My Great