My Chime! I seem to be back in action, which is incredible to me. I’ve given up on so many different projects, so to still be doing my best to keep this blog going is great. I’m Pixie, and I’m proud to be here today, but that doesn’t actually have anything to do with todays topic, which is continuing on with my research into Pride Month and the LGBTQ+ community. I thought today’s conversation could be about some of the common misconceptions surrounding the Alphabet Mafia (if you don’t like me using that title or grouping, just let me know and I’ll stop).
1) Sexual Orientation is a choice. False. It’s brain chemistry and biology and even family history. It’s a whole lot of factors that develop into creating who someone might find attractive and be sexually attracted to. There are studies that say sexual orientation is a factor that could possibly be developed in some as early as before we’re even born. The choice that occurs is whether or not we choose to let society tell us who we are and who we love.
2) Homosexuality can be “cured.” It doesn’t need to be cured. But if we’re talking about changing someone’s sexual orientation through therapy and bullshit, no, it can’t be “cured.” Conversion therapy doesn’t work and does more to traumatize a patient than do any good for them. And if you come across a therapist who claims to be able to do any of these things, their a fake and should be reported. the American Psychology Association discredited this line of therapy years ago.
3) Parents did something wrong. No. It’s not about how a child was raised. The only thing a parent can do to do something wrong to blame their child, kick them out, call them names, anything to show that you lack any support for your child that made a big decision to come and tell you how they feel or who they think they are. The only thing you could teach them is that they can’t trust you and they shouldn’t come to you for support. They may chase your support for the rest of their lives, or even go so far as to hate and resent themselves for losing you to be who they are.
4) Homosexuality is contagious. No, gonorrhea is contagious, the flue is contagious, even corona virus is contagious. This myth most likely stems from one child coming out to their family, then another child comes out because they feel like they have at least one person for support if they need, and it’s a domino affect of people coming out to each other because they recognize kindred spirits. They aren’t spreading homosexuality to each other, their spreading courage, and I think that’s beautiful.
6) An LGBTQ+ person is dangerous to children. They are no more dangerous to a child than any other member of society. In fact, recent studies show that men married to women (not necessarily straight) are much more likely to be harmful to your child than anyone else. The research says that when investigating cases of child molestation, the assailant fit the previously stated description 90% of the time. So, if you want someone to be afraid of, pick someone else. Hell, pick me. I’ll stick my foot straight up your ass for being a homophobic asshole and laugh while doing it.
7) The bible condemns homosexuality. There are multiple reasons I hate this statement, but lets start with the fact that homosexuality isn’t ever actually spoken of in the original text of the bible, in Hebrew by the way. It’s been proven to have been mistranslated, which resulted in the current misunderstanding. In reality, the text actually talks about pedophilia as a sin, which I support 110%. And since we’re on the topic, if we want to continue to pretend that that’s what it says, then everyone should also remember that the bible says you committing adultery is a sin and if you feel like your hand might touch a woman inappropriately, then you should cut your hand off, if you get pregnant out of wedlock then you should be stoned to death, and my personal favorite, you can’t wear mixed fabrics, meaning you can’t wear wool with cotton with satin, and so and so forth. There’s so much more to the bible than some made up passage that isn’t even correct. And let’s not even talk about how in America there are specific rules that are supposed to separate church and state specifically so the Christians can’t dictate to others how they’re supposed to live their lives. If you can’t tell, I actually have a lot against societies selective use of the bible to control people. Also, the bible definitely says it is not our place to judge others, only gods, and we should love all people because he loves us, so there Karen!
8) Homosexuality is abnormal. This myth delves into several different avenues of conversation. Some people answer the mental aspect of that question, so let’s start there. Individuals part of the LGBTQ+ community are shown to be as mentally healthy as everyone else. The mental struggles they deal with stem from not being accepted in their families or communities, which causes them to spiral into depression and anxiety as they try and fail to find their place in society. When they have support, when they are called by their preferred pronouns and treated how to feel they should be treated, then their mental health drastically improves, suicide rates among that community drop by fifty percent. When you get into the natural side of things, homosexuality, transgender, bisexuality, etc., is all very common in nature as a whole. Dolphins, penguins, primates, even lions are known to have sexual encounters others of the same sex, clownfish, the slipper limpet, and cuttlefish can change their sex from male to female, and there are species of frogs that change from female to male. Hyenas are some of the animals that can display as males while maintaining female anatomy. They have a clitoris so big it’s sometimes mistaken for a penis! LGBTQ+ started in the animal kingdom, it’s not an abnormality that humans created.
9) Transgender individuals have to make the transition to be valid. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Transgender people are valid in any way, shape, or form, in transition, after transition, or even if they choose or aren’t capable of transitioning. They don’t feel like they belong to the body they were born in, they feel they are a different gender, and that makes them valid.
10) In any couple, there is a male role and a female role. Again, this is incorrect. Couples are made of what they agree to be. Sure, there might be someone who feels more masculine than their partner, but it could be just as likely for both individuals to be very feminine and they enjoy that in each other. When in a couple, the only opinions that matters are the opinions of the people within that couple. Communication is key to any relationship and to ensuring that each person receives what they need out of the relationship. And, if this is referring to one partner being more dominant than the other as the implication of one being more masculine than the other, I have a few tidbits of information that might shake up that belief. For example, there are men who prefer to be in a relationship with women who take control, they want to be slaves or servants to their partners, while in public, they are the controlling personality. Or, their are people who are switches, meaning they take charge one day, and take orders the next. It’s far more complicated than just being dominant and submissive.
As you can hopefully see by now, the community is complicated, but they are no different than the rest of the world. They also have hardships and dating issue, depression and anxiety, and they love who they love with all of their hearts. So, let them. Let the stigmatization and prejudice die!
With that said, I move on from this topic, and next week, we’ll talk about what is definitely not allowed in the LGBTQ+ community. I look forward to writing and researching about that.
I will see you later. Fly high, Chimers!
Diary of a Bipolar Pixie 