WMST/CMST 419

For non LGBTQ members of this class, I just wanted to share this video with you. This is an an interview with Dan Savage, whom is  both a famous sex columnist and a gay man. He talks about the worst advice he has ever given and the repercussions of that advice. In this instance he advised a 15 yr old boy to come out. He mentions a few details as why some people feel they should come out and some things that often tend to happen whether  person comes out or not.

A lot of people, who aren’t LGBTQ take the stance that person has the choice to come out and that they don’t have to. That is both true and wrong. its true because we all have that choice. However, from my own experience, I felt like i was living a lie and I really was. I felt like I needed to reveal that part of me. Coming out is only an issue because people make it an issue. If our society did not put so much emphasis on gender roles and homophobic ideals, nobody would have to come out as anything, because it would not be an issue that anybody had to really acknowledge. With the exception of transgender and third gender people whom should be supported. As again their gender is not a choice, with the exception with the gender they feel most comfortable with identifying themselves with and choose to display themselves as. In which case, they deserve our compassion and understanding. If all the students in our country, whom take classes like ours, took what they learned and adapted to their lives, I really believe our society could change for the better in so many ways. This isn’t a drastic change, simply showing respect and acceptance (not the same as tolerance), really isn’t that difficult. To put it in perspective, again for non LGBTQ people or allies, you don’t know if a neighbor, a friend, a sibling, one of your parents, cousins, your even one of your (future), children may be LGBTQ, your possible intolerant or homophobic/transphobic, views and ideals may seriously hurt someone you care about, whether you know it or not. A good general rule of thumb is to have respect for all people.

“Coming Out” “The worst advice Dan Savage ever gave”