Text Journal #4: 3.31.09

In response to "Reflections on Heterosexual Privilege", I have been enlightened to account for the difference in treatment of those who are heterosexual from those who are homosexual or transgender, or "GLBTQ." There is a strong, negative sentiment towards people who are not heterosexual and they are not culturally accepted. Many people , myself included, shy away from interactions with people who are not heterosexual. Sexuality is a unique topic of discussion in the United States because it is a major selling point for advertisement agencies and Hollywood, but it is not acceptable to discuss one's sexuality in formal situations or settings. TV commercials and Hollywood movies may show women parading around scantily clad and men in provacative attire but to discuss one's sexuality or one's sexual preference is viewed as taboo. I believe it would be more acceptable in society to discuss one's "blackness" or "asian-ness" before one's sexual preference because of the strict cultural mores we have on sexuality.
Some of the feminist's from the reading would claim that this is because of society's unnatural view of the roles of men and women in society; men having to be the leaders and women being the subservient "appologetic" type which in turn leads to "emotional and social problems." However, she contradicts herself in the next paragraph stating that even though she is lesbian, she must combat the tendency to "act according to the heterosexual norms that are apart of me;" which is like saying that it is normal for her to act out of her heterosexual nature.
An issue that Deborah brings up is the question of whether or not people choose to be gay. Her beliefs on the issue derive from her personal experience with people in her hometown who committed suicide because of, as she later found out, emotional struggles regarding their sexuality. She believes that their crisis comes from their struggle with society's norm of finding the perfect mate and fitting into those narrow roles. This article has not changed my thoughts on the question of "nature and nurture" and which is responsible for a person's sexuality but it helped me to be more understanding of the seriousness of the situation with GLBTQs.