2 posts tagged “homosexuality”

"...as an ally for equality." 

That's what my button reads that I'm wearing for National Coming Out Day.  The Gay-Straight Alliance here at my school sponsored a campus-wide promotion, not just for gay people who are "coming out," but also for the people who support them in their decision.  However, they also made it about coming out as whatever you wanted to be (i.e. hippie, music enthusiast, bulimic, etc.)

I've been stopped multiple times today and asked if I'm a lesbian because of the button I'm wearing.  My favorite incident of this nature was when a girl I've never seen before in my life pointed at my button and said, "Eww...does that mean you're a lesbian?"  I said, "No, but it means I'm not bothered if you are."  She acted very angry, said, "I'm not!" and stormed away. 

Since a young age, I haven't understood the problems people have with homosexuality.  When the scripture that "condemns homosexuality" is thrown in my face, I choose to interpret it in a different way.  If it was that serious, I think it would have made it in the big ten.  "Thou shalt not kill," I can understand.  "Thou shalt not love the person you're attracted to," not so much.  Beyond that, people tout their Christianity, saying that things can't be left up to interpretation and that every word must be followed to the T.  I have no problem with them...as long as they don't grow more than one crop in a field, cut their hair short on the sides, or wear clothes of a poly/cotton blend.  Apparently, all of that goes against the "scriptures" as well.

Before you talk to me about how "gays" are immoral and jetting to hell by the thousands, think about Jesus.  He loved people.  If you wanna be like Him, then you better start doing the same thing. 

This weekend was RENT weekend in Greenville.  Joe and I drove down early Saturday morning to make the 2:00 matinee, and we didn't get lost even once.  It was Joe's first time (my third) seeing the staged production.  Like both times before, it was absolutely amazing.

When I was discussing my plans to see the show this weekend with a co-worker, he scoffed that no one should waste money watching something where the entire cast has AIDS.  First of all, he has seen the movie version, and I'm sad that as an English major, his comprehension skills are lacking so that he thought every cast member had AIDS.  Secondly, perhaps his mentality is one of the reasons the AIDS epidemic is so problematic.  It seemed as though he was of the opinion that when an individual contracted AIDS, we could just mark them off.  He has it all wrong. 

Jonathan Larson, on the other hand, had it all right.  Though he himself, according to Wikipedia, was "heterosexual and HIV negative," he produced this thought-provoking musical to raise public awareness of issues like AIDS, homosexuality, and poverty.  Obviously, he was a man who cared, and unlike my co-worker, he saw the necessity for awareness in these issues.  With all of its quirky content, pop-culture references, and rhythmic tunes, RENT hits home in ways other musicals cannot.  It is very much a social statement.  I just hope closed-minded people can eventually hear what its saying. 

Thanks, Jonathan Larson, for writing this work of art.  I'm just sorry you never got to see it.