:: Closing Time ::

:: Saturday, October 19, 2002 ::

It's been a long time.... but I'm going to talk to a couple of people right now. First and foremost, Peter Hill.

I guess I could have written this blog a long time ago - when you first made the statement I'm about to critique. But I was trying to give you time to follow up, to explain, to clarify. Maybe even retract. And you didn't. So here I go.

For those unaware, Jack asked Peter honestly what the point of a National Coming Out Day was since it made people who were already uncomfortable with gays have it shoved in their faces for a day en masse. Which might cause them to lash out a the large/frightening group of people suddenly before them. Peter, your response:

"I know there's an answer. because there a big hole in that argument--people who are frightened by gays need to change their views, and need to see how many gay people there actually are around them."

I italicized the word in there - he didn't. Because I want to make a huge point about that word. Pete, there you go again. It's the same Josh Blodgett issue. It's the issue where you've lost sight of the fact that people of differing opinions are as entitled to them as you are, and more importantly as fundamentally sure of them as you are. Take it from somebody who is suddenly in a place where gay is a derrogatory adjective again - very few people in Wellesley do that, but everyone does here. Which ISN'T HELPED by the posters put up by our gay/straight organization, GWPride, saying "Something QUEER is going on" every-fucking-where. People don't like having shit shoved in their faces - I personally feel that's the wrong fucking way to go about it. Shit. I don't give a fuck WHAT your sexual orientation is, but if I feel you're shoving your goddamn HAIR COLOR in my face I'm gonna be bothered by it. Because shit like that loses the fundamental point gay/straight groups are supposedly trying to make. I don't put up posters about being straight - gays are NOT more important. You talk about misunderstanding, about people needing to learn, well the only way people are going to get used to treating gays as regular people is if you STOP making a fucking scene out of yourselves by saying shit like "people NEED to change their views." People don't like being told their opinions are wrong, and with good reason - by defintion, opinions are just that. Your opinion, no matter what it is, no matter what it's about, is no more correct than mine, or anyone else's. Stop trying to force what you believe in on other people, and you'll be more successful. And less offensive. I honestly hear as many if not more people here complaining about Pride's posters than about gays themselves.

I had more to say - but it feels less important than what I just wrote.
:: Peter 12:59 PM [+] ::
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