Can someone please tell me what a gay lifestyle is? I do not live a "gay lifestyle"; I live my life. Just as there is no straight lifestyle, there is no gay lifestyle. To say that there is a gay lifestyle is to state that we all do the same thing; or that every gay person and every gay couple have exactly the same wants, needs and desires. This is not true for non-gay population, why then is this true for gay population?
What the term "gay lifestyle" is a polite hidden form of discrimination created by the Christian Right. They typically use the term "homosexual lifestyle". The Media being more politically correct picked up the term and used it thinking it was a polite way to speak of the gay population as a single entity.
The Religious Rights uses the Term "homosexual Lifestyle" to create an image that forces the listeners to focus on the sexual aspect of a relationship. They say a homoSEXUAL lifestyle, with a strong emphasis on the sexual syllable. But when forced to explain what a gay lifestyle is they will either dance around the term, or boldly state that it is nothing but alcohol, drugs, wild orgies and vile fortification, were gay men regularly have multiple partners, practice unsafe sex, and include animals and children in their sexual acts. THIS IS NOT TRUE. It is not true for me or any gay people I know. Just like the non-gay population I am certain that the gay population does have people who do have many partners, and do enjoy what would be considered a rather kinky sexual life. Sadly, some gay individuals do sexually attack children. However, the records show that most sexual attacks (over 99% of all attacks) are conducted by men who are not gay.
Nearly every gay person I know lives a life filled with the same struggles as my non-gay friends and family. We have the same concerns, the same dreams, and same fears of the non-gay population. We do have a few of our own fears that are unique to the gay population. However, as each of us grows in life we try to overcome the fears and develop into a beautiful human being, capable of caring and loving one another. What the Christian Right overlooks is the fact that we LOVE. We are in committed relationships. The best statistics are showing that the average length of a committed gay relationship is now longer then the average non-gay marriage
Like the non-gay population, the gay population does have it bar scene and party scene. However, to say that they are any more a meat market then the party or bar scene of the non-gay community is foolish, and shows a lack of honest thought. What occurs in one occurs in the other. Both are filled with elements that I would say lack personal control and limits when dealing with issue of drinking, illegal drugs, and sex. However, to continually highlight the gay population's party and bar scene, with most often the kinkiest aspects of the scenes being displayed, as the mainstream is a dishonest ploy by the Christian Right. It is equally dishonest of them to ignore the same eliminates within the non-gay population when comparing the two populations as a whole.
The term "Gay Lifestyle" is an attack on my person by a scared group of zealots who refuse to sit down and speak about a topic they know little about. I do not live a gay lifestyle. . .I live my life.
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