Homophobia

[refujiunderground]

most definitely a 10. i learned that it was NOT okay to be gay at an early age as the other kids let me know that. one time, my female neighbor back where i used to live growing up and this was back when we were 5 or 6, called me the f-word. i dunno what it was over but she called me that. she was also one of the many bullies i had to deal with. you just knew that men didn't mess with men and women didn't mess with women because it wasn't the norm. if you were one of those people that did like the same sex, you were automatically an outcast as in people thought something was wrong with you. they'd let you know too. then to top it off, my hertiage is homophobic as well so it's basically drilled into you. i'm still trying to learn how to snap out of that mentality because i've been around that my whole life and i'm also learning how to find the courage to come out to other people who also been around the same homophobic atmosphere i came up around.

 

[HoodedRat]

I grew up in England during the 60s/70s, which seemed like a very liberal forward-looking period at the time.

My parents and family were all atheist/agnostic, so no one around me ever showed any religious-based bigotry and hatred towards gays. Back then England pretty much seemed like a post-religious country (of course it's all going backwards now with the rise of Islam and the resurgence of Christianity).

When I came out in my teens to friends and family everyone was very accepting and supportive. Even elderly relatives seemed to have no problem with the issue.

Overall, on a scale of 1-10, I would have to say about 4. The media was incredibly homophobic and sexist during the 70s, and we still had religious fucktards quoting the bible against us whenever they managed to get airtime on TV and radio.

I always thought it was no big deal being gay - I've been totally out to everyone everywhere for the past 35 years or so and I had imagined that growing up gay in a civilized country must be even easier nowadays ... then I joined JUB and read the horror stories of many people's experiences.

 

[G-Lexington]

I was shocked to get up this morning, amidst a michigan snow storm, and find 21 replies to my post late last night. reading through every story it brought tears to my eyes. why, because i felt so close to each and every person who posted their story. that leads to my next question, and a story. how many of you believe that male to male attraction has something to do with lack of male intimacy in our cultures? from my own experience, i believe that some of my male to male attraction is from a hunger for male intimacy, but i can't go back and reset the start button having those needs met, to find out. i will say that i have a very conscious sense of this being missing for me.

Nope. My father WAS a bit awkward when it came to expressing love or tenderness to my brother and me. But he tried very hard. He said "I love you" every night, and in retrospect, I can hear him pushing the words out. He had his own upbringing to fight against that told him such acts weren't manly, and he bravely said "fuck you - I'll do them anyway". Although there was a bit of distance there because of that, he minimized it the best e could, and I thank him for it.

I'm not gay because my father was distant.
I'm gay because I got lucky.

Lex

 

[GamerBear]

San Bernarghetto probably a 8, too many closet cases and gays on the down low.

 

[Kiwils]

Home was about an 8. Family/parents are religious (catholic) and would say a lot of homophobic things. They've come a long way though and are more open, but not quite completely there. I'd say they're a 4 now.

My neighborhood was a 9, maybe even a 10. I grew up in the ghetto, where if you weren't thuggish or "gangsta", you stood out and was a target. It's still pretty ghetto, but not as bad as it used to be. I'd say it's a 6-7 now.

 

[xbuzzerx]

Those Saudis do NOT like baby ninjas...glad you made it out!

I know. We baby ninjas spend our first 3 years fighting for survival with threats hiding behind every bottle.

Nope. My father WAS a bit awkward when it came to expressing love or tenderness to my brother and me. But he tried very hard. He said "I love you" every night, and in retrospect, I can hear him pushing the words out. He had his own upbringing to fight against that told him such acts weren't manly, and he bravely said "fuck you - I'll do them anyway". Although there was a bit of distance there because of that, he minimized it the best e could, and I thank him for it.

I'm not gay because my father was distant.
I'm gay because I got lucky.

Lex

Lex this statement isn't meant as oneupsmanship or to be glib, but I have a hard time envisioning that as a distant father. My father never said it, ever. I'm pretty sure I've never heard him say the words ever, even to my mom. That's distant! (Or Vulcan.) He is an engineer though, and turbological in most of how he 'thinks', but we definitely didn't have any kind of a warm relationship with him ever.

 

[layton]

I wasn't out in High School, but I'd say 8 and I'm being generous the majority of the student populate was "tolerant" but there would be discussions on gay rights and there was rarely a soul who was in favor, including the teachers who were arguably the worst in regard to gay acceptance.

