Gat Culture.

[MWB]

Why is there a gay culture? What does there need to be one for?
You're gay - so?

[sara3]

start with the basics...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture

[MWB]

Sara3.

Yeah, I read the link. So?

[sara3]

everyone is entitled to their culture and to celebrate it, and the rest of us should respect that.

diversity and equality.......

[MWB]

Oh, I understand that, sara3, & rightly so.

But why does there need to be a gay culture?

You're gay - so?

It's like me saying I love ice cream. Do we ice cream lovers need a culture?

[sara3]

well a) I'm not actually gay and b) loving ice-cream isn't really a way of life.

there are conventions for people like train-spotters, star-trek fans etc. I don't understand it, but good for them.. so long as it doesn't infringe on my life. I'm sure if you were obsessive about ice-cream you could track down others to create a group of sorts. bless the internet!

each to their own, and all that.

[MWB]

Agreed sara3.

I'm hetrosexual. It's not my "way" of life, it's just me.

Still.................................. You're gay - so?

[Lakitu]

Your hetrosexuality is your way of life, MWB.

[sara3]

well you're obviously out to stir something up.. I've had my say so I'll be off!

parting shot - I would suggest that a gay person would say, "it's just me" too.

[MWB]

Lakitu, I disagree. It isn't my way of life. It's just little ole me. I didn't need or have to think about it, or join a club or study up on it.
And sara3. No, I'm not trying to stir things up. And yes, some people i know, who just happen to be gay, say it's just them too. They don't make a big deal, "culture" about it.

[Lakitu]

But as Sara says, anyone who's gay doesn't think themselves as anyone but them either.

None of my gay friends had to study it (would that give them a DipGay??) or have joined a club :o/

[flip_flop]

I can kinda see where MWB is coming from - its like the poofs on parage marches they have: why? what is the point?

A bunch of like-minded individuals who prefer their own sex to the opposite sex feel the need to prance up and down the high street proclaiming very loudly and colourfully, we are gay and proud.

We good for you - but is there really a need for a march?

I find it very bizarre behaviour.

[flip_flop]

spelling - 'parade'

[flip_flop]

'Well good for you'

I hate it when that happens - I really must read the post before hitting the submit button.

[Lakitu]

LOL @ flip_flop!

[jake-the-peg]

Any group of people has a culture - it's a common way of doing things, knowledge, values etc.

There's a company culture in most places of work

There's a scientific culture in areas.

Heck there's even an answerbank culture

Nobody sat down and invented Gay culture, it's simply a bunch of things that are common to many Gay people

[jake-the-peg]

Why parade it though?

Probably because they had so many years of having to hide it, being arrested for things they did in their own homes.

Great British people as diverse as Oscar Wilde and Alan Turing suffered appallingly and died because of it.

They probably feel that not having to hide it is worth celebrating

I think they're probably right

[123everton]

Birds of a feather flock together.

[HatlessJack]

After hiding away for so long, it's good to be able to stumble into the light and make connections with people who have experienced the same sort of issues and problems across the centuries and across the globe............

And as for gay pride marches/parades.............historically it was the only time I could walk down the main street in any given city holding my partners hand and feel that I wouldn't get the use verbal abuse or my head kicked in.

Because the world is a hetero-sexual construct. you don't have to think deeply about how you speak, conduct yourself, what resources are available to you, what your personal rights and responsibilities entitle you to............it is only when you consider 'the other side' that your conscious throws up these questions.

[legendis.god]

wasnt oscar wilde born in dublin?

hence making him an irish gay not british?

[legendis.god]

http://www.irelandseye.com/irish/people/famous /owilde.shtm


idid think when id been in dublin , where ive been many times , that i hhad sen a plaque on a house saying oscar wilde either lived or was born there.



did that help ?