An exhibit called “Out and Elected in the USA,” which features 60 photos of elected gay and bisexual officials has been on display in Alaska libraries, according to this story in the Anchorage Daily News. While not getting much attention at the Loussac (AK) Public Library, some parents are retroactively uncomfortable at having learned that the exhibit had showed at some Alaska high schoools.
Created by former Anchorage resident, R.S. Lee –the pen name Ron Schlittler, who is now the policy director at Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) in Washington, D.C.–the exhibit features not only photos, but articles that tell of experiences of trying to be elected while grappling with sexual orientation.
Here We Go Again
If one wonders if there is some kind of plan to promote gay life as mainstream, this takes the cake. Have we erradicated racism, antisemitism, white supremacism that gay pride is placed at center stage. I have have said many times gay life as a mainstream lifestyle is still being debated and not universally accepted. Wouldn’t it be more useful to deal with discrimination to people who are hated for their identification to race and religion before those who opt for sexual preference. The former are biases that have lived for centuries. First things first, any other way looks like promoting an agenda item with taxpayer money.
yes, unfortunately, here we go again…
“Have we erradicated racism, antisemitism, white supremacism that gay pride is placed at center stage”
I don’t think we’ve erradicated racism, etc. Nor do I think gay pride is taking “centre stage”–it’s being highlighted…and it’s about time.
“Wouldn’t it be more useful to deal with discrimination to people who are hated for their identification to race and religion before those who opt for sexual preference.”
Opt? Yep, they “opt” for being gay/lesbian/bi so that they can suffer discrimination, hatred, physical threats/attacks, and willful misunderstanding. And it’s not a “lifestyle” anymore than being heterosexual is a lifestyle.
A female friend of mine once commented about a gay male classmate: “How does he know he’s gay if he’s never been with a woman?” I felt like saying, “How do you know you’re straight, if you’ve never been with a woman?” Given what she asked it would’ve been the logical response, but I didn’t feel comfortable enough with her to reply like that. These days I probably would.
I guess my whole thing is that discrimination is discrimination–it doesn’t bloody well matter what it is–it’s wrong and it HURTS. And if people of African descent can have displays celebrating their heritage (and for a whole month, too) then I don’t see why Gay Pride should be an issue. If it helps even one teenager who is gay to feel better about his/her self then it is worth pissing off a bunch parents.
As humans, we should work at lessening EVERY type of discrimination, not just the ones some people think are worthy.
BTW, gays have been discriminated against for centuries as well…
s/