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| Written by C.M. -Argonaut | ||||||
| Tuesday, 11 October 2005 | ||||||
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Today recognizes the opening of thousands of long-closed, proverbial
closet doors as gays around the country pass an important milestone:
coming out. University of Idaho’s Gay Straight Alliance, with support from the Women’s Center, will celebrate the big step of coming out all week, with events including movies, discussions, dramatic performances and a “closet door” people can literally “come out” of. During this week especially, The Argonaut encourages all UI students to do what they can to make UI a welcoming atmosphere for gays in the process of coming out. It takes a lot of courage to come out — some people who do may lose friends or become estranged from their families — so it is important that gays have a comfortable and safe atmosphere in which to say, “I am who I am.” In celebration and support of National Coming Out Day, The Argonaut supports and encourages all gay UI students who are ready to come out to their family and friends. Everyone should be able to develop relationships with friends and family based on who they really are, not who they may have to pretend to be. The Argonaut also would like to address some myths about homosexuality and offer tips to help straight people be more open to sexual diversity. The most important thing to remember about gay people is that they are, first and foremost, people. Gays have the same hopes and desires as straight people. They enjoy the same things as straight people. The only difference between gay people and straight people is that gays want their romantic relationships to be with people of the same sex. Gays are not out-of-control sex fiends. They aren’t looking to push up on every person of their gender they meet. Like straight people, gay people look for a variety of sexual relationships. Some want a committed, long-term, monogamous relationship, while others prefer to be with a variety of partners in less committed situations. Like all minority groups, gay people defy stereotypes. Sure, it’s possible to find “the flamer” or “the butch lesbian,” but those stereotypical images of homosexuality do not represent all gays. Most gays are not immediately identifiable as such. Gays come from all racial, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. They work in all fields. They participate in the same recreational activities straight people enjoy. They are the hot guys at work and the sexy girls in class. They are the Average Joes and the Plain Janes. Being gay is not what defines gay people. It is not the central force that determines their actions and shapes their lives. It is a part of who they are, but it is not all of who they are. The Argonaut encourages all straight people who are uncomfortable around gays to learn more about them. Most people will find there’s not much to learn, because sexuality is just a small part of what makes everyone a unique human being. Homosexuality, like it or not, is a part of the human experience, and it will never just disappear. The sooner everyone learns to accept each other, regardless of their racial/ethnic/religious/socioeconomic/sexual differences, the sooner we can make the world a safer, more comfortable place for everyone to just be who they want to be. C.M.  Add as favorites (21) | Views: 738
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