Misconceptions about Homosexuality

[Eilonnwy]

Bullshit. I can't help to think you know what he is refering to. Gay men with the girlly, lispy speech. And the mannerisms (<--sp?), the limpy wristed 'you go girl' mannerism.

It's not an accent. As Loki said, it's an affectation, often exaggerated to be a staple of gay men by social media. None of my gay friends are like that.

Cry me a river. i'm treated terribly socially, so are black folks, so are chinese, so are white people, so are midgets, so are alcoholics, so are puppy kickers, so are mexicans, so are sexist bastards.

And when did I say otherwise? I never said Gay people suffer the most out of any minority group. Each have their own challenges to face that are unique to their situation. What I said is still a fact. Gay people are constantly put down and denied rights.

So are single people.

I want equal rights to adopt a child also. I'm single, never married, by choice.
I want the same rates for auto insurance as married people get.
I want to pay the same fucking income tax rate as married people. Why should I end up paying more because I'm single?

You are comparing apples and oranges here. These issues are so far apart, it's absurd. I'm talking about the challenges gay people face, I'm not comparing them, because you can't compare them.

I want special laws and punishments doled out against those who commit crimes against me just because I'm..........me.

I have stated before many times that I don't support hate crime legislation.

What?! You, yourself said "There's white privilege, male privilege, straight privilege, etc... Simply put, it describes the social phenomena you experience as a person depending on what privileges you have based on your gender, race, orientation, etc... That people who have the privilege may not necessarily notice but do take advantage of, and that people without privilege deal constantly with the disadvantages."

That's everybody. According to what I believe your thought process was here there also is gay privilege, midget privilege, woman privilege, whomever privilege.

I'm male, white, single, heterosexual. I have found no 'privileges' in life based on those things. If I was a single female with children then that would afford me special privileges. Kicking back at home on the governments dime. So it's all relative Elio, what you may call a disadvantage I may call an advantage.

No, there is no such thing as Gay privilege, female privilege, etc... The privilege I am referring to here is a sociological phenomena that is well studied about what advantages certain groups of people receive as an accident of being born into the favored race, gender, etc.... It's no secret that white is the favored race, male the favored gender, and heterosexuality that favored sexuality and these groups gain benefits from society. That doesn't mean people who have those privileges are sitting pretty in their castle. Every individual has their own individual advantages and disadvantages, sure. I never argued against that. But there is a sociological structure of privilege that promotes white, heterosexual men. If you think otherwise, then you're arguing against a well known and studied sociological concepts and historical fact.

Here is an article that delves into social privilege and discusses specifically it's relation to race, gender, and sexuality. I'll pull out some of the important bits and bolded the really important lines.

SOCIAL PRIVILEGE
The complex and intricate relationship between privilege and oppression has led us to a definition of privilege that is more inclusive and intricate. We define social privilege as any entitlement, sanction, power, immunity, and advantage or right granted or conferred by the dominant group to a person or group solely by birthright membership in prescribed identities. Social privilege is expressed through some combination of the following domains: race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, SES, age, differing degrees of ableness, and religious affiliation.

RACIAL
The tenets of racial privilege are rooted in historical White supremacy that permeates society in the United States. The term historical White supremacy, as it is used here, means that being "White" has been and is viewed as culturally valued and the norm against which all other races are evaluated. In the United States, racially privileged status is rooted in the patriotic ideal that "all men are created equal" and "possess certain inalienable rights." These two phrases provided the foundation for the belief that this was an equitable and just society. Upon closer examination, the ideal is tarnished when one acknowledges that "all men" meant only male Euro-Americans. Therefore, the benefits, rights and privileges were given as a birthright only to male Euro-Americans. Indigenous persons, enslaved Africans, and female Euro-Americans were prohibited from equality and justice before the law.

GENDER
Gender privilege is based on a perceived difference (e.g., what women lack in relation to men). Stereotypic male attributes are viewed as desirable and the norm (e.g., being rational, logical, assertive, dominant), whereas stereotypic female attributes are viewed as less desirable, and many are considered undesirable (e.g., being emotional, nurturing, submissive). Men were granted financial, career, and gender role benefits and rewards that were greater than those given to their female counterparts who had similar training and experience (Weis & Fine, 1996). Men have been and continue to be viewed as the more valued, more powerful, and more influential members of U.S. society.

SEXUALITY
Similar to privileges based on race or ethnicity, heterosexual privilege is based on an essentialist meaning of difference and oppression. Heterosexuality is viewed as the normative expression of sexual orientation, and any orientation that differs or varies from this expression is unnatural, deviant, and wrong. Discussions regarding heterosexual privilege have differed from discussion of other types of privilege in that they are typically much more intense, vitriolic, and volatile. These discussions are often filled with religious and moral admonitions. One may happen to be born Black, or poor, or with a disability; these conditions cannot be changed, yet, as Blumenfeld (1992) suggested, despite the existence of homosexuality throughout history, it is currently viewed by the media, schools, and society as a choice and something that can and must be changed.

Notice how privilege is based on a dominant groups, and within those subsets of groups, the privilege is based on what historically has been considered favored. Thus, there is no "Gay Privilege".

As I said, that doesn't mean white, straight, men have perfect lives. That's not what social privilege is about, it's larger sociological concept that refers to how the groups are treated as a whole.