Triggering: Do you feel homophobia/transphobia/other LGBT phobias in your city/town?

[George^^]

Like the title, do you feel homophobia/transphobia/other LGBT related phobias in your town/city?

Sometimes I do, with "that's so gay" or just "gaaay" and well, all the cis privilage. Right now I feel like I should have gotten up and walked out of my math/science class when the boys went to meet up with our main male teacher for gender seperate sex ed courses (through at the same time I'm happy I didn't. We didn't even talk about sex that much. We broke into two groups and basically something else was the main topic for our group.)

Just felt like asking about this, can since I want more than a "yes/no" answer, why? Why do you feel that way if you say yes to feeling those phobias that I've listed up there?

[Always *]

Well, where I grew up it was VERY homophobic. Like there was only 1 guy I knew was defs out and he was "faking". I think part of the problem was that he was actually bi, and people knew so. A lot of people I knew were "out" only once they moved into a city. But some how it was ok to be a lesbian? Or bi? But only cause guys thought it was a girl-on-girl hotness thing. There were a lot of people like me who wouldn't care, cause it's like "yeah, that's nice, be who you wanna be" but even still, it was always, LGB, the T was so often forgotten. It was unthinkable in my hometown, much less talked about enough to be openly judged against.
Where I live now is pretty open. I DID meet someone who was born female and was in the process of becoming male, and since I grew up in a small town the first time I met a transsexual (he was very open about being born female) I was a bit unsure how to react personally, but I've always been the kinda person who just takes it at face value you know, don't care who you wanna be or who you love or what ever, so long you are an honest decent person... But I know there are people where I live who ARE prejudiced and all, but I don't really deal with them as much. And I tend to not tolerate that sorta behaviour. Like I'll immediately be like "no you can't say stuff like that" and correct them.

[Ennui.]

In a way I haven't really heard much homophobia outside of the "That's so gay," which in a way I'm getting used to. I mean, homophobia definitely happens, but what I've seen a bit more of is a lack of understanding about certain sexualities and gender identities. My mother was one of the biggest people I've seen with this. Just yesterday when I was getting my hair done I was telling my mom one of my friends is a bisexual transgender. My mom thought that A. Being transgender means they can't be bisexual. B. That they are gay because they are MTF and like boys. My sister, hairdresser (who's a family friend) and I were sitting there saying otherwise. She thinks that someone else being a lesbian influenced me to like girls.

I have seen it mildly, like last year my social studies teacher said he didn't buy this rainbow bracelet (I think it had something to do with peace... either that or ice cream, I really don't remember ) and didn't because he didn't want to seem "you know" (His words, not mine.)

But all in all I've seen actually more support, at least around my school and stuff for it. Like besides the "fag" or "that's so gay/gay" I haven't really heard much. When we mention the gay-straight alliance we don't hear anything negative really. The one thing I have seen in my school is a sort of curiosity with certain teachers who may or may not be lesbian/gay. I've had friends who are debating whether or not two of my teachers are lesbians. My mother has even TOLD me when some of my teachers were gay or lesbian. For example, she told me how my current health teacher is a lesbian and how my 6th & 7th grade teacher was a lesbian, and she said that she found out my first grade teacher was gay, as if it doesn't make a difference.

I have also seen the whole religious side to homophobia, as apparently someone I know is VERY anti-gay due to religion but her own brother is gay. But yet my religious grandmother has no problem with it.

So I guess the answer is yes I do feel homophobia/transphobia/other phobias, but maybe I don't notice as much as I should.

I don't really know if this helped you, I realized I started to ramble.

[George^^]

Wish I had your strength, bumble bee, I've only once told someone off for calling something gay, because they were 1, using gay as a bad thing, and 2, dissing improv.

I don't mind the ramble, Dez, because... I'm guilty of being one too. Actually, I don't think sexuality has much to do with gender identity. - If I had your social teacher this year, I might have snorted and said "That's why I bought it." (I've always liked rainbows anyways).

I don't know much about LGBT teachers, I mean, other than the long time, many people saying they wonder if my two main teachers are gays - I mean, I have a well dressed, sweater vested male teacher and then a female teacher that wears band t-shirts- I have no fault in either of them, because well, they're okay teachers and that's all that matters. Most teachers I've had have been married or dating or engaged or pregnant.

[Koharuchan]

My hometown was very intolerant. I grew up in a city, and particularly at my middle school they were fond of calling me gay, even though I am straight. Girls would steer clear in the locker room, saying "Stay away from her, she's a faggot!" And people would sometimes beat me up and call me an ugly gay whore, which again made no sense because I couldn't be a whore because nobody liked me so I had no intimate relationships. There wasn't a single gay person in the school, or so you'd think. I'm willing to bet anything that there were plenty of gays there who were in the closet because nobody there accepted it. I moved out to the country, way down south with corn and cotton fields, pastures, cows and horses, a few confederate flags (Not out of racism, I assure you) and lots of forest. It's usually a big stereotype that southern people hate gays, but it really isn't true. The people out here are very accepting and understanding, and I like it a lot here. I do have one friend that is against homosexuality (she's super devout Christian) and I've had some really savage fights with her over gay rights before, but we still get along well enough. I personally am a gay rights activist, so I don't tolerate people making fun of gays or saying it's wrong. So in my hometown, yes, severe homophobia. Out here, it's very nice and people accept each other.

[George^^]

That's horrible, and kind of well, wrong. I hate when people pick on others for being gay when, hello, usually they aren't. Except sometimes they are, my friend is known as the lesbian of 7th grade, and she's not even a lesbian (she's bisexual... but I think they know that now.)

Anyways, it's good that their not as bad except that one person, but hey, you can't open everyone's minds, as long as your not screaming god hates gays at me, your opinion is fine.