense, I never claimed gays had privilege. Jiffy asked me if there was any privilege to being gay. I claimed there were advantages to being female and non white.

Especially female, lol. It's way better to be a female. Women can choose to live life as a traditional female, not working, cooking cleaning and raising children, or she can choose to go out into the world and have a career. There is only one option for guys, really.

My girlfriend's dad was a stay at home dad.

And people looked at him funny didn't they?

Women can act anyway they want. Men have to act a certain way or they are a "pussy" or "gay".

Not as much as you'd think

No, they can't. I won't deny there may be more elasticity for women in terms of acceptable gender roles at this point compared to men, but women are still heavily scrutinized for a great deal many things men get an easy pass on.

I can debunk any You throw at me.

Are you referring to the slut vs player debate? It's hard for men to get sex. Thus they're applauded. A reasonably attractive woman can walk into a bar and five guys will want to fuck her.

Lol you think women being condemned for promiscuity has to do with the lack of difficulty more than the expectation that their sexuality is for the exclusive benefit of their male partner?

Women who aren't married by a certain age are seen as pathetic/unfulfilled old maids, men are swinging bachelors whose freedom is celebrated and envied by their married counterparts.

You don't really need to look any further than Hillary vs. Trump to see how socially reinforced double standards still prevail despite yielding profoundly negative consequences for everyone.

You do realize that it's mainly women who insult each other for being sluts, not men?

zwackerm's on fire! Go zwackerm! Go zwackerm! Go zwackerm! Go zwackerm!

Internalized misogyny is real that much is true.

Would you like to be treated like society treats women?