Issues besides marriage still important to gay community
(Last updated: 10/27/08 7:07pm)In Zack Colman’s report on gay rights (Gay rights not high on candidates’ 2008 agenda, SN 10/27), it is rather queerious that the only thing that seems to be of importance in the struggle for gay rights is marriage. The piece made it seem like marriage, in fact, is the only thing “gays” are concerned about because the “pressing needs (that) lie in the economy, the war in Iraq and the energy crisis” apparently have no impact on the “gay community.”
What is this fascination with “gay marriage” and why is the question never asked as to why the government (at any level) has the ability to legitimate or de-legitimate relationships? Should not every person be given the plethora of benefits that are currently only provided to a certain type of relationship — that of the supposed monogamous heterosexual couple? Simply adding that part of the gay community seeks marriage does not address the problems with marriage and its exclusive nature or any of the other issues of concern to the various parts of the gay community.
But my purpose is not to get into the marriage debate. My purpose is to ask if the candidates do address other issues beyond marriage that impact the gay community. What are the candidates positions on the funding of research, programs and education around issues of HIV/AIDS? What about federal nondiscrimination in employment and housing or the needs of homeless queer youth? How are these issues, beyond marriage, being addressed by the candidate’s agendas and what is lost by occluding them by focusing on the candidate’s agendas on marriage?
Adam Greteman
third-year education doctoral student
Originally Published: 10/27/08 6:47pm
Here's A Question...
10/27/08 7:43pm“What are the candidates positions on the funding of research, programs and education around issues of HIV/AIDS? What about federal nondiscrimination in employment and housing or the needs of homeless…youth?”
My question: why make these gay rights issues? Aren’t they human rights issue period?
Justin Lippi
10/28/08 9:54amTHANK YOU!
Matthew
10/28/08 10:36amHere’s an answer: he is asking for a discussion of issues that affect the gay community. Issues that are important to the LGBT voters. This doesn’t make them “gay” issues. I’m Catholic and care about potential SCOTUS appointments. That doesn’t make the Supreme Court a Catholic issue.
Here's A Question
10/28/08 11:30amMatthew, the point I am trying to making is why break down issue to those concerning LGBTs, Catholics, Muslim, Jewish, Black, White, Left and Right? The issues Adam touched upon should concern all Americans regardless of race, religion and sexual orientation.
Adam Greteman
10/28/08 4:07pmThey are human rights issues…but the way in which the “gay rights movement” has positioned certain issues is the issue here…mainstream GLBT organizations (i.e. HRC) focus on marriage rather than other issues that disproportionately impact GLBT persons be that HIV/AIDS and the increase in rates, gender identity discrimination, etc. Millions have been spent to gain access to marriage, money that arguably could have made other lives livable…issues are broken because that is what the political environment demands of us, sees as the way to engage politics…and those of us that would not like to do this…are though politically unsavvy because we don’t buy into the categories.
Justin
10/28/08 5:20pm“Here’s A Question”: because if you target all your HIV/AIDS prevention at straight white people thinking it will have thi biggest impact there, it wont do anything
additionally, straight people aren’t often victims of hate crimes due to their orientation, so people fail to see it as an ‘everybody’ issue when it so disproportionately affects lgbt people
Question
10/28/08 5:56pm“âHereâs A Questionâ: because if you target all your HIV/AIDS prevention at straight white people thinking it will have the biggest impact there, it wont do anything”
Where the hell did you get that idea from? I was implying the AIDS epidemic affects everyone. And I’m curious are you therefore implying that LGBTs propagate the spread AIDS and no one else?
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Walk in someone else's shoes
10/28/08 11:11pmIt is funny that everyone has focused on th comment about HIV/AIDS. Get over it. It is one of many examples. It is a disease that plagues many, including african-american men as they are the predominant population of our prison systems. But lets not go there.
As for hate crimes. Wow. You are obviously a W/M. If you try to claim you are anything else, I won’t even believe you.
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Question
10/29/08 6:26pmWalk, I’m all for equal treatment. My problem with hate crimes is that instead of address the issue of equal treatment they actually encourage the perpetuation of segregating society. Why should a crime against the LGBT community carry harsher punishment than if the same crime was committed against a straight person?
I think ultimately some of you misjudged what I was originally getting at.
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LBGT concerns
10/29/08 6:48pmLBGT community undermine their own argument by setting up this type of tacitly racist dichotomy. African American men are not the ones responsible for anti-gay public policies preventing you from having equal rights. And just to be accurate, African American women between the ages of 18 – 34 are most at-risk for HIV/AIDS. And African American men are at greatest risk of becoming hate crimes victims. People like you in the LBGT community put out lazy, half-ass arguments, targeting other minority groups instead of the real forces responsible for your discrimination. You can be LBGT and still be a bigot.
Walk in someone else's shoes
10/29/08 9:39pmLGBT concerns. How dumb is your comment? I was just pointing out another population of people that is susceptible to HIV/AIDS. In no way did I say that African American men are responsible for anti-gay public polices. How did you even derive that from my comment? Pick and choose what you want to fit your agenda/comments I guess. And where do you think African-American woman are contracting HIV from? Hmmm????
I am completely offended that you think I am targeting another minority group. Your an ignorant ass!
walk in someone else's shoes
10/29/08 9:55pmAs for HIV/AIDS…my “half-ass arguments” come from the CDC: “the prevalence rate for black men (living with HIV) is (2,388 per 100,000)” while “the prevalence rate for black women (living with HIV) is (1,122 per 100,000).” Hmmmmm…I think black men are two times as likely to be living with HIV than black women. I understand that black women are at a great risk but let the stats speak for themselves!