Oh baby
I find it fascinating that in this country, with all there is in this universe to discuss, explore, and ponder - and in the midst of what many are calling the worst economic crisis this country has seen since the great depression - that many people still find the time to bitch about gay rights and abortion. These two topics just seem to perpetuate divisiveness and intolerance and frankly I'm just sick of it. Really, it is nobody's business what one person wants to put in or take out of their own body aside from those close friends or family members whose advice has specifically been sought out. Yet so many people claim they are compelled to involve themselves because of their belief in a supernatural deity who they believe inspired a book to be written thousands of years ago when things were very different than they are now.
To be perfectly honest, I don't feel like I really should have any right to even talk about abortion, and neither does any male, with the possible exception of a male who has impregnated a woman who is considering getting an abortion. Obviously, I will never have to contemplate getting an abortion myself and as a gay male, chances are slim that I will ever be in anyway associated with the process. For these reasons, I normally would abstain from even commenting on the subject but because so many other people who probably should keep their mouths shut decide to proclaim and broadcast their beliefs I often feel I have to represent the other side. Suffice to say, I would fall into the category known as "pro-choice" although to be more accurate, I am just more anti-pro-life (if that makes sense). I am NOT "pro-abortion" as many conservatives like to label those in the pro-choice camp. I don't think ANYONE is advocating for more abortion. It should be obvious to anyone that abortion should be a last resort and something that has been carefully considered and the outcomes weighed. I do know people who have had abortions and feel that it was the right decision for them and seem to demonstrate that would be the case.
As a volunteer for a homeless outreach program, and just as a resident in Los Angeles in general, it's devastating to see the effects of human beings who find themselves without a network of loved ones and support. Many of the same people who so fiercely oppose abortion are those who do nothing when it comes to the issue of homelessness, they certainly don't donate any time or money to the cause of ending homelessness and often they are downright insensitive about it. Of course it's much easier for people to defend and advocate for an unborn baby, because babies are cute and innocent. Those babies do grow up, though, and where do you think all those homeless, drunk, dirty people come from who end up languishing on the streets? From a loving household with strong family ties and a supportive community? Probably not very often. They come from unstable homes, broken families, communities full of judgemental people who are only looking out for themselves. They've fallen in a downward spiral and there is no safety net to catch them. How many of these people were born to someone who did not want a child? How many were wards of the state or in foster homes at a young age? Why are we focused more on preventing abortion that we are with helping those who are already here and desperately need support?
This ties in with gay rights. Many in the christian conservative movement falsely believe that if they could only suppress and demonize gays that maybe they can 'protect' their children from the 'gay agenda'. I guess they think that a child will either not become gay, or learn to hide their true feelings and live a lie, if they are either unaware of homosexuality, or it has been stigmatized to the point where a person would rather deny his or her true self just to conform to societal standards. This movement has, until recently, been fairly successful in that "coming out" is a difficult process to say the least that many gay people do end up either never fully realizing, or at least putting off until later in life when one is finally ready to deal with it. It is because of this effort to demonize and marginalize gays that many kids grow up thinking that being gay means not having a family, not raising children, not belonging to a larger (predominately heterosexual) community or a church. They are taught to believe that gays are promiscuous and therefore happiness and lifelong companionship are pipedreams for those who "submit" to a gay lifestyle. Even nastier rumors are perpetuated involving drugs and diseases. The real truth of the matter is that any human being has just as good of chance at finding love and thriving in a committed relationship, being able to be a productive member of a community and a person of faith or spirituality as anyone else, straight or gay. But because of the massive influence mainly from organized religion to suppress and stigmatize gays, most gays do not grow up believing that they will find a partner and be able to adopt, love and care for one of the millions of children in our government's systems (worldwide) that were not lucky enough to be born into a family that desired them or had the ability to provide for them.
On a purely basic level, it would seem that gays are an obvious and needed solution to many of the larger problems in society. If you believe in God and believe that God has a plan for human kind, I don't understand how you wouldn't see that God created gay people to balance out the system of reproduction naturally inherent in human beings. For centuries, girls have been getting pregnant when they were not wanting to, before they were ready to become mothers, many when they were mere children themselves. Before considering an abortion, why not consider letting a gay couple adopt your child? Especially considering that so many gay couples have two incomes and have made the decision and commitment already to devote themselves to a child's best interests, jumping through many hurdles to do so. And ultimately, despite what the conservatives want people to believe, the child does have mother, and if later in life the child wants to find that mother they are allowed by law to do so, and perhaps at that time the mother will be able to provide something of value to the child; maybe not... but either way the child will already have two people who have demonstrated their unconditional love and support during the most difficult times growing up.
