Author |
Message |
Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 1:26 pm
It was an extremely ugly moment. Jeff was enraged.
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Me_poster
Member
03-02-2010
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 2:12 pm
instead of a lynch mob coming to him at the end of the show, perhaps one person take him out for coffee and speak with him on how offended people are from his comments regarding gay people say it in a calm non threatening tone where he would be more receptive and open minded. pamy my grandson says the same thing. i asked him if he knew what gay is, he says no, i tell him it is when two people of the same sex love each other and it is a beautiful expression love, so if he says something is "so gay" then he is saying it is beautiful. if he meant that "so gay" is stupid or dumb, he should say stupid or dumb. haven't heard "so gay" since, but stupid and dumb is used quite a bit more than i like 
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 2:20 pm
I suspect that a few adults are a bit like your grandson. They say the words without thinking about it and without thinking about how people may be hurt hearing those words used in a derogatory way. Of course, that doesn't excuse an adult. I don't think anyone here is out to "lynch" Jeff. Overall he is a rather likable guy. However, that doesn't mean I'm not going to say something if he says something that I think is inaccurate and hurtful.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 2:31 pm
Pamy, I hear ya. I get on his whole group of friends for that. They never use the f-word for gays around me, or any profanity for that matter. But sometimes if they are all hanging out, and they don't realize I'm close by, I hear them. But the "that's so gay" they don't even think of that as bad, so they slip on that around me all the time. And then I smile and say, okay, time for lecture number 1014 (I always make a number), and explain what I think. Still, it's hard to get thru.
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Me_poster
Member
03-02-2010
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 2:36 pm
i agree jimmer, i just think he is ignorant on gay people and their fight for equal rights that we so freely enjoy. he should be educated rather then scorned.
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Sanfranjoshfan
Member
09-17-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 2:55 pm
"There is no reason to even comment on the sexuality of any of the authority figures in Harry Potter." But commenting on any straight married couple is "addressing their sexuality", isn't it? Any kid in the school that says, "my mother and father said...." is addressing the sexual orientation of his or her parents. I hate that so many people see the mention of a straight couple as something beautiful, but the mention of a gay couple is "sex talk". Straight couples have sex, too, so why doesn't anyone think that a reference to "mom and dad" is okay, but any reference to "my two dads" is bringing up sexuality? The fact is, gay couples' relationships are all about love just like the relationships of straight couples. Gay people love and respect their partners just like straight ones do. It's just weird for folks to view straights as "people" but view gays as "sexuality". We are people, too.
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 4:02 pm
I am so old that when I hear somebody say the word 'gay' I think 'happy.'
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 4:48 pm
LOL - There are a lot of old books written about a character known as "The Saint". He was kind of a clever roguish fellow who used to steal from criminals and give the money away to people who needed it (similar to Robin Hood). Anyway the author repeatedly referred to the character as being gay, meaning happy. When I first read the books years ago as a kid, I found it a bit confusing. I wonder when and how the term "gay" came to be used as it is currently?
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Sanfranjoshfan
Member
09-17-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 5:22 pm
Here's what wikipedia has to say about the word: "Gay is a word that commonly refers to a male or female whose sexual orientation is attraction to persons of the same sex. It was originally used to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy"; it had also come to acquire some connotations of "immorality" as early as 1637.[1]" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay
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Puzzled
Member
08-27-2001
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 6:02 pm
In the 1940s there was a popular play, "When We Were Young and Gay," and gay meant happy. I don't think it changed until the 60s or 70s.
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 6:19 pm
I loved the book "Our Hearts were Young and Gay". Cornelia Otis Skinner. It was written in the 40's.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 7:00 pm
They even changed The Flintstones theme song. It used to say 'we'll have a gay ole time'
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Bonbonlover
Member
07-13-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 7:06 pm
Pamy... what does the theme song say now?
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Southerngirl
Member
07-28-2008
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 7:35 pm
I still like Jeff and feel that he is just uncomfortable with homosexuality. I went to a convention in Florida about 15 years ago. After our meeting one night 3 girls and I decided to go to a bar and have a drink. We blindly walked into a bar and soon discovered it was a gay bar. There were mostly men in there but we decided to stay because we(all married) knew we would not get hit on. As I sat there and watched men kissing and dancing with each other I felt like I was in a whole other world that was so unfamiliar to me. Was I uncomfortable? Very much so because it was so foreign to me.Did I hate those guys? No, they were actually very nice to us.Am I comfortable with homosexuality today? Not really because I live in a small southern town and don't have gay friends or family. Even though I have learned a lot about gay people from this discussion I will always be "uncomfortable " with homosexuality because it again is so foreign to me. That doesn't mean I am anti-gay because who people choose to love is not for me to judge. As far as the character in the book, I still agree with Jeff and I am sure most parents agree too. I think if Jeff had had the discussion in a little calmer manner maybe he could have explained why he was not "comfortable" with the character being gay. Then like us they could have all had an intelligent, meaningful conversation about it.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 7:39 pm
As far as the character in the book, I still agree with Jeff and I am sure most parents agree too I disagree completely and wholeheartedly. <99> That is like saying there shouldn't be a female headmaster (or whatever that character is). What does a person's sexual preference have to do with children?? That is like saying gay people are pedaphiles. (I know that is spelled wrong, but i am steamed at this kind of thinking....)
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Southerngirl
Member
07-28-2008
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 7:47 pm
I guess I just don't think it was necessary for her to say a character is gay or straight. Let the reader figure that out. As I stated earlier elementary kids read HP and many don't even know what the word gay means.I(retired teacher) certainly don't want to have to explain it...that is their parents job.Sexuality is not in our curriculum.
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Me_poster
Member
03-02-2010
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 7:57 pm
southerngirl- i sort of get what you are saying and i respect your honesty. BUT (you knew there had to be a but ;o) ) being gay has absolutely has nothing to do with sex anymore then heterosexuality does. it's about love and love is not about sex.
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Kep421
Member
08-11-2001
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 7:58 pm
I agree with Southern girl. As a parent I would be very upset if material concerning homosexuality was in a children's book that did not issue a disclaimer or note sexual content. I feel it is my right and responsibility to determine when and how my child is exposed to adult subjects. If that makes me a horrible person like Jeff...then so be it.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:01 pm
But the whole point JKR had was to show that a gay character is just like anyone else...
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Katbird315
Member
07-09-2011
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:10 pm
"There is no reason to even comment on the sexuality of any of the authority figures in Harry Potter." Hate to break it to you all but JK Rollins herself said it in an interview several months ago when talking about some of the books little hidden secrets. She pointed out to the interviewer that the headmaster was homosexual and still a positive roll model.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:22 pm
Obviously when some people think of a man in a relationship with another man they focus on sex and sexuality. For some reason they don't seem to do that when they think of a man and a woman who are in a relationship. So it is perfectly fine for Ron's parents to be in a relationship (i.e married) because that isn't considered sexual. But it is not okay for Dumbledore to be gay because that is considered sexual.
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Southerngirl
Member
07-28-2008
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:24 pm
Thanks, Me! I do understand what you are saying. I think I am going to leave it at that for now because it is late here and my brain is tired
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Me_poster
Member
03-02-2010
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:25 pm
cuz we all know that sex goes down after marriage jimmer 
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:34 pm
LOL - I was thinking the exact same thing! 
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:39 pm
was in a children's book It's not really a "children's" book, the age level is 9-13; or some sources say grade 5 (age 10) and up. Most of our 5th graders are more than aware of what being gay means, or should be.
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