Comments on: It’s Not Just Birmingham

By: John

John — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:17:45 +0000

Emily: what if the 2 women were not attractive or old? Somehow I doubt many straight men would be accepting in those instances. This whole thing is ridiculous. Many changes have been made but sadly we have a ways to go.

By: Regan DuCasse

Regan DuCasse — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:08:01 +0000

The double standards regarding two men or two women, really just frosts me.
It reminds me of white paranoia about black sexuality. Men were the predators, but black women compelling and exploitable.
Strom Thurmond and his half black daughter come to mind.
There is nothing new about how the sexuality of suspect classes gets distorted or how the reactions have distinct gender bias.
A friend of mine’s twins, who were six at the time, witnessed two men kissing and assumed rightly that the men loved each other. Childre assume love, it’s the adults that assume sex.
And in such a way, that offense is taken by innocuous affection as IF it were a public sex act.

It’s sad really. Some things even between mixed color couples can create viscerally hostile reactions.
My white husband and I were in a store and treated to a hate stare from a woman in the checkout line, but she decided to beat her daughter who was all of three years old…for being nice to me.
A display of love, shouldn’t arouse violent or hostile feelings in anyone.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:10:16 +0000

You can face hostility even in the places where you feel safe. This weekend a friend was called a “f***ing faggot” by the straight doorman at a gay bar in West Hollywood – his safe spot where he regularly socializes with friends.

Now we expect that this will most likely result in some form of reprimand, but it was a very jarring experience to be assaulted for your orientation in a place that is supposed to be your oasis.

By: bhamgay

bhamgay — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:39:55 +0000

My partner and I live in Birmingham. To be very honest….we feel just as safe about being out here as we would any any other middle class city in America. We have never been criticized or downed for being gay or open about our sexuality. People are people…no matter where you live!

By: queerunity

queerunity — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:39:41 +0000

i was really glad ABC aired this, visibility is key to equality

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:07:36 +0000

The one think I thought was a bit sensationalist and oddly phrased was “you can’t watch TV or change the channel without seeing gay couples kissing in public”.

Well, no. Or at least not the examples they showed. These were gay couples kissing on a scripted television show and then usually behind closed doors.

And I don’t much like pairing “you can’t” and “without seeing gay couples kissing”, as though avoiding seeing gay couples is the goal which is ever so hard to achieve.

By: Emily K

Emily K — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:04:13 +0000

two women can be affectionate in public because men find that acceptable. Period.

But I debate to myself whether i think it’s worth it to be seen as a dehumanized sex object existing for male titillation just to be “less” despised as a gay person.

By: NG

NG — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:53:12 +0000

The man in the cab is one scary dude, even if he is just talking trash. Thanks for posting this.