Sunday, April 11, 2010

Myth of "Gay Lifestyle" Fuels Discrimination

As we've discussed in class, terminology is political. Take, for example, the term "gay lifestyle," which suggests that homosexuality is a chosen, aberrant, way of life that differs dramatically from the "natural" heterosexual way of being. LZ Granderson's essay on CNN.com takes issue with this use of a mythology of difference as a means for discrimination. What's your reaction, vis-a-vis our course?

1 comment:

  1. I think this is very beautifully written essay. I sometimes get frustrated when people pinpoint someone as gay upon first meeting them. Yes, there is a stereotype that surrounds homosexual men and women, but that doesn't mean that we should always buy into that. We should allow people to share themselves with us, instead of assuming anything about them. Making assumptions perpetuates stereotypes and prevents us from truly becoming individuals. I hope Granderson's essay opened some people's eyes to the idea of what a gay person can look like.

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