RE: LGBT: Should we be raising awareness?
So I want to start by answering one of the questions you finished with. The answer is no. I don’t believe that the struggles of the LGBT community are the most important issues at hand, but it’s a battle that still needs to be fought, and who better to fight it then the ones being discriminated against.
Now I would like to ask you. Do you believe that the plight of one oppressed group negates the plight of another? I don’t. And while I hate that there are so many fucked up things in this world, I could never raise awareness for them all. And if I’m being honest with myself, I barely have time to raise awareness for my own community effectively.
So I had to choose, and I chose the cause that made the most sense, the cause that I know the plight of on a personal level. This is the best we can do as humans.
Of course we strive to fight for all minorities but the one you will always give your all for is the one where winning affects you on a personal level. No one can fight a battle as passionately as those who are defending their own turf.
I’m curious as to your thoughts on movements regarding race or gender such as women’s rights? You should check out #womenspeakout.
Thank you for actually explaining your perspective and not just spewing out hate like many others who are against the LGBT awareness movement do. I appreciate that you put thought behind this post, even though I strongly disagreee with its content.
I believe one of the aims of steemit is to allow just this. For 2 parties of opposing views to have an intelligent conversation and a real chance to understand each other’s perspectives.
I hope the conversation can continue. After all this is about awareness, not of our sexuality but of our plight. Unfortunately, they go hand in hand.
If possible, could you provide me with a few specific examples of how you feel LGBT's are discriminated against in the West? I ask this because I feel that ambiguity is a major problem area when it comes to discussion surrounding this issue.
I would agree with you that it does not. But I just don't observe gay and transgenders getting persecuted to any degree more than any other group. That is, in the West. I have never been to the Middle-East, but if what has been reported is accurate, then that there would be an LGBT community whose plight ought to be addressed at haste. And for all the LGBT activism I see, which is a lot, it far more often than not focused on how LGBT people are treated in Western countries, rather than in the Middle-East.
I mean not to assert that I know you better than you know yourself, but I would wager that if you have it enough thought, you'd come to the conclusion that the plight you know best is the plight of a human-- not a lesbian, and so the community you should be fighting for is humanity.
I would also like to add that a major problem I have with the LGBT movement in the West is that it heavily focuses on pride. While I am willing to accept that this may have stemmed from an altruistic design to restore confidence in those who were once part of a community that were outcasts in society, but it is no longer serving this purpose. I can go into the city centre right now and I am sure I wouldn't have to walk around long before I passed by a transsexual. I'm sure they would be walking around with their head high, with no eggs or rocks being thrown at them. LGBT's are no longer persecuted, they are now a part of society and have industries revolving around them. So why still the focus on pride? Why was I able to learn in two seconds that you're a lesbian? Because, just as I suspected, you advertise your sexuality right there on your profile. I am guessing it is because you are proud of it? But why? I am not proud to be heterosexual. I feel no need to pat myself on the back and feel proud to exist and to be just the same as everyone else in my uniqueness. The pride march is supposed to be a protest, but it has turned into a street party with far too much flesh on show. If any other community closed down traffic to get in the street and dance around in thongs, because they were proud to be black, Asian, World of Warcraft players or Steemians, the police would shut that shit down. But, LGBT's are so far beyond not being persecuted at this point, that they are actually permitted to do this shit. I feel like there is a lot of complaining about not having any rights, but from where I am sitting, you have more rights than anyone else, because everyone is too afraid to offend you. I digressed into the issue of the gay pride march slightly, but the point I was intending to make is that for me, I would have a lot easier a time empathizing with LGBT struggles if not for the constant self-praise and the common need among LGBT people to disclose their sexual preferences without it being requested of them.
I think it evident that most "grassroots" movements are either bullshit, or they are infiltrated rather quickly, and before long the only purpose they are serving is division. Black lives Matter is inherently stupid because it implies that only black lives matter, thus, the title alone perpetuates division. "Feminism" flaunts the exact same stupidity by claiming to be about equality, but having a title that only recognizes one gender. I just looked at the tag and I am still unsure of what it is really about, but I am assuming it is a derivative of the #metoo movement. I am yet to form a cohesive opinion on this particular movement, but I am naturally skeptical.
I realise it sounds like their should be no groups ever, and we should all focus on everyone always, which is not the case. I just think that if you want to help out a specific group of people, then you unity in your own personal city/town and you support one another. When groups grow too big and become communities, they no longer really want to be a part of the larger existing community, they just want to be the most special sub-community that makes up the larger one. I believe this is akin to how countries were once forged, and may very well be again if we continue to insist we are so different from one another that we need a special community to help us feel proud about the one aspect of your being that we have chosen to define ourselves by.
I think the opportunity for fruitful debate is ripe for the taking on Steemit, however, I don't think you should be so trusting as to believe that is Steemit's aim. Steemit's aim is to make Steemit's largest stakeholders wealthy. If pay-for-vote bots being permitted to run free has not shown you this, then I am not sure what will.
-Sorry if any of this sounds rude. I'm not always great at communicating without a tone of voice, as honesty and frankness is too often perceived to be condescending or combative when consumed through the medium of text. But this is most definitely not the case, and I appreciate the effort you have taken to write such a long and civil comment.