Aineo wrote:You are not the only person reading the threads dealing with the medical problems experienced by the gay community. And the fact you are underplaying these issues demonstrates a lack of knowledge and concern for the gay community.
How in the world am I underplaying these issues? I am well aware of the problems that the gay community face and in no way condone unsafe sex practices.
Also I am not the one who is making an issue of HIV. If you had shared some information other than from answer.com I would hav let this issue drop. There are better sites with better information such as the CDC, The Body, and The World Health Organization.
My reference to answer.com was in response to your fearmongering use of the "gay bowel syndrome", which has long been recognized as a term used by right-wing Christians to scare people of homosexuality when in reality, those diseases have nothing to do with sexual orientation.
Why make an issue of the sexual orientation of men who make decisions that can affect others? When gay activists make an issue of the religious faith and orientation of those who advocate sexual orientation can be changed why shouldn't I? I am not advocating that all gays should try to change their sexual orientation, however, there is good information from psychologists and psychiatrists who do not allow their religious beliefs to interfere with their professions.
Because there is a lot of evidence to suggest that reparative therapy and similar practices are non-effective and extremely harmful.
You claim the ex-gay movement stereotypes the gay community, yet you don't seem to mind stereotyping ex-gays with the article you linked to. Although I know of some ex-gays who had problems with drugs, alcohol, and sex addiction I know 10 times as many who did not. As to Exodus not sharing confidential information; sharing confidential information violates their purpose. The ex-gays that get the most attention are those who have sold out to the political religious right, so your are using the same tactic you abhore.
I don't stereotype ex-gays. I was merely pointing out the stereotype that the ex-gay community makes for itself by promoting 'success' stories with strange and peculiar patterns in the histories of their subjects.
The only evidence that you can quote that sexual orientation is cut in stone is anecdotal since researchers have yet to spend the money or taken the time to fully investigate or document their claims.
While the evidence is anecdotal, it is more conclusive than the evidence for sexual orientation change.
Now lets get back to gay teen suicides for a moment. I posted earlier that gay activists must take some responsibility for the gay teen suicide rate. Now what adult in their right mind would encourage gay teens to come out at a time in their lives they are dealing with major physiological and emotional changes? National Coming Out day is nothing more than adults exploiting children for a political agenda.
Coming out is the healthiest way of combating such major physiological and emotional changes. Many gay teens commit suicide due to their inability to come out. The earlier one comes out, the earlier one can accept themselves and overcome ego dystonic homosexuality.
National Coming Out day is an anti-homophobic movement. No one is forced to come out and if they do, they're only helping themselves and that of the community by exposing to the world that gay men and women are as normal as straight ones.