So many gay stereotypes

People love to stereotype people... :eusa_doh:

 

Yeah it gets rather annoying when all my friends talk about how gay certain guys are because they act effeminately while I'm standing right next to them in all of my gayness but seemingly "straight" because I don't have a high voice etc..

 

Well if you do not fit any of the stereotypes, you're free to laugh at people who insist you must. Because they are silly.

 

What a laughable concept, that people who don't fit typical gay stereotypes simply cannot be gay.

 

This has come up many times with me and my friends.

Sometimes I can just tell that a guy is gay (I might be wrong). But, they normally freak out. "No way, your just being mean". They have no idea....

 

Honestly, I've never understood this.

I would never belittle the opinions of those who feel offended when they are inaccurately stereotyped because stereotypes are never beneficial; however, the fact of the matter is that we would all be stereotyped if we were heterosexual. Every single social group within society is stereotyped.

Homosexual men being stereotyped as feminine is no less problematic than heterosexual men being stereotyped as masculine. Likewise, with heterosexual women being stereotyped as feminine. Be offended that assumptions are being made based on identity. Be offended because stereotypes are harmful in every case. Generalizations and imposed societal expectations should be considered offensive and strongly combated regardless of whether they align with you or not.

Edit: For the record, this is not directed to the OP specifically. The fact that his sexuality is being doubted is a different issues entirely. This is more towards the "Gay stereotypes are so harmful because I'm normal" rhetoric.

 

I strangely fit the stereotype excepting of course my deep ass voice. And also some of what I like.

 

Yeah, this issue does crop up regularly in gay discussions. I hate it. I hate the fact that hollywood has created these inconvenient stereotypes for gay people. Convenient for them, but totally not reflective of the diversity of gay people. I totally feel you, man.

And I bet you thats why so many gays stay in the closet. Because they fear being like the "queer" stereotype. Its very sad all round. That "queer" men are looked down upon, and that gays stay in the closet because of warped perceptions. :-(

 

Not only that, but it probably increases confusion, too. From the female perspective, as someone who grew up in the 90s I thought I couldn't possibly be a lesbian because I wasn't like the butch stereotype that was prevalent at the time. The idea that you could be feminine, or even somewhere in between, just didn't occur to me because I never saw it represented.

 

My male co-workers NEVER suspect I'm Gay...I have a deep voice, and I don't act very flamboyant...At least not in front of them...

But, most girls seem to automatically know once they start spending a lot of time with me, like my Mom and most female co-workers...Sometimes thry don't suspect, and I tell them myself...With them, I act somewhat flamboyant...

 

Sometimes people don't even think about behavior they just say "so and so does/doesn't look gay" I mean really? There was this guy in my hs class once, everyone said he was gay, dude was just flamboyant but completely straight. Idk why people are so mean to those fem guys, they are humans too.

 

I just remind myself that stereotypes are the mindview of the ignorant. When i keep that in mind, i be who i am and live life how i want to live it.

 

My mom is convinced that this one teacher at my school is gay because he isn't very manly.

I really really hate the stereotypes. Mostly because my mom would probably completely accept me if she didn't believe that my sexuality is what caused me to be so non-feminine... Like, she'll say, "Just because you're a lesbian doesn't mean you have to dress like a guy!" UGH.

 

Unfortunately stereotypes happen to every group including the majority. There are also feminine straight men and masculine straight women that are assumed to not be straight either.

 

Or when they insist you can't be gay because you don't fit any of the stereotypes.

 

My little bro told my dad his english teacher is gay but he wouldn't believe him because when he met him at parents evening he didn't seem gay enough

I've come out to my dad since so I guess he realises now how much bullshit that was :lol:

 

About half of the people I've told have been surprised and the other half have been like "ok yeah I can see that."

I once offered to show my internet history to a friend who didn't believe me. That shut him up quickly

 

Even though this topic is old hat, you've put a fresh approach on it.

I don't think you should ham it up because that's something you need to do to fit a stereotype. Just be yourself.

I don't know anyone transgendered, but there are probably many LGB folks who are thrown for a loop when someone they like announces they hate LGB folks. Sometimes, it's about their misconceptions and upbringing, and it can be pointless to try to correct their way of thinking ... at least overnight. There's no denying the stereotypes exist and that's what it could be ... they don't see all the other people who either don't fit or minimally fit some of the stereotypes.

---------- Post added 17th Jan 2015 at 08:12 PM ----------

Basic human nature, for as long as the world has been turning. People try to do this with many things, either because they don't understand various things or want to understand various things. To some extent, EVERYBODY categorizes things. You'd almost go crazy if you didn't create some structure and hierarchy in your life observations.

---------- Post added 17th Jan 2015 at 08:13 PM ----------

I think some of the descriptions of my "sightings" would blow people's minds. Dayum ... I used the word blow. Ok ... mess with.

 

I feel your pain. I hate my voice - it's deeper than an average straigh male's. And I want to "fit in" with the LGBT community.