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That came across like a straw man to me in the OP, especially in statements like this: > The subtext to a lot of homophobic thinking is the idea that gays will
by mithaler 16y ago
That came across like a straw man to me in the OP, especially in statements like this:
> The subtext to a lot of homophobic thinking is the idea that gays will try to get straight people into bed at the first opportunity, or that gays are looking to "convert" straights. Freud called this concept schwanzangst; the U.S. Army calls it Don't Ask Don't Tell.
I haven't really heard any arguments from those people that made any sense, but all the same this came across as an uncomfortably large leap.
- gaius 16y agoThe US Army's position is more likely to be "we actually don't care but we can't say that until Congress changes the UCMJ, so, uhh, be all you can be" - that's what don't ask don't tell really means.
- ugh 16y agoMy understanding of DADT is that you cannot be openly gay. Not quite be all you can be.
- gaius 16y agoPerhaps it's a moot point now: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/12/us/AP-US-Gays-in-Military.html?_r=1&WT.mc_id=US-SM-E-FB-SM-LIN-JOI-101210-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/12/us/AP-US-Gays-in-...
- kscaldef 16y agoI'm a little uncertain exactly what part of the quoted text you are objecting to, but there are generally two arguments given for why gays shouldn't be parents, teachers, scoutmasters, etc. a) They will try to convert or otherwise influence children to "turn gay" and, b) they are disproportionately likely to be pedophiles. The arguments for DADT are generally a little different, but there's definitely a thread there that includes the same idea that gays will be unable to resist making sexual advances on their fellow soldiers.
- zumda 16y agoPoint A comes from the fear that their children will turn gay because they have a gay person in their life. (Which would imply that children become janitors just because they have janitors around them...) But for point B, is there scientific evidence for it?
- henrikschroder 16y agoThis is highly anecdotal, but I have a few gay friends who served in the military, and they all said that the straight guys had more gay sex than them. The explanation isn't that weird though. If you're straight you can always dismiss it, it's not "real", it's just because of this weird situation living with only guys for some time, and out in real life you're as straight as they come. But for gay guys, it is real, so you're a lot more careful about something that might develop into a relationship.