We gay people have been trying to clarify this issue for ages. But it's not working.
Bigots love to talk about how sexual orientation is different from race because we chose to be gay. Uh-huh, just like they chose to be straight. But this obvious retort doesn't seem to have diminished the vast number of people who rely on this senseless "argument" to put us down.
I used to harangue people who use the term "sexual preference" instead of "sexual orientation". Preference pretty much puts it right out there. The message packaged with the phrase is that we "chose" to be gay because we "prefer" it. In the old days, I'd try to fight this by saying that the term "sexual preference" is incorrect since it implies that we stayed up late one night and decided to go gay.
But the astute observer will notice that my efforts and those of others have had virtually no effect on the bigots.Because they're stupid, they don't even understand the distinction. It seems we need a new move -- and I've got just the thing.
From now on, let's call ourselves The Chosen. This has several bonuses. First, it positively reeks of religion and let's face it, religion is our primary enemy in this fight. If people didn't believe in fairytale gods, gays might be fine. But no, teh bible and all.
But the phrase also screams the truth, that we did not "choose" this orientation. We were, in fact, "chosen". BTW, I think we should use the upper case T and C, to make it sing. We're not the chosen, we're "The Chosen". Okay, kids. You know what to do. Spread this far and wide.
Choice, my ass. We are and always will be The Chosen.
Bigots love to talk about how sexual orientation is different from race because we chose to be gay. Uh-huh, just like they chose to be straight. But this obvious retort doesn't seem to have diminished the vast number of people who rely on this senseless "argument" to put us down.
I used to harangue people who use the term "sexual preference" instead of "sexual orientation". Preference pretty much puts it right out there. The message packaged with the phrase is that we "chose" to be gay because we "prefer" it. In the old days, I'd try to fight this by saying that the term "sexual preference" is incorrect since it implies that we stayed up late one night and decided to go gay.
But the astute observer will notice that my efforts and those of others have had virtually no effect on the bigots.
From now on, let's call ourselves The Chosen. This has several bonuses. First, it positively reeks of religion and let's face it, religion is our primary enemy in this fight. If people didn't believe in fairytale gods, gays might be fine. But no, teh bible and all.
But the phrase also screams the truth, that we did not "choose" this orientation. We were, in fact, "chosen". BTW, I think we should use the upper case T and C, to make it sing. We're not the chosen, we're "The Chosen". Okay, kids. You know what to do. Spread this far and wide.
Choice, my ass. We are and always will be The Chosen.
