If someone uses 'gay' as a perjorative, I tend to crack a joke literalising whatever they said as referring to homosexuality as a way of letting them know that I disapprove. But mainly that I disapprove that 'gay' is such a lazy term to use when the English language has such a rich variety of insults.
For most other types of bigotry, (which I admittedly haven't seen very much) I generally try to confront the person and demand them to justify whatever they said. The only problem is that I find it really difficult to remain calm and debate rationally in that sort of situation
:
But it's the trying that's important.
It's also the letting them know where you stand on the issue.
|
Yes, with one further point: It's letting them know that not everyone agrees with them. Intolerance thrives in isolation.
:
It was a terribly confusing post from me, my bad. I meant I dont think my friends would be accepting of my sexuality. I have body image issues, I hate the way I look, I have anxiety and depression as a result of it. In my opinion, being gay is hard enough for some ppl to accept, but being ugly AND gay would just 'disgust' ppl more. It's for this reason why I say I don't think my friends would be very accepting. I can't even accept myself, that's a big problem too.
|
I can relate to what you're saying. With hindsight, I can see that when I was younger I was influenced by a perception (from tv, movies and porn) that gay people were all super-attractive, hard living, drug-taking, clubbing, camp-talking sexaholics with excellent fashion sense, and I really couldn't see how I fit in. It was only once I came out and met other gay people, that I realised that gay people are, in the end, people. Just like everyone else.