GLBT thoughts

As should be evident from my writings, I'm not exactly a political liberal.  In fact, I find liberals are usually too narrow minded, which is an accusation thrown at a lot of conservatives.  Instead, I try to look at the facts and make up my own mind.  Still, a lot of liberal thoughts and events do pass through the information streams I tend to follow.  Even though I often disagree with the conclusions drawn, I think it is important to not only know what is going on, but to understand how people came to those conclusions.

Currently the media and a large number of liberals find it chic to beat on people like me, straight white males.  I hear it on the radio, I see it in the papers, I hear it from the pulpit and I get it in person with some of the social groups I participate in.  It has gotten to be more than tedious.  But, I also have to realize that I live in a town that really doesn't make a big deal out of people's gender preferences or orientations.  My favorite realtor is a lesbian, one of the instructors I take classes from is gay, so what?  I've been over to their houses for various social events and felt quite welcome.  I've shared a hotel room with a transgendered woman.  I know a number of other transgendered folks, it's not a big deal to me.  I treat people as people, sexual interests are only a small part of interpersonal relationships to me.

So I'm beginning to get what some people mean when they talk about straight white males being privileged, it's true that there are very few groups that have a deep and abiding hatred of people like me, it's more of an ongoing dislike that pervades society, but very few people actively want to see me dead.  On the other hand, there are no organizations who are interested in my continued well being or lending any sort of support when I'm going through a rough spot.  This is a huge contrast to the large number of organizations who are dedicated to helping the GLBT and other groups.  There really are folks out there who want to see GLBT folks dead and others who want to help them live.  This is in contrast to folks like me, where there aren't many folks who want to see me dead, there also isn't anyone who cares if I continue to live, even my church was only interested in my money, not me as a person.  My world is one that not only doesn't care whether I live or die, it's one where no one would notice if I died for many months.

So, while it's easy to feel pity for "those folks over there" or to believe the ongoing narrative that you are being discriminated against because you belong to some group or another, don't let it blind you to those around you who, as individuals, sometimes need help and support.