I prefer anonymity. I'm not in the closet, my friends, family, workmates and a even few associates of people who i know whom I don't know personally, know i'm gay. I don't care who knows i'm gay, but i don't care for people to know, does that make sense? Its just NOT IMPORTANT in the course of living the daily life. It only becomes important when there is an issue that involves it, other than that, i'm not Mitch the gay, i'm just Mitch. If you don't need to know, why should i have to tell you basicaly, thats my attitude. I'm sure that some celebrities take that approach because they don't want it being an issue that gets in the way of their daily lives, selfish perhaps when society could certainly use the role models, but perhaps its just not what they want.
A questionable claim i'd say for two reasons (note i'm not suggesting its untrue, just that there are likely more factors involved). Look back at ancient Greece and Rome. Plenty of people were open to others in regards to their sexual interests, even if it only existed in circles of society rather than in public. So more tolerant society has existed long before the modern rights movement came about. In Africa, as another example, there is well documented evidence that homosexual practices were entirely tolerated prior to the introduction of two well-known religions that have completely transformed the lives of gay people there.
The second reason is that, homophobic people have an ignorant impression of what gay is, and that impression is based solely on the 'glittery nail'. Essentially my point is, that narrow-minded people who meet gays who are the 'anonymous' type, can equally be credited with the gradual change in social attitude. And liberal people throughout history, whatever sexuality will have contributed in part too. I think its a little tricky to identify any subsection of gay society as being the ones to thank for the freedom we enjoy now. Its far more easy to pinpoint the subsection of humanity that is to blame for setting back a once accepted aspect of humanity (in times and places, i'm not sure of homosexuality in Asia or S.American history).
The one difference, is whom we love and have sex with. Your argument is no different than a feminist saying to other women, "we will never be like men, because we are NOT men". It's an undeniable truth, but its an undeniable irrelevent truth. In every aspect bar that one inalienable difference, we CAN be just like them, because we are ALL people. If you want to attach a relevence to who we sleep with as being of significance to our identity, you'd be taking an ironically narrow-minded view.
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No, its just 'A' life. Straight people don't live 'straight' lives, they live ordinary lives, and some live extraordinary lives. As a gay guy who is nobody special, i'm living an ordinary life because i can, i don't need to hide who i am, so i can live just like the straight guy does. That 'straight' guy loves women, i love men, that doesn't mean we live different lives, it just means we are different people.
I disagree. I think its harder to relate to someone unless you can show the similiarities you have. It just can't work by itself to argue that your life is as valid as theirs, if they cannot see a commonality, why might they listen?.
I say we are no different to straight people (bar the one obvious), and i call myself straight-acting. I'm not hiding behind anyone. I'm being myself. That mentality exists DESPITE the gay revolution, because the prior is a truth, and the latter, a term of self-identity. You make it sound like 'camp' types or drag-queens are some kind of heroes....they're not, they're just being themselves, just like every other gay guy wants to, that includes those of us who are not 'in your face' gay (i assume you mean camp, i just had this weird image of a regular looking guy, walking down the street and pulling out an uzi whenever someone passes by, telling them to put their hands on their heads, before declaring "i am gay! OK", waiting for the stricken response "er, ye, yea, ok ok" and then calmly continuing with his journey, that's definately in-your-face lol).
And it annoys me when some gay men seem to be so dismissive of ANY type of gay guy that is different to them, as if they have a monoploy on what being gay is. I don't think that the hardship that more effeminate gay men or transexuals have had to (and still do) endure is lost on gay men in general. Its harsh, it is, but that cannot and mustn't be used as an excuse to discount the 'being true to themselves' reality of men who are not by nature effeminate or gender-confused etc. So gays who appear to be 'wanting' a heteronormative life to you, really aren't, they are just living.
I am inclined to agree with Kuli on this point. Its not that gay 'culture' is trying to be straight, its simply that culture has adapted to be inclusive of gay 'people'. I'm lost on the 'hook-up' site thing, i don't use them, so its a little hard to understand what you mean by their heteronormativity on them.
