@darji:
I'm gay, and I mostly agree with what you've been saying, and it seems like you aren't coming from a place of intolerance. Just wanted to put that out there. Just because I think Nathan Fillion is smoking hot doesn't mean I need to be kept away from those damned straights, either for protection or comfort.
At the end of the day, these kinds of issues tend to be issues rather than being a smaller set of problems with solutions.
@darji said:
Ok a very serious question. Why do we need something like that? A save environment for the LGBT community? Can't they go to normal conventions? Why is this special? Are they showing only games for gay people?
But yeah I guess it is fine when you do not want equality but rather special.
They need a safe place because the gamer community contains within it a hostile, festering shitpile of homophobia and transphobia.
Your complaint sounds like my racist uncle bitching about the existence of Black History Month and Black Entertainment Television.
I'm gay, and one of my closest friends is gay. We've gone to PAX every year together since 2008. I've never once even experienced someone else being targeted because of their orientation. And I think personally this thing just draws attention to the differences between straight people and gay people, which is, in my opinion, as a gay person who has an actual opinion on this thing because of personal experiences, a bad thing.
I think people making it out like they can't go to conventions because of homophobia are hindering the cause more than helping it. But if they really want to, let them. Personally, I think gays should stop trying to seek out safety and just live their life honestly, openly, and regardless of the assholes.
But I'm just one guy. My experience is different from a lot of homosexuals. For one, I live in an area (Seattle) that is very friendly to the LGBT community. For another, I'm not what you'd call a stereotype. In fact, last year I was walking around PAX in my poolee shirt and Corps baseball cap. I've grown up in a way that means I don't really care about slurs, though I encourage people not to use them. I'm just not crushed when someone calls me a slur.
But I never once saw or heard anyone being abused for being gay at PAX. It's a pretty safe environment. I think the worst I've experienced was some kid saying something was "gay." Someone asked him not to use that word, and he just apologized and continued his conversation. I can't say that is the experience everyone has had, but it's the experience I've had, and I've had pro-homosexual "merch" or whatever on like a shirt or bandana on a couple of the days, and openly discussed attractive male folks at PAX. Never once had a run in.
It's honestly a really shitty argument, and I don't think you or darji are inherently right. On the one hand, it's their right to seek out a place they feel "safe," if they do not feel safe in the existing venues. On the other, a lot of demographics, homosexuals included, often do pull the victim card, and that's unfortunate because it doesn't help but simply holds us all back. Much like when people try to make a murder of a minority by another minority into fuckin' white vs black race card bullshit when it should just be the justice system doing it's job.
I don't think your attitude is particularly helpful though. Being an ass to someone because they suggest that we need to move past having "safe places" for minorities or celebrating minorities as if they are somehow different and need to be "celebrated." As a gay guy, I just want to be treated the same. I want to be able to serve my country, marry whoever I want, and go to conventions. And I want to be able to say "nope, not a victim." And I'd like to see every other homosexual in the same position. Right now, I have most of those things, and feeling safe at a convention is one of them. Assuming you don't make an ass out of yourself and dress up like a "sexy Disney princess" and have rainbow feathers and go around shouting "I'M GAY, HOORAY!" you should be plenty safe at a convention like PAX. And if you go around acting like that (see: a tool, just as you would be if you went around acting that way for being anything else), you will probably won't be abused or assaulted. At worst, you might be offended. Which happens to everyone for all kinds of dumb reasons.
Unfortunately, not everyone is as resilient as I am, and if they really feel unsafe at conventions, then I suppose there is a place for this one. Until a bunch of douches come around to protest or something.
I hope Darji is coming from an understanding and tolerant position, and I urge people not to treat people who share that sentiment like they are assholes just because they have a different but not exactly opposing opinion to the LGBT cause. Much like I was disappointed with how people (many of whom I suspect were speaking in defense of homosexuals rather than in defense of a lifestyle they actually live) reacted to the recent Penny Arcade thing, I'm disappointed at people shitting on someone for having a moderate position on an issue. You can be supportive of something without just saying 'GIVE THEM WHATEVER THEY WANT.'
But again, I'm a different case than probably most. Still, lets not just call someone a homophobe because they don't see the need for what is undeniably segregation. Not that it's wrong, just that it is clearly intended to separate demographics. And it's not unreasonable to say "hey, that's not the optimal situation."
And ultimately, having some balls and just standing up for what you believe in is often the best solution, instead of trying to seek out refuge away from the harshness of the world. Sometimes that is the only option you have, but when the most you have to fear are a few words, I believe it's important that gays stand up for themselves and learn to deal with people not liking them. They won't change everyone's mind, and it's good to have faith and love for yourself no matter what others say.
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