 

[diamondstar]

New York. A six in my general opinion on How New York and the people feel and deal with homosexuality. Me personallya seven. My family accepts me, but I don't trust telling anyone else.

 

[SaskGuy]

I'm from rural SK, and I'd have to say about 8-10. I live in the city now though, so things aren't so bad for me anymore.

 

[xbuzzerx]

Well i've ever only known 2 people to be homophobic around me my whole life, personally, plus things heard on the news etc. Overall i'd have to say a 1. Nationally it maybe 2 or 3, but rearly most people are too busy with their own lives to fret about 'them gays'.

If I recall some study in the past several years correctly, it showed that UK males of student age were among the least likely in the first world to be homophobic, and the most likely to self-report that they don't mind hugging or kissing male friends.

 

[PreTTy PeTe]

I grew up in downtown Toronto.

my parents knew I was kinda of strange when I was in junior high and by the time I moved out they were crying that they worried about me. In Italian homes you don't move out in your teens. I brought my boyfriend for Christmas that year and seriously he was the best son in law they could have.

the best of times.

 

[backagain]

I'd rate it a 4.
I would that base that number on my Mom.
Mom was very open and never judged.
She had her way of making an impression on others.
When Mom died, the amount of people that came to the
wake was mind boggling. Mom had a presence and understanding
that others gravitated to. She was my mom, so I didn't always see it.
It was a normal to me.

I was lucky to have her as a mom.

 

[72-Jay]

I'm going to say somewhere 7-8 ish

I grew up in the 70's/80's, and for the most part in Colorado, outside the city limits of Denver. My mother is homophobic/intolerant to gays, father has never said anything either way. Have 1 brother & 1 sister, both younger than me. brother was homophobic (isn't so much anymore), sister is fully supportive of gays (and her kids are too).

Where I live.. when I was growing up there were never any 'out' or otherwize visible gays in the area (this pretty much still holds true today)
Allot of the neighbors are homophobic & some are racest as well.

I would say that the "7-8 ish" while growing up is something less now... but I still wouldn't 'out' myself any family members (or anyone else for that matter). That said I have taken some risks that I really shouldn't like going to the pride festival down in Denver

 

[evanrick]

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being least homophobic, how would you rate the culture in which you grew up, including family, church, neighborhood on the level of homophobic behavior?


2

I grew up next to the church my dad worked at in north Seattle and went to christian preschool - wasn't that bad.

my mom had gay friends, but my dad isn't that bright about social issues and kinda fearful of homosexuality and religion.

the culture is pretty open & the envelope is being pushed every day.

im so lucky to be surrounded by so many remarkable men now that im a grown man. its amazing how connected i feel now with half a dozen brilliant sexy guys.

they dont call it the wild west for nothing.

 

[72-Jay]

what does it mean when a thread has a yellow envelope and blank line instead of info in the index??

Probably just a bug..I've seen things not quite display right on the index page

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

nice a worlds awsum male towers a eons sort out social genocide

any century do no hurry
it is nose world cultures addicted a it

as then get on wit in tray wot high ta moon

thankyou

happy porn day

is ya enjoyin doin it? gurd

 

[frankfrank]

Keeping in mind that my growing-up years (up to and including the age of 25) ended about forty years ago, my number will be higher than it probably would be if I was still growing up nowadays.

At home and with family: 8 (I was never "out" during those years; that started a little bit later. I think I was about 29 when I first came out to one of my sisters, and she was cool with it. But that doesn't count, because I consider that to be post-growing-up.)

Culturally and regionally: 6 (It would probably be 2, now, in the same region. In fact, where I spent my college years - Ann Arbor - the number would probably be close to 1. Or, as I prefer in numbered rankings close to 0.)

 

[Latimer]

I grew up in a liberal Catholic family in a liberal town, so I witnessed little outright homophobia, even at the Catholic boys' school I attended.
OTH the larger culture was homophobic, and that permeated my larger experience.

 

[Ninja108]

2...lost a few friends but I was lucky enough to have a family that has supported me from the start, a luxury many LGBT youth sadly don't have.

 

[EuroSoccer]

My family itself is not that homophobic, actually they are pretty open minded.
My friend circle though was another matter, the Homophob-meter went from 6-9 (I don't give a 10 because they never beat anyone ).