I just don't understand where people are coming from in this country, I don't understand why people would want to be the type of person that spends their time and money condemning other people and trying to govern what other people can or can't do to be happy. It's sick and if there was a God I'm sure it would make his heart hurt.
To be perfectly honest, I don't feel like I really should have any right to even talk about abortion, and neither does any male, with the possible exception of a male who has impregnated a woman who is considering getting an abortion. Obviously, I will never have to contemplate getting an abortion myself and as a gay male, chances are slim that I will ever be in anyway associated with the process. For these reasons, I normally would abstain from even commenting on the subject but because so many other people who probably should keep their mouths shut decide to proclaim and broadcast their beliefs I often feel I have to represent the other side. Suffice to say, I would fall into the category known as "pro-choice" although to be more accurate, I am just more anti-pro-life (if that makes sense). I am NOT "pro-abortion" as many conservatives like to label those in the pro-choice camp. I don't think ANYONE is advocating for more abortion. It should be obvious to anyone that abortion should be a last resort and something that has been carefully considered and the outcomes weighed. I do know people who have had abortions and feel that it was the right decision for them and seem to demonstrate that would be the case.
As a volunteer for a homeless outreach program, and just as a resident in Los Angeles in general, it's devastating to see the effects of human beings who find themselves without a network of loved ones and support. Many of the same people who so fiercely oppose abortion are those who do nothing when it comes to the issue of homelessness, they certainly don't donate any time or money to the cause of ending homelessness and often they are downright insensitive about it. Of course it's much easier for people to defend and advocate for an unborn baby, because babies are cute and innocent. Those babies do grow up, though, and where do you think all those homeless, drunk, dirty people come from who end up languishing on the streets? From a loving household with strong family ties and a supportive community? Probably not very often. They come from unstable homes, broken families, communities full of judgemental people who are only looking out for themselves. They've fallen in a downward spiral and there is no safety net to catch them. How many of these people were born to someone who did not want a child? How many were wards of the state or in foster homes at a young age? Why are we focused more on preventing abortion that we are with helping those who are already here and desperately need support?
This ties in with gay rights. Many in the christian conservative movement falsely believe that if they could only suppress and demonize gays that maybe they can 'protect' their children from the 'gay agenda'. I guess they think that a child will either not become gay, or learn to hide their true feelings and live a lie, if they are either unaware of homosexuality, or it has been stigmatized to the point where a person would rather deny his or her true self just to conform to societal standards. This movement has, until recently, been fairly successful in that "coming out" is a difficult process to say the least that many gay people do end up either never fully realizing, or at least putting off until later in life when one is finally ready to deal with it. It is because of this effort to demonize and marginalize gays that many kids grow up thinking that being gay means not having a family, not raising children, not belonging to a larger (predominately heterosexual) community or a church. They are taught to believe that gays are promiscuous and therefore happiness and lifelong companionship are pipedreams for those who "submit" to a gay lifestyle. Even nastier rumors are perpetuated involving drugs and diseases. The real truth of the matter is that any human being has just as good of chance at finding love and thriving in a committed relationship, being able to be a productive member of a community and a person of faith or spirituality as anyone else, straight or gay. But because of the massive influence mainly from organized religion to suppress and stigmatize gays, most gays do not grow up believing that they will find a partner and be able to adopt, love and care for one of the millions of children in our government's systems (worldwide) that were not lucky enough to be born into a family that desired them or had the ability to provide for them.
On a purely basic level, it would seem that gays are an obvious and needed solution to many of the larger problems in society. If you believe in God and believe that God has a plan for human kind, I don't understand how you wouldn't see that God created gay people to balance out the system of reproduction naturally inherent in human beings. For centuries, girls have been getting pregnant when they were not wanting to, before they were ready to become mothers, many when they were mere children themselves. Before considering an abortion, why not consider letting a gay couple adopt your child? Especially considering that so many gay couples have two incomes and have made the decision and commitment already to devote themselves to a child's best interests, jumping through many hurdles to do so. And ultimately, despite what the conservatives want people to believe, the child does have mother, and if later in life the child wants to find that mother they are allowed by law to do so, and perhaps at that time the mother will be able to provide something of value to the child; maybe not... but either way the child will already have two people who have demonstrated their unconditional love and support during the most difficult times growing up.
I just don't understand where people are coming from in this country, I don't understand why people would want to be the type of person that spends their time and money condemning other people and trying to govern what other people can or can't do to be happy. It's sick and if there was a God I'm sure it would make his heart hurt.
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