Why do people hate gays?

I just do not get it.

I don't get what all the hooplah is surrounding the gay debate. Why are people so terriblly homophobic? Take your average citizen who raises their kids, recycles, is farely pleasant to all sorts of people, but then when asked directly, turns out to be farely intolerant?

It comes down to a few factors. The conversation will inevitably turn to the idea that gay sex just 'grosses them out' They know so and so, who is gay, and he/she is lovely, just wonderful, such a terribly interesting and smart person, but every time they see them, they just can't stop from thinking--eew. that is just so gross.

Why is it so much grosser than straight sex?

...and then the conversation continues: Straight sex is supposed to happen. That's how we have kids, its supposed to be that way and being gay is so not natural.

but the homosexual animal is a pretty natural occurance, too. Plenty of gay animals and animals with homosexual tendancies. And when you get down to business, men and women are pretty similar physicaly...you wouldn't have Joan of Ark or Yentel if that weren't so.

I was speaking with some pretty honest homophobes yesterday who explained to me that it is okay to be in love with someone of the same gender as yourself. The important thing is not to act out on it. This was something both of them agreed on. I appreciated their honesty, I really did, but at the same time, cannot understand why they cannot make the mental leap to accept it all the way--that if you believe people naturally are somewhat homosexual or bi--why it would be so 'gross' to accept it entirely?

If your personally-held religious beliefs maintain that you, yourself not be gay, well fine. But why deny someone else their happiness? Some part of me believes that homophobes just want to ruin someone else's day just because they can. It's sort of hypocritical to be all about America protecting you when you can't extend those liberties/rights to other non-threatening, law abiding consenting adults.

For those that believe granting rights to gays reduces morality in society, I laugh. I laugh with the same gusto with regards to the immigration debate in which people approach the problem as if it is something that doesn't already exist, and existing with the same sense of presence within mainstream American society. Gays exist. Gays are protected under the constitution. Gays are our friends and family members (but watch them around the kids, you never know, they may give them AIDS). The thing is, we still have to have our reservations, we still can't let them be.

Back to my honest homophobic friends. They argued that while most people are somewhat bi, they see no reason why gays can't just find a partner of the opposite sex and settle down. If men and women are so similar after all, why can't mr x find a mrs y and forget about being queer?

I asked...would you want to be married to this person?

They replied...Marriage is not neccessarily about passion, there are all sorts of marriages (whereby I am given a mental list of people they know who have peculiar marriages).

Okay. So we can agree to disagree on this. I see I am getting nowhere here...but I just want to say that while homosexuality is a biological phenomenon (ignoring the idea of acting out on one's urges or whatever), homophobia is something learned.

I think it is facinating to look at other cultures where homosexuality is less of a stigma...

So why am I getting all Liberal on you? No perticular reason. Just happened to have a family member who had a civil partnership in London to his partner of nearly 30 years. Now, they can leave money to each other after they die. They can be next of kin, and visit each other if one is hospitalized. Big freaken deal. Like the kids are so much worse off...