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Pen Points
Letters to Gay Today |
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Concern for Dr. Asshole?
She deserves to be called "Doctor" as much as, and if anything more so than, a medical "doctor," whose academic degree is what some people regard as a glorified trade school certificate, but still respect their earned title. In other words, hate the woman, not her doctorate. Although medical doctors are a type of doctor that people are familiar with and often respect, I'm sure you do not wish to insult and marginalize people who earn doctorates in other fields and are therefore "different."
Sincerely,
The Arts and the Stereotypes
Clearly not ALL gay people are artistic or work in the arts industry. I mean, there are gay people in all walks of life, doing all sorts of jobs for all different sorts of people all over the world. So let's just assume I'm generalizing here, but with the presumption that it IS just a generalization and doesn't by any means encompass all gay people.
Still, my question remains, why is it that it seems like many of the most talented artistic geniuses are gay? Or coming from it at an opposite angle, why does it seem like many gay people end up being extremely talented in the artistic field? Many of the world's greatest classical composers, from Beethoven to Tchaikovsky were gay... as have been actors, fashion designers, writers, dramatists, choreographers, movie directors, song writers, and probably a hundred other fields I can't think of at the moment. Have there ever been studies done to compare homosexual intelligence... or brains... or thought processes to that of a heterosexual brain? I don't mean to imply that somehow gay people are BETTER than straight people, or more talented, or more intelligent or anything like that. But it is interesting to me that some of the greatest artistic minds have been gay. There's always the stereotype that gay people go into hair, makeup, costuming or interior decorating and to some extent these stereotypes are completely bogus. But is there something to the idea that gay people inherit something aside from an attration to the same sex? Perhaps some mental capacity to have a greater appreciation and talent for artistic areas? Or something else?
Joshua Tampa Tribune Tripe
In the January 28th issue of the Tampa Tribune 'Friday Extra' readers were presented with the deeply offensive and bigoted message - "Tired of being Gay?". The advertisement went on to announce an upcoming national seminar aimed at "Curing" gay people - the seminar is cynically titled "Love Won Out". Make no mistake, this seminar is a direct attack on the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community and is an affront to anyone who believes in fairness, who embraces diversity, and who does not believe in discrimination. Freedom of speech is a cherished democratic value. While we would not curb anyone's rights we will not allow this attack on our safety, our humanity and our dignity to go unchallenged. Imagine the rightful outcry if similar ads ran targeting other communities, perhaps religious or ethnic minorities. Action Items Please call the Tampa Tribune and ask whether they would run so casually such an ad aimed at other groups that the far right has targeted for "conversion". Tampa Tribune Advertising Department-813-259-7455 Tampa Tribune Newsroom 813-259-7600 And write a letter to the Editor challenging these so-called ex-gay organizations who prey on the gay community and exploit the damage done by homophobia for their own political gain. Tell your story and get two friends to do the same. Via email: tribletters@tampatrib.com We are planning a Rally/Town hall meeting in the next few weeks and need volunteers to help put the event together. If you want to help and have not already volunteered, please email eqfl@eqfl.org or call our offices at 813-417-1456. To reach the Focus on the Family's anti-gay conference, call 877-787-9961. If you do call, we encourage everyone to be constructive and not meet their hatred with hatred. Instead let's channel our energy into educating others, activating our allies and organizing ourselves. Background: Talking Points Most mainstream religious leaders and religious organizations in the US including the Roman Catholic Church, the National Council of Churches, the United Methodist Church, the American Jewish Congress, do not share the views of the ex-gay movement. The ex-gay movement provides political cover for a significant new phase in the Christian Right's long-running and anti-gay campaign. The ex-gay movement is potent tool for undermining the rationale for recognizing lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender equal rights. Emotion Abuse, Psychological Terrorism
In response to the aggressive marketing of reparative and conversion therapy to both the public and the psychotherapy profession, the American Psychological Association (APA) in August 1997, reiterated its long-standing official position that homosexuality and bisexuality are not mental disorders and therefore do not require treatment. In fact, the APA has characterized the ex-gay groups techniques as harmful and destructive. Through their well-publicized proclamations on the subject, the leaders of the ex-gay ministries and their Christian Right partners have tried to create the impression that their abhorrence of homosexuality and equal rights on religious grounds is widely shared by other Americans of faith. This is NOT the case. Just as the ex-gay movement's methodology and data are rejected by professional organizations of psychologists and psychiatrists, key theological premises they espouse are rejected in mainstream religious communities. The purpose of these ex-gay groups is to create a vehicle to undermine efforts to establish equal rights regardless of sexual orientation. Equality Florida |
Dr. Laura: Caught in an immoral pose or performing a self-physical? 
The anti-gay group the Family, aided by the Tampa Tribune have launched
their latest attack on our community.
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