Gay

Quite a few things have happened recently. Of these things, a couple have made me think, "Oh, I should write a post about that." But, as life is, I don't seem to get around to doing it. But, here I am, and I find I have an hour or so on my hands, and I have just seen something which made me think the aforementioned thought, and so here I am. With me? Never mind. Just read on.

I just watched an advert from Creativity Online, which is a website I browse about a lot, and quite often, much to the chagrin of my Facebook friends, I post any adverts I think funny, innovative, provocative, interesting, etc, etc. I almost posted this one, but thought I would write here about it instead (I thought this as I use the Mirror Blog application on Facebook, but ever since Facebook revealed its new and improved look, Mirror Blog, although it appears, does not refresh/update, so my newest posts don't appear on Facebook. So maybe I should post it anyway with a link here. Just to stir things up a bit. Long bracket....).

Anyway! Here is the advert in question: Gay Advert (after you've seen it, tell me; is my calling it 'Gay Advert' wrong?)

So, the thing is, as anyone who read my other posts probably knows, this sort of stuff annoys me.

As always, it's a touchy subject, so I have to try to put this delicately....

Years ago, at my old work, two colleagues were talking to each other next to me about something or the other, which was particulary gross, or naff, or something, and one said, "It's just so gay." And she turned around to me, and started apologising like mad. She went a little red, and was really apologetic for the rest of the day. Never mind the fact that I said that I didn't give a shit if she called something gay or not. In fact, it was the first time I heard it being used like that, and I thought it was pretty funny.

Now, what does this make me?

I kind of see it on a par as with disability groups protesting against the use of the word 'retard' in the film 'Tropic Thunder'. It's not a personal attack, it's just a word that has entered common usage. It might not be terribly PC, but it's not going to do any harm. Really. Is it?

I think I'm thinking about this recently because of the World Out Games taking place in Copenhagen at some point. I'm also against this (I use 'against' lightly here, as I'm not going to go and protest it......). I really, really just don't understand it. It's back to my old point of arguing for equality then demanding segregation. It don't make no sense.

I don't want to repeat myself too much here, because I can feel all the stuff I want to say now, I said in my last 'gay' post. It just frustrates me as I feel all this attention on all things 'gay' makes me feel even more singled out. I don't want that!

Some might say that I'm ashamed, or just trying to blend in, but I don't think so. I think that I just don't identify myself as primarily 'gay'. I don't think I tick many of the lesbian boxes really. OK, I have sort hair. I prefer trousers to skirts. I don't wear (much) make-up. I don't....sleep with men. I don't know - there are many more. But I just wish this image of 'lesbian' could be changed.

The irony is that there are so many lesbians (or gay women - whichever you prefer) out there, and no one knows about them. Why? Because they don't look like lesbians. Tell me, how does a lesbian look, exactly? And all those ones how aren't easily identifiable, are they letting the side down somehow? Because they don't feel comfortable with taking on the usual, dare I say accepted, appearence of a lesbian, and therefore dress as they wish, like, oooh, I don't know, a straight girl (who dresses like what?), does that mean that they are in hiding? Or that it's just a phase? Or that they are just trying to fit in to the 'straight world'?

Anyway. I digress. Gay. If I call a chair gay, does that mean that I am gay bashing?

I just don't think that people are actually thinking of gay people when they use it. I don't think that people are homophobic if they use it. I don't feel a loss of pride, or dignity, if people choose to call ugly (or whatever) things 'gay'. I want the right to use 'retard', 'mental', 'gay', and all those other words we all used as children, that have suddenly become taboo. They're just words, and as my Mum always told me; sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me. And you know what? She was right.