The Gay Umbrella
My friend, Bob, in Colorado Springs has a rainbow-colored umbrella that stands OUT in any crowd on even the darkest days; it's his gay umbrella.
The "Ex-Gay" movement has its own Gay Umbrella that it sports in any weather. Conservative Christians and "Ex-Gay" leaders, use the term "gay" broadly.
It does not only indicate same-sex attractions.
No when they refer to the "gay" lifestyle, they utilize the term to advertise a myriad of issues, dysfunctions and assumptions that they clump together as part of their anti-gay agenda.
Some of these include...
-promiscuity (they believe the average gay man has over 1000 sexual partners in his life time)
-risky sexual behavior
-drug and alchohol abusive
-pedophilia
-sexual addiction
-depression
-seduction of minors into the "lifestyle"
-abusive and emotionally dependent relationships
-polygamy (outside of legal marriage of course)
-gang rape
-atheism
-gender confusion
-idol worship (well diva worship at least ala Barbara, Madonna and Melissa Etheridge)
When a minister or "ex-gay" leader says he wants to SAVE someone from homosexuality, he means from all of the above.
The concept of a healthy, whole, happy homosexual does not exist in their world view. Chances are they never met one or recognized one in their own church.
Sure folks with any number of the above issues (both same-gender loving and heterosexual) exist, but being "gay" does not cause these things or necessary co-exist with them.
In 17 years of attending "ex-gay" programs, I learned that most people seeking reparative therapy suffer from loads of things that have noting to do with being attracted to someone of the same sex.
-->Perhaps these are the only homosexuals the church knows or recognizes.
-->Perhaps some of us need to attend their churches, introduce ourselves, sit down with them for coffee and let them into our lives.
-->Perhaps we need to witness to them a new truth that will replace the lies they have embraced and continually promote.
Once we do, maybe everyone will feel comfortable under Bob's cozy, technicolor rainbow umbrella.
posted by Peterson Toscano @ 3:33 PM
4 Comments:
Hello, friend! Great blog you have here. I'm a Quaker-leaning UU myself, in Wormtown (Worcester). Oh, and I'm a big ol' dyke.
Worcester, MA? Why we are neighbors! Great to meet you Patty!
The asumptions that others form about homosexuality are way off. Just like the asumptions formed about those with learning disabilities, they are fabricated myths and lies that people are lead to believe. For instance, if I told someone that I have a learning disability, and the asumptions start to create themselves, I am already categorized, grouped and labelled. Some believe that myths are true, which leads to rumors and then towards others starting to believe the deception of things.
Sure, some of these labels might apply to a select few gay individuals, but it doesn't (or shouldn't, rather) characterize the whole population because of it. Just like the asumption that those that are academically challenged get bad grades, for instance. It doesn't categorize me, since I usually get B's in school (and the A's last semester for literature and theater classes!)
Good Job! :)
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