by Josh A. Goodman, Counseling psychology Ph.D. student
Earlier this week I came across a critique of College Humor's popular "Gay Men Will Marry Your Girlfriends" video, which pointed out that the video reinforces stereotypes about gay men and straight men to make its point in favor of same-sex marriage. It's true: The clip portrays all gay men as bodybuilding, fashionable, Pinkberry-loving dancers, and all straight men as unsophisticated, out-of-touch slobs. For all its stereotyping shortcomings, though, College Humor's video has a point: Straight people benefit from gay rights. It's not a major reason to support LGBT rights (such rights stand on their own merits); it's just a fact. (But if it swayed somebody on the fence, though, I'd be OK with that.) Here are six reasons, based on facts, not stereotypes, that straight people will benefit from acceptance and equal rights for LGBT people:
1) LGBT people are your friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors.
Oppression hurts. Because of homophobic attitudes, which are supported through government discrimination, LGBT people are more likely than straight people to experience hate crimes, become depressed and commit suicide. That suffering doesn't just affect LGBT people themselves but touches everybody they know.
for 2 -6 click here.
Earlier this week I came across a critique of College Humor's popular "Gay Men Will Marry Your Girlfriends" video, which pointed out that the video reinforces stereotypes about gay men and straight men to make its point in favor of same-sex marriage. It's true: The clip portrays all gay men as bodybuilding, fashionable, Pinkberry-loving dancers, and all straight men as unsophisticated, out-of-touch slobs. For all its stereotyping shortcomings, though, College Humor's video has a point: Straight people benefit from gay rights. It's not a major reason to support LGBT rights (such rights stand on their own merits); it's just a fact. (But if it swayed somebody on the fence, though, I'd be OK with that.) Here are six reasons, based on facts, not stereotypes, that straight people will benefit from acceptance and equal rights for LGBT people:
1) LGBT people are your friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors.
Oppression hurts. Because of homophobic attitudes, which are supported through government discrimination, LGBT people are more likely than straight people to experience hate crimes, become depressed and commit suicide. That suffering doesn't just affect LGBT people themselves but touches everybody they know.
for 2 -6 click here.
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