My Uni Has A Gay Week Going On

[MrWhereItsAt]

So... I have read most of Bod's posts and I have to ask - what actually happened during this Gay Week that caused you such annoyance? Did they have ppl handing out flyers, debates on the issue, Gay-themed parties? What?

Here at my Uni we have some themed weeks/days, and you tend to know about them, but have to go somewhere specific to see the activities if you're interested. Women's week implies a Women-orientated issue of the weekly student rag (often good for a laugh), and womens' issues plays being put on if you want to go and see them. There is a contentious issue of aforesaid magazine that is almost wholly in Maori - this annoys many who rely on the mag for some intellectual stimulation in mindless lectures, but it is a part of the Students' Association's constitution to have one such issue per year.

Occasionally we have other themes turn up, and they seem to have posters up/flyers handed out to let ppl know about the events happening if you are interested. If you aren't interested, you can go about your daily life as normal without it having any bearing on you.

So, unless you have lots of activities around that you just can't miss, or the very IDEA of a Gay Week offends you, where's the problem?

[Provost Harrison]

Well I have shown Julia your little tantrum Stew and she is less than impressed. Shame on you

One day hopefully Stew, it won't be necessary to have such weeks, when we are all 'sexuality'-blind, when we have a model of sexuality where it is not so carved up rather we acknowledge humans are sexual beings, not confined to any sexual orientation and we just like who we like. That is the best model to have...where it is totally irrelevent the sex of the two people involved in the relationship. But that isn't the case now...

But until that day, it is necessary for them to make their presence known, and more power to them.

[David Floyd]

actually i have little real problem with gay week, or black week, or whatever, as long as no one complains if i have a straight or white week - it's only fair. sure, maybe gays have been discriminated against, but so what? if they get a pride week straight white guys should get one too

as to the ratios of races committing crimes, look at the us prison population

and pllease don't tell me that is due to discrimination

[MrFun]

Actually, there are more blacks than there are whites who are executed for the same crime that is committed.

And what would be the point of straight pride week? What obstacles have straight men suffered from as the result of the sexual orientation?? I cannot believe I am asking questions towards a straw man argument, but oh well.

[Shi Huangdi]

If this "Gay week" is about trying to organize for more gay rights law, it has a right to be there so long as all other political groups have a right to speak freely on campus, such as people who want to restrict immigration. If however, this is about gayness in general, then it is about sex, and does not deserve to be held in a forum such as a student union.

[Gibsie]

ROFL at Shi... no sex-themed nights at a Student Union...

I wish my Union would organise a week for promoting awareness of homosexuality, as they seem quite ignorant of it... in recent weeks we had male strippers during one Wednesday night, then female strippers ht next week. What did our Union do? They banned guys from seeing the male strippers and they banned women from seeing the females strippers. This heterosexism should be stamped out.

[red_jon]

Our student union is very pro-gay and the college has very strict rules about prejudice.

[mindseye]

this is about gayness in general, then it is about sex

Woops, your ignorance is showing.

Uh, being gay is about a little more than sex. Gay men and women are people who fall in love with members of their own gender. Sexual attraction is also there, but the romantic attraction more important and enduring.

Is your interest in women confined to strictly sexual terms?

Sometimes I think the reason why straight people are so obsessed with the sexual aspect of gayness is because it makes for an easier target. It's one thing to fulminate on about sodomites or something, but a LOT harder to condemn someone for who they love. Gee that would sound almost ... unchristian!

[Asher]

Originally posted by David Floyd
actually i have little real problem with gay week, or black week, or whatever, as long as no one complains if i have a straight or white week - it's only fair. sure, maybe gays have been discriminated against, but so what? if they get a pride week straight white guys should get one too

With that logic it's clear that you don't understand the purpose behind things such as Gay Week or Black History Month:

Much of the time these minorities are discriminated against, excluded from much of society (not so much Blacks anymore, but there was a time...), etc. The purpose of these events is to let those minorities get together and celebrate their heritage, uniqueness, sexuality, whathaveyou. The reason why there's no Straight White Week is because, as people have mentioned before, just about every week is Straight White Week. It's just assumed, so you don't have to give it a name. These events also increase the awareness of the minority, so other members of the minority don't feel so alone and excluded in the world like many of them do feel. Especially considering the huge amount of people who have been taught to be ashamed of their sexuality because "it's not normal": Seeing lots of people just like you having fun and living their life is a big morale boost.

[MrFun]

Maybe straight people should be publicly ostracized for talking about their wives/husbands or their girlfriends/boyfriends.
How repulsive to talk about someone that you love and care about with other people.

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by MrFun

And what would be the point of straight pride week? What obstacles have straight men suffered from as the result of the sexual orientation?? I cannot believe I am asking questions towards a straw man argument, but oh well.

It might allieviate some of the jealousy.

Perhaps some gays could set up a tribute to straights to be staged by gay people. After all, where would you be without straights? I'll bet that almost all of you had straight parents. Putting on a show might go far to reduce the tensions between the communities and improve understanding. Who knows maybe a parade would be better. Humor is always good; you could put on a parade parodying straight people. Yeah, that's the ticket, maybe put iot on somewhere in the south or the west. Here's what you do.........GAAAHHHHHH. ACKKH.

It's Ok people. He's safely away from the computer now. My evil twin....well, let's just put it this way. DON'T DO WHAT HE SUGGESTED! IT'S A TRAP!

[Lung]

Re: My Uni Has A Gay Week Going On

Originally posted by Boddington's
So if they're calling this week "Queer and Here", I believe next week we deserve equality and a week of "It's Great to be Straight".

Big deal. We have to put up with a whole mardi gras of it

What gets me is, they whinge and moan incessantly about how normal they are, only to have a enourmous parade showing everyone just how different they are to most people

[Asher]

Re: Re: My Uni Has A Gay Week Going On

Originally posted by Lung
What gets me is, they whinge and moan incessantly about how normal they are, only to have a enourmous parade showing everyone just how different they are to most people

Did you even read the whole thread?
If you really want an answer you might want to.

[Lung]

Re: Re: Re: My Uni Has A Gay Week Going On

Originally posted by Asher

Did you even read the whole thread?
If you really want an answer you might want to.

For chrissake! There's pages of this stuff! You want me to actually read it? How much time do you think i have? I just hop on this board and shoot my mouth off whenever it suits me

[Ming]

Re: Re: Re: Re: My Uni Has A Gay Week Going On

Originally posted by Lung
For chrissake! There's pages of this stuff! You want me to actually read it? How much time do you think i have? I just hop on this board and shoot my mouth off whenever it suits me

Hmmm... a great way to get restricted....