The right thinking people of the UK got and get up at arms when there hear about 'education programmes' in China and that used to go on in the Soviet Bloc. Yet what happens when re-education occurs here.
Apparently nothing yet it is going on.
As I was getting off the bus this morning the front page of the Metro caught my eye. Apparently 17% of our country's therapists have attempted to 'cure' gay patients of their orientation. This is despite the Department of Health stating 'Homosexuality is not a mental disorder and does not need treatment'. How can these people be allowed to practise? How can they attempt 'the cure' on people often young and vulnerable who go to them seeking guidance to deal with the pressures that society and their peers put upon them. Or even that they put upon themselves (which I know from over a decade of personal experience).
Now obviously these people see that as their right as not being the 'norm' but hey none of us fit every modal criteria in this world. Indeed one response used the word 'perverse'.
Looking at the numbers for what these people think is a group that needs re-education I think it is roughly equivalent to the number of people who attend football matches every weekend obsessively. Now I know there are also closeted football fans who hide their love on their sofa at home. Or who may venture out showing their colours around town, but who never actively partake in their love. But of those 100% obsessives shouldn't we attempt to re-educate them, they (and I include myself of course) are not normal.
However, football fans assist the economy. They go to specialist venues that aren't everyone's cup of tea. They buy food and drink there. They even have to buy the right clothes, don't want to be seen in last years threads now do you. Also there are the trips abroad with other obsessives, a quick jaunt to a place that is allowing them to partake in their obsession with others if they so desire. But they aren't normal, because you cannot define normal just differences a which we all are.
Let's admit it homophobia is gay and definitely should not be allowed. Especially amongst those that vulnerable groups need to turn to for help.
2 comments:
Stephen, I'm a bit confused...
I was completely in agreement with your article, could empathise with your outrage, appreciated the analogy to football fans and then I followed your link to the Liberal Youth site and was a bit stunned by what I found.
The video is good but the website page has the title "Homophobia is Gay", now I hope I have got this completely wrong (and I now you'll tell me if I have) but surely this is using the term "gay" in a derogatory context and totally defeating the whole point of attempting to balance views about homosexuality and get away from ill-informed name calling.
Homophobia is abhorrent to me, but I would never ever use the term "gay" as an insult or to turn a phrase into a negative connotation. This appears to be what the Liberal Youth site has done. And if I have misinterpreted this, then it seems pretty likely that others will too..
It is the only time that I would ever use the derogatory use of the word gay. I trust that the context is clear. It is the impact of the juxtoposition of the statement that makes the point. Especially to the target group of that campaign.
I'm also a member of the Facebook group opposing the use of gay in the way that both you and I find abhorrent.
For personal and the experience of others the campaign title is raising questions, is getting attention and raising the issues. Alongside Stonewall's 'Some people are Gay. Get over it' campaign the main point is to make the initial impact, then draw people in to explain the situation. LY's campaign is doing this.
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