WASHING DIRT WITH MUD

With so much World-Whatsit-Day palaver dominating the headlines, I thought I might natter about something else – just for a change of pace.

Hmm ... so I hear our community might be the target of wanker-prejudice. What’s more, it’s been going on since the beginning of time on a global scale. I was also rather curious to learn I’m considered a sinner. Apparently, I’m not supposed to like cock – I’m meant to be ‘out rooting chicks’ you see.

In fact, I hear we’re all going to Hell – bummer! Quite something, isn’t it?

Seriously though – when tuning into an update on (trans-man) Thomas Beattie recently, I was totally dumfounded by the media bigotry before me. Just as irritating; this is now apparently considered acceptable comic fodder. And as encouraging as the 2020 equality reforms might be, I got to thinking about the pervasive subtleties of discrimination and its various guises.

Not so long ago the boss at work was heard ranting around the water-cooler – one of his pearls of wisdom: “Poor kids, imagine growing up with fags for parents”. Eeerm ... WTF? By the way – was I out to lunch when the idiom “that’s so gay” became acceptable? And don’t even get me started on the ‘God squad’!

Seems bigotry lurks about pretty much everywhere – and we are not immune. Yup, I’m talking about internalised homophobia – while some among us seem to have drag, trans or HIV phobias, others often think of bi folk as no more than confused closet-cases. Gay guys with misogynist remarks regarding “fish” and the like have always shat me – as do racial slurs like “rice queen” or lesbians ridiculing effeminate boys. The list goes on.

How dissimilar does this make us to anyone who chooses to harbour prejudice? And why are we turning on each other like lab-rats on meth? I’ve never been too keen on hetero-phobic terms like “breeders” or the notion that we should segregate ourselves from mainstream society – it always just strikes me as crossing that fine line into the ambit of reverse-discrimination.

And as Grandma Driver used to say – never wash dirt with mud, dear.

Last time I checked, true equality draws upon the very pursuit of broader acceptance – of everyone, irrespective of difference. So do we practice what we preach? Or are we so insular as to only genuinely accept those who fit snugly into our custom-made tenets? Seems a bit naff if you ask me.

Okay, time to get off my soap box and turn my mind to the days ahead. And I confess – I’ve been considering joining the peaceful WYD08 protestors. I guess it goes without saying – most of us are pretty pissed about the draconian measures that’ll be in place for the grand event. Then again, being locked-up in a cell full of angst-ridden young lads doesn’t sound so bad, does it?

And here I am fresh out of anti-Christ t-shirts.

Damien Stephens
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Comments (4)

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written by Damien S , 21 July, 2008

Hehe - yep, sounds like a GREAT idea, Azza! )

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written by azza , 15 July, 2008

Why not a shirt that says

gay sex is
GREAT
just ask
your priest

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written by Damien Stephens , 10 July, 2008

Thanks for your comments and feedback, NJ – glad you enjoyed it.

Please rest assured, the “anti-Christ t-shirts” comment was not intended to undermine anyone’s beliefs - I have Christian friends myself (gay and straight) and I respect their right to hold the beliefs they do.

The remark was intended as no more than light comical reference to the WYD08 laws that will be in place banning attire (such as novelty t-shirts) considered ‘annoying’ by Catholic participants – and was a reference to the state government's WYD08 laws, not Christians.

Apologies if this may have been lost on you – no offence was intended.

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written by NJ , 10 July, 2008

Hmmm... I like this, the whole, "let's not separate ourselves from the rest of the world" thing, its so true.
But the anti-christ thing?
You don't have to be anti-christ ya know,
there's a lot of Christian gays out there, show them some respect and maybe then you'll stop washing first with mud yourself.
Honestly, no one has the right to undermine someone else's belief even as a passing joke like yours was.

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