Posted by That Kid with the Helmet at ac9c11a6.ipt.aol.com on August 03, 2001 at 02:08:53:
In Reply to: GLADD tidings posted by njguymike on August 02, 2001 at 23:48:38:
I really have to take issue with some of your comments.
: But, Kevin, as a straight man, have never had to deal with anyone hassling you, putting you down, making fun of your sexuality, and have never had to live in fear of extreme personal violence, all just because you are "straight."
For one thing, I may be straight, but over the course of my life I *have* had to deal with people hassling me, putting me down, and even occasional threats of "extreme personal violence" for reasons that have nothing to do with my sexual orientation or anyone else's.
Also, I've actually been harassed under various circumstances by people who *incorrectly* believed that I was gay. When I was in high school, I was dogged by rumors that I was not only gay, but in love with this one guy that I actually couldn't stand. To make matters worse, there were these two skinheads at my school who were constantly pestering me about allegedly being a "faggot" and threatening to kick my ass for the same reason. (And you know what? Those fucked-up kids didn't need Kevin Smith movies to inspire their hatred.)
:BUT AS A STRAIGHT GUY WITH A WIFE AND KID YOU DONT HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT!but see the potential damage of your fag jokes because there are a lot of boneheads in New Jersey and a lot of boneheads go see your movies. If Merchant-Ivory were to put in a fag joke in one of their films, it would be a different audience, one that wouldn't be as effected by it.
Once again, you're making quite a number of unfair generalizations. How does this set *you* apart from people who perpetuate stereotypes about gay people because "they're all like that"?