Ravings of An Honest Mind

Act up! Fight Homophobia!

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 00:35:41 GMT

My mother has always said that life isn't fair, and, up to a point, she's right. There are some injustices that can be avoided, though. One of those unfairities is homophobia, meaning the fear of homosexuals.

Homosexuality has been around for as long as man, and it has been condemned almost as long in America. Why? I don't know. Personally, I think that homophobia stems from heterosexual's own insecurities. Anglo-Saxons have always been quick to ostracize those different from them due to, in their view, threats. Remember African American slavery (worried that African Americans could dominate), No Irish Need Apply (NINA) (worried that the Irish would take American jobs), or times before the suffrage movement (men afraid that women would overshadow them)? All these groups are different, but they were all victims of prejudice. Now, homosexuals are up-simply because they are different.

A lot of people's homophobia comes from their religion's beliefs. They say their Bible says homosexuality is sinful, but doesn't that same book also say the greatest sin is to not love your neighbor and to not treat them as Jesus would, i.e. treat others as you would want to be treated? The only two gay-friendly churches are the Church of Christ (who accepts everyone-in commercials they show gay and lesbian couples, many nationalities, and other commonly discriminated people) and the Episcopalian church (who have four openly gay ordained bishops). Other churches, such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) say that while homosexuality is not good, Jesus still loves them and so must we. Still more preach that gays and lesbians are of the devil and must be cured of their wicked ways lest they be damned to hell.

Religion is a choice-in most churches, they give the "guidelines" of the faith and you choose whether of not to follow them. You also have the choise of which denomination to attend.

How Homophobia Is Practiced Today

Of course, there's the obvious: outward taunting of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals and hate crimes against the same group. Then there are the less obvious things.

One of these things is using the word "gay" as an insult. 'Her sweater is ugly' translates to 'Her sweater's so gay!'. An unpopular teacher is 'gay'. Homework is 'gay' as are rules.

I wasn't aware inanimate objects had a sexual orientation, were you?

That's essentially what you're saying when you say that. Sounds stupid, no? Also, some people call other [straight] people gay. Hug a friend, you're gay. Do something awful and the label comes back. Is this not the same as a racial slur? African-Americans get upset when you say n**ger, wouldn't homosexuals be upset if you called a straight murderer gay, since you are equating the title to anything lower than the current American standard.

Using ostracizing is also a powerful form of homophobia. Recently, a science teacher used the terms "heterogenus" and "homogenus". Guess which one got snickered at?

Also, on a church youth mission trip, a gallon of milk was bought. On the lid was the abbreviation HOMO, referring, of course, to the type of pasteurization. Members of the youth group cackled at the lid, taking many pictures of the "homo milk". Why is the prefix "homo" such a cause for laughter in small-town (and probably urban) America?

Another instance of segregation due to sexual orientation took place in Decatur, Texas. One student teacher wore a "Live Strong" bracelet and was not criticized by supervisors. Another wore a rainbow colored one (the common symbol for gay pride) and was not allowed to continue teaching, his bosses citing "unprofessional apparel" whereas Teacher 1 wore the same type of bracelet and was not fired, talked to, or fined.

The musical RENT follows the lives of many characters, specifically 1 lesbian, 1 bisexual, and 2 gay men, and is wildy popular with Broadway goers, particulary teenagers. At least 5 different parties have told me that they would have seen the movie if not for the homosexuals. One girl even told me (pp) "Quit singing RENT!! I don't even know why you like it; it's about freaking gay people with AIDS!!" In addition to this statement being completely incorrect, it also shows the disturbing height homophobia has reached in today's youth.

How To Stop Homophobia

There is no widespread, surefire way. Homophobes must change themselves. However, you can help by reminding people to be respectful, and, above all else, treat others the way they'd like to be treated. After all, there may one day be a widespread outbreak of heterophobia.

The above content © by K. Mc., who gives permission for reproduction of any kind only for those who intend to use it to stop homophobia. She wishes to tell homophobes to get their heads out of their asses, but she won't say that; she's nice.

