Bisexuality, Common Sense, and Cute Bisexual Dolphins

Here’s the bad news: there’s been some serious biphobia stirring in the gay community. Let me repeat, the gay community. Not like it’s okay for straight people to hate bisexuals, but I find it ironic that those who suffer prejudice due to their sexualities would perpetuate the cycle further. It’s similar to how I find it strange when black people condemn homosexuality using biblical arguments, when those same arguments kept them from getting married (and kept them enslaved) not too many years ago.

Dan Savage, a leader in the gay community, cast doubt on the authenticity of those who declare themselves bisexual. Glee, a popular musical comedy well-known for its support of gay rights, sends negative messages regarding bisexuality on several occasions. No one is perfect and even those who preach tolerance make mistakes, but if these paragons of acceptance diss bisexuality, who knows how many people will follow in their footsteps?

Let me tell you a secret.

High School Senior Jacob Rudolph Comes Out: Do I Care?

Screenshot via the video Jonathan Rudolph posted on Youtube (link in post.)

If this happened in my high school, I’d probably politely clap and continue reading my novel observing the award ceremony.

No, really. The Yahoo! article about Mr. Jacob Rudolph reminds me of that article I read about the professional bowler who kissed his husband. There are more important happenings in our country and in the world – Morocco’s adjustment of its rape marriage law, North Korea’s promise to nuke the United States, and the horrible living conditions in Mali to name a few. I think that most of us can agree that there are bigger events that deserve the media’s attention, widespread occurrences that directly affect a larger amount of people.

But keep in mind that gays have gone through so much.

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

Cover via Goodreads.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

A beautiful, haunting book about a man who moves to Paris to find himself – only to fall in love with a man and lose himself even more.

Heteronormativity: I Kissed A Girl, Didn’t Like It So Much…

I remember sitting after school with a female friend of mine. I was helping her with some trigonometry homework and decided to bring up another problem – one unrelated to the unit circle and pi.

“So, comparative government has been kind of crazy lately, don’t you think?” I asked, turning to look at her.

“Yeah, with the election and everything everyone’s been kind of politically charged,” she replied.

I ventured on, “Do you mind if I ask for your opinion on a couple of risque subjects?”

She put down her pencil and said, “Sure, no problem.”

Let me make myself clear – I’m not the type of guy who makes assumptions without evidence. But, to put it bluntly, I thought that maybe – maybe – this female friend of mine might have had a teeny crush on me. Me, as in, a homosexual. From inviting me to Homecoming, to casually consistent brushes and touches, to other questionable remarks, the evidence added up. I wasn’t sure, and I’m still not sure, but after months of waiting I wanted to establish the firm boundary of friendship before things got ugly.

“What do you think of abortion?” I asked.

Unpopular Opinion: Incest Isn’t Wrong

I don’t mention it often on this blog, but I have a brother. The thought of having any sort of bond with him besides a brotherly one disturbs me – I would rather watch a kitten get shot. Okay, maybe not the most pleasant hypothetical situation, but I think you get my point.

Here’s a question I’ve thought about ever since reading Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma: is consensual incest between adults wrong? I understand that genetically it can lead to abnormalities and illnesses, and I’m confident that no one would wish any harm upon his or her child. But we allow people who have a higher probability of producing children with birth defects to reproduce, so logically, why are we banning brothers and sisters from doing so?

Furthermore, as a firm supporter of interracial relationships and homosexual equality, I find it hypocritical to condemn two consenting adults for loving one another.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

Cover via Goodreads.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

Even though she’s a lesbian, I probably wouldn’t have wanted to be friends with Cameron Post in real life. Not like I give friendship preference to homosexuals, but seriously – she does weed and she shoplifts. Keep in mind that the thought of getting a tattoo scares me.

I sympathized with her quickly, though. When her parents die in a car accident, Cameron’s first thought isn’t horror, or denial, or anger. It’s relief. Relief that they would never know she had just kissed a girl a few hours earlier. As a result of the accident Cam moves in with her conservative, super religious Aunt Ruth along with her grandmother. Life floats by smoothly enough in her small Southern town until Cam meets Coley Taylor, a fierce, beautiful, and supposedly straight cowgirl. Cam’s friendship with Coley develops into something intense and unexpected, something that could leave room for more. But when Aunt Ruth finds out about Cam and her “homosexual tendencies”, she sends her away and forces her to find out who she really is – and to confront the demons of her past and her future.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is unlike any book I’ve read before.

Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner (AKA, Something Stupid Religious Homophobes Say)

I’m Asian. Do you know what would really suck? If someone came up to me and said, “Yeah, I think being Asian will cause you to go to hell and that you’re committing a sin that will send your soul to eternal damnation. But, I still like you as a person though!”

Good thing that’s never happened to me.

Oh wait. It has. Sort of.

Hypocrisy at its finest. Image via bp.blogspot.com.

I like to think that I know the intent of the phrase “hate the sin, love the sinner.” It’s saying that people should forgive those who eat in excess or those who commit other sins that can be reformed – we have the right to be angry with the actions they’re taking, but we should still love the people and help them prosper and progress. Yes, you should hate the sick things sex addicts do, but should still love the sex addict as an individual and attempt to get him aid.

However, when it comes to homosexuality, this is a phrase that is often used by conservatives/religious people to try to mitigate the harshness of their hate.

The New Normal Episode Review: “Pardon Me”

Wonderful precocious wisdom from Shania! Image via The New Normal.

Second post of the day! In yesterday’s episode of The New Normal, “Pardon Me” (season 1, episode 9) Bryan and David decided to revamp their Thanksgiving tradition of getting away from home – instead, they invited their close friends and family members to partake in a delicious, vegetarian feast. Things got a little rough when old tensions surfaced and new ones formed.

I haven’t written a review for a television episode in years, so I’ll keep it simple by separating my thoughts into three categories: plot, characterization, and themes. I have no experience in screenwriting or creating television shows, so please take this as a literal “review” – just me going over what I thought went on in the episode, focusing on things I loved, liked, or didn’t exactly appreciate. Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments, and I included a small quote section at the bottom!

Flamingly Feminine and Unapologetically Gay

I hold the phone with my right hand, and grasp the cool, smooth surface of the bathroom sink with my left.

“They said what?” I whisper.

“She said you’re the gayest guy in our grade,” my friend says, “he just agreed – he didn’t say anything.”

“What?” I say, even though I heard her clearly. I just don’t want to believe it.

“It was on the back of the bus,” she says, “I sat there and listened to them.”

“Oh,” I say. As a fourteen-year-old, I don’t want my friend to think I care about what my classmates think about me. But curiosity quickly kills my desire to play it cool.

Gay Rights and the Big Picture

I am aware that this tweet was taken before the election, it’s great that President Obama won!

Lately, I’ve heard a lot of people say that gay rights isn’t a “big picture” issue. They say that things like the economy or foreign affairs matters more, and that being gay only affects a limited amount of people – so, it should be shoved aside until our country can resolve other problems.

I understand that people have priorities and certain things that affect them. Everyone is supposed to care about different subjects, and people are supposed to disagree, otherwise, nothing new would arise. I understand that money has a huge effect on our country’s prosperity and its overall position in the world – it’s truly unfortunate that so many people are struggling to make ends meet.

But I do not understand how anyone can assume that gay rights isn’t a key part of the big picture.