The "Radical Gay Agendaâ„¢" Explained
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:35 am
Many members of America's Religious Right and religious conservative communities across the world are concerned about the effect the Radical Gay Agendaâ„¢ may have on society. As a gay person, I want to clarify a few things about this Agendaâ„¢ and explain what most TLGBQ people (like with any community, not all queer people want the same things -- this list just explains what most of us want) desire from society. I'll also debunk a few nefarious myths.
The "Radical Gay Agendaâ„¢" -- What We Want:
1. The same civil rights as anyone in society. This includes the right to get married, adopt children, enter any public establishment, visit our loved ones in hospitals, enter spaces appropriate for our gender identities, and not face discrimination in employment. Right now, TLGBQ people can be denied marriage and family rights, fired, or even arrested simply because of our sexual or gender identities.
2. Freedom from violence or verbal assaults based on our sexual orientations or gender identities. TLGBQ people in general--and especially gay men and lesbians of color and all trans women--face a disproportionate number of violent assaults, "corrective" rapes, and even murders compared to the straight, cisgender population.
3. Acceptance and inclusion within society, in the same way as any other minority group. This includes, but is not limited to, the marginalization of anti-gay hate speech and anti-gay "education" in schools, and
visibility within society.
Myths about the "Agendaâ„¢"
1. We're not after your kids. There is no nefarious gay plot to recruit children into the "homosexual" or "transsexual" "lifestyle." We do want kids who are born gay, bi, lesbian, trans*, or asexual to be supported by their families and society, though, and not be driven to suicide by intolerant / hateful parents or peers.
2. We're not after your churches or mosques. Most gay people don't care what religious people believe about homosexuality, as long as those beliefs don't translate into discriminatory public policies or public acts of harassment, violence, or terrorism.
3. We don't want to take over the world. I mean, puh-lease! There is no plan to institute "gay authority" on the rest of the planet. We just want to be treated like everyone else.
Debate question: is this "Agendaâ„¢" reasonable? Is it evil? Why or why not?
The "Radical Gay Agendaâ„¢" -- What We Want:
1. The same civil rights as anyone in society. This includes the right to get married, adopt children, enter any public establishment, visit our loved ones in hospitals, enter spaces appropriate for our gender identities, and not face discrimination in employment. Right now, TLGBQ people can be denied marriage and family rights, fired, or even arrested simply because of our sexual or gender identities.
2. Freedom from violence or verbal assaults based on our sexual orientations or gender identities. TLGBQ people in general--and especially gay men and lesbians of color and all trans women--face a disproportionate number of violent assaults, "corrective" rapes, and even murders compared to the straight, cisgender population.
3. Acceptance and inclusion within society, in the same way as any other minority group. This includes, but is not limited to, the marginalization of anti-gay hate speech and anti-gay "education" in schools, and
visibility within society.
Myths about the "Agendaâ„¢"
1. We're not after your kids. There is no nefarious gay plot to recruit children into the "homosexual" or "transsexual" "lifestyle." We do want kids who are born gay, bi, lesbian, trans*, or asexual to be supported by their families and society, though, and not be driven to suicide by intolerant / hateful parents or peers.
2. We're not after your churches or mosques. Most gay people don't care what religious people believe about homosexuality, as long as those beliefs don't translate into discriminatory public policies or public acts of harassment, violence, or terrorism.
3. We don't want to take over the world. I mean, puh-lease! There is no plan to institute "gay authority" on the rest of the planet. We just want to be treated like everyone else.
Debate question: is this "Agendaâ„¢" reasonable? Is it evil? Why or why not?