The "snow"

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 15:12:46 GMT

So, yay! No school today. Which is really, really, really funny since there is barely any snow/ice anywhere near my house. So I basically get a day to lounge around, read, and watch SVU. And do all the homework I "forgot" to do in case this happened. Whoa....I got up before noon??? *is proud of self*

Haha, Jenny, you'll appreciate/recognize this:

"IT'S SNOWING!!"- Katie

*arrow* ?"- Jen

"There is snow falling from the sky!!!"

What is this snow you speak of?

Tis the white wet crap falling from the sky!

lmbo....no that's hail babe

What's the white wet crap-Mathis

Hail, babe, HAIL

I refuse to hail!

hail to ME!!!! BOW!!!!!!!

Ewwww!!!!! I will not bow. NEVER! You however, should kiss my...foot!

Helloooo Ashlee Simpson

Bow-wow-wow-wow-wow-yippy-yo-yippy-yay-bow-wow-wow-wo SNOW!!!!!! IT'S SNOWING!!

I know!!

=( I know I'm a southern girl now. I'm too excited about the snow that isn't sticking. WAIT IT IS!!

And you come in late to school cuz we're on.......ON DRUGS!!!!

Speak for yourself...btw you know Josh G? neways, I saw him yesterday and he thought Jaimie was high.

lol

nice..that sounds like jaim

whoa, look how he's sitting on Morgan's desk...

Whoarrr... *is disturbed*

And that, my friends, is what I did instead of pay attention in Algebra yesterday. Because, really, what the crap are you going to do with inequalities anyway???

Andrew still has the hot guys list....which he was on *makes no move to stop him because she thinks it's hilarious!!

Quotes

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 02:21:38 GMT

I found these while reading fanfics...I liked them.

"Happiness just wouldn't be happiness without a violin-playing goat."
"When women are depressed they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country."
"I wish I was a little kid again. Skinned knees are so much easier to fix than broken hearts."
"Behind every successful man is a surprised woman."
"I have found that trusting a human is like jumping down a dark well. You don't know if you're about to hit rock bottom, or a refreshingly cool pool of water."
"Follow your heart, but take your brain with you."
"A million words couldn't bring you back. I know because I've tried. And neither would a million tears. I know because I've cried."
"Yeah, well, I'd like your balls in a blender, but ain't life a bitch." (A/N I LOVE OLIVIA!)
"For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.'"
"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."
"No one is perfect until you fall in love with them."

I would also like to point out that if Olivia was raped brutelly by a perp, she wouldn't forget about it until she had a kid that she thought was Elliot's but is actually the rapist's and then have a breakdown. I think.
LOL

I really, really don't want to do the voice recital on Friday. Nuttin for Christmas and My New Philosophy...oy....too much perkiness for someone who isn't feeling too perky since apparently half of her friends now hate her/think she's overeacting/being a bitch.
I can't wait till next semester. I really want to do something from Piazza, preferably Fable or Dividing Day. That way, when I'm happy I'm like OMG PIAZZA and when I'm sad I'm either "OMG THE IDIOT LEFT HER ON HER WEDDING NIGHT????? OMG!!!!!" or "OMG....POOR MARGARET AND HAPPY CLARA!! *SOB*"
That'd be cool. And it'd be nice to do a song that isn't overpopularized by the masses from a musical of the same type. Except if I do it, if they like they'll be like OMG I love Piazza! But I'll be like, you know what? You guys treated me like crap right before f***ing Christmas. You pretend to be these big RENTheads but you ALL have f***ing burnt copies from Jenny. And you know where she f***ing got them? ME!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Maybe I'm overreacting to everything. But you know what, I'm gonna "overreact" if it means defending my friends and being special/making people support cast recordings.
I will never talk about TL5Y in public, dammit, that's MY musical, you guys can never have it. Because you'll steal it like the big freaking phonies you are.

Bails and Hope (you need a nickname, Hope dearest), that doesn't apply to you, because you're actually cool and nice/you have a life and you've f***ing seen the musicals....loser...lol

The Evilness Of Xanga

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 00:12:38 GMT

We all know they ARE the spawn of the devil....lol....
I don't know what to write, I ranted on Xanga already..lol...