When I hear the word 'gay' I immediately think of...

I'm old as heck (50) but when I hear that word I think of Fred Astaire. The word meant happy and joyful in those wonderful old movies.

Master Dilke upset the milk
When taking it home to Chelsea;
The papers say that Charlie's gay
Rather a wilful wag!
--G. H. MacDermott

 

Au contrere, it is definitely a sequitur. You said "If any of the above are the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the word 'gay' (apart from "nothing in particular"), then at a minimum you have some serious anti-gay prejudices". Of course I have anti-gay prejudices or I'd be one. You have anti-straight prejudices or you'd be straight. Let's just say I am pro my own decisions and you are pro your decisions and stop accusing straights of having serious anti-gay prejudices. The majority of us don't care what you do.

 

We don't care what they do, but they care what we think. Poor sods.

 

So you're asking us to believe that it's necessary to view gay people as negative stereotypes in order to not be gay?

Ridiculous. I'm merely disinterested in women as potential life partners. This has nothing to do with being "anti-straight"

It wasn't an accusation of straight people. Gay people can internalize those prejudices and be very self-hating as well.

Then you obviously aren't in the so-called majority, since you felt compelled to comment.

 

I don't think it's at all fair to make that assumption, indeed it's just as presumptuous as any of the choices you put up there... But then again I took liberties with "immediately".

 

Why not?

 

Some of them, sure. If you think child molester then you're bigoted but, for instance:

"Effeminate, lisping, weak men"

Several (not all) of the homosexual men I've met can at least be vaguely put into this category. This doesn't mean every homosexual can be put into this category, but by the same measure not every woman has long hair and not every man has short hair, but these are traits I would think of if you asked me to envision a "man" or "woman" respectively

"HIV/AIDS"

While this isn't something that springs to my mind, homosexuals are far more likely, as a percentage, to have aids than someone who isn't gay, and for obvious reasons. Not because god hates them, but because your reasons for wearing a condom go way down if there's no chance of insemination

"Depression / Suicides"

This is something that the gay community often talks about with the effects of bigotry in society. Therefore being predisposed to think that homosexuals are less likely to be happy is not necessarily bigotry, but a reflection of the society we live in.

"Anal Sex"

... Once again, perhaps I'm being to liberal with how I interpret "immediately", but I don't see a problem with associating a very common act with the disposition that brings one to perform the act, just like it isn't bigoted to associate "heterosexual" with vaginal intercourse.

I hold some of the most individualistic viewpoints of anyone I've ever known, but I understand that stereotypes exist for a reason. They aren't always true, but we couldn't get through life if we didn't make some assumptions, and inherently I don't see the problem with associating some of the above things with homosexuality... Particularly anal sex, I'm sorry I just cant imagine why that would possibly be bigoted association. While it's probably not the best thing to think about first but beyond that it's kind of a relevant aspect of the whole thing...

 

Depressing.

 

Why?

10char

 

So when you meet someone for the first time, do you immediately start thinking about what they do with their sexual organs? When you hear that Suzy is dating Fred, making it evident that they're heterosexual, do you immediately start thinking about their sexual behavior?

When you find out someone is gay, your brain goes for the negative stereotypes of gay people?

Yes, I find that depressing.

 

The best secretary I ever had was named GAY.. her sister was named JOY.. and the mother made the best black beans and rice that I have ever tasted.

 

No. As I said these are more or less words that can be associated with homosexuality, not the first thing that flies into my mind. I don't think that any of the above are the first things that come into anyone's mind whenever they learn that someone is gay (which is also different than just hearing the word "gay", your original question BTW) but also saying that the association is depressing is not the same as saying that this person is a bigot.

EPIC

 

In other words, you've decided to try to adapt the thread to something else, regardless of taking a dig at me over "the original question" below:

I think you're wrong about that. Since neither of us are mindreaders, I guess the point is moot.

And which you ignored in favor of a different question of your own invention.

Did I say you were a bigot? No.

 

Alright then.

 

The options on this poll are frankly rather derogatory in and of itself. The fact that every option is negative needs to be addressed. When I think of the word gay I think of some of the people I know who are gay, none of whom are Child molesters, have HIV's or AIDS, Selfish, shallow, depressed, or are unusually weak men or feminine.

 

I imagine a pair of hot, sexy, steamy, sweaty, muscle-men having anal sex.

Disgusting.

 

What is, gay men, or is it you, and your homophobic reaction.

 

I was trying to be funny. (If you read my post, it looks likes it was written by a closet gay.)

 

I see, yes, now that I look at it, it is rather funny.

Sorry for the angry reaction. . .

 

Someone who is intelligent.