a letter about labels
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| © by the author |
Hello world.
Disclaimer: I’m using “gay” in this example
to make it easier to understand. It is not limited to this sexuality, it can be
transferred to everything on the LGBTQAP+ spectrum.
“Why do gay people so often write about
their sexuality or wear t-shirts? Why is it so important to them? Why do they
keep putting it in Twitter bios or mentioning it online or offline?”
If you have ever said this to anyone you
are most likely a straight person. And guess what. The world revolves around
you. You are the norm. Heteronormativity means that everyone is heterosexual by
default until proven otherwise.
So why do gay people do these things? Why
do they take pride in their sexuality even though it is “nothing they can
change”?
They do it, because in most of their
personal and professional environment they are ignored. Being heterosexual is
the norm, the socially acceptable standard. So if you’re gay, you always need
to fight for your space. Fight for your voice. Fight for people’s understanding
and acceptance of your sexuality.
Do you know how hard it is if almost
everyone around you is straight? Gay people need people of their own sexuality
to talk to, to share experiences with. Because there are experiences that ONLY
gay people have that no straight person could ever understand.
So why do people dedicate a Tumblr blog to
their sexuality? Maybe because in almost every other part of their life and as
soon as they leave the computer, it’s heterosexuality and nothing else. Their
sexuality is important to them because they have to defend it on a daily basis.
Because they are laughed at, ridiculed, harassed and much worse.
Why do people write it in their Twitter
bios? Maybe because they want to avoid homophobic followers from the start. For
many people their online activities are a safe space. So by putting this
information out there they are automatically making sure they know whether
people accept them or not.
If you have ever said “Sexuality shouldn’t
matter” then you’re probably straight. Because to YOU it doesn’t matter because
every little thing in society caters your sexuality. For many people it is
important to have a label, to have a word that describes how they feel and it
is damn important to them. By saying “It shouldn’t matter and we’re all the
same” you’re basically supporting the power dynamics of inequality between
heterosexuality and other sexualities.
Don’t tell gay people to shut up about
their sexuality. Don’t question their pride and don’t silence their voice.
Listen and do your best to fight against heteronormativity.
Yours sincerely,
An angry gay woman
_________________________________________________________________________
there will be some blog posts about sexuality, gender (and everything you want to read or write about) in terms of this topics in the following week -
I'll try my best to write something about it, but i'm the jon snow of sexual orientation and gender issues, so please, if you are interested in writing about it or know things the world should know, contact me via facebook or twitter or in the comments and you can give your words a place to be heared and (almost) every opinion will get published \o/
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