well, since IP has decided that the other gay people on this forum aren't worthy of discussing the issue here, I'll just go and discuss it your forum kizzume.

when every one of your insults involves using a negative gay stereotype, that is gay bashing

I thought you were supposed to be so bright

I guess I just don't see where you're coming from on that. Possibly it varies from person to person, depending upon what type of people they hang out with.
Most of my gay male friends cannot accurately be described as "swish-your-hands-feminine".
People can see that element at gay pride parades, but looking at the REST of the crowd you'll see that the vast majority of the rest of the crowd are nothing like that.

And as for the "HAVE to accept me or you're just a bigot"?
Quite frankly, I hear more COMPLAINTS about it than I see actual examples of it.
Over and over and over again I hear that complaint, but in being on a variety of boards there are only a few who would fit that category.

For the most part, it's not about "acceptance".
It's about equal rights.
It's about combatting people who would stereo-type the entire group of gay men, or gay women as being a certain way.
It's about correcting the lies and obfuscation that some people throw out there to help them pretend that they have a reason to be against gays or gay rights.
It's about getting the record straight.

If people are going to dislike or hate me, they should KNOW what they are hating instead of being against some made-up boogay-man that they think I am.

I'll never forget being kicked out of an act up meeting and also a pride parade planning meeting--I got kicked out of the Act Up meeting for asking why they wanted to wear outlandish outfits when they're trying to prove they're like everyone else, and I got kicked out of a pride parade meeting for suggesting that they stop bickering about the long name and just call it a sexual openness parade. Both situations ended the same--with people chanting "You're just a bigot. Bigot! Bigot!"

The gay community has almost put me back in the closet 3 times. I'm 34 and I've been out of the closet since I was 17. I'm scared of being labeled as superficial, bitchy, or any of the things that people stereotype gay men as. People will write someone off instantly if they feel that someone has any of those attributes, and I prefer people to take me seriously. Yes, what I'm saying is harsh, but it's reality.

Most people don't take swishy bitchy men seriously.

As far as "you have to accept me", I've personally KNOWN 6 people that act that way. But I also know a number of people who actually think that Air America is fair and balanced.

I wish the gay community would do something to try to combat these bad stereotypes, but it's not going to happen. The community EMBRACES the stereotypes, because if you don't embrace those stereotypes, you're considered a bigot.

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If you think that's gay bashing then you are a hell of a lot more prissy than I thought you were.

Who called it? You are so predictable in your erratic PMS'ing.

whatever, IP

I'm not going to continue

go ahead - say something nasty and get in the last word - then you can pretend that you really told me off good

Yup...

I'm surprised the gay community does not CONDEMN shows with gay characters that are "over the top"...

Will & Grace's "best" character in the eyes of both the gay & straight community was that Hayes guy, and he was so stereotypical I'm surprised they didn't have him sucking a popscicle throughout the show...

Look at "Queer Eye"...the most popular guy was also the "gayest"...

And there ain't a dance, fashion, or model show on without Antoine telling women what to wear or how to walk while talking with "such a fabulous!" lisp...

What IP & you seem to be saying is "Gays aren't all like that"...

Unfortunately, you're being drowned out...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

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Jesus Was A Liberal

If a certain course of action makes the mouth-breathers furious, then that’s a good policy. – The Practical Environmentalist

I believe the gay community needs to embrace ALL the people within it. And that INCLUDES the drag queens, bitches and leather-and-cowboy drag crowds. They are a part of the community and living their lives as they see fit - as long as they're not hurting anybody else, I'm on their side.

The problem with MOST of us - the ordinary, average, normal, non-stereotype gay men - are not the kind of men they are going to make tv sitcoms about. Just as I have yet to see a tv sitcom that was about my mother - she's not a redneck Roseanne and she's not a single hottie in heat Christine. There's nothing to laugh at.

Why are we surprised that they don't write tv shows with US as the protagonists? How many of our brothers and sisters see themselves on tv either? TV shows - ESPECIALLY sitcoms are about extremes.

And face it - even the gay community who is AGAINST that kind of behaviour is the worst at perpetuating the stereotype. On this thread alone, a gay man has told me I put my hands on my hips, that I flounced, that gay people were part of the "Pink Posse" or "Magenta Mafia," that I had PMS, etc. etc. etc. In other words, PERPETUATING the flamboyant and/or feminine stereotype he seems to object to so terribly much.

By the way, the shows which have had ordinary, every-day people who just happened to be gay ("Six Feet Under," "Queer As Folk," etc. etc.), it was still the flamboyant characters that people WANT to see. The "normal" gay people are simply not as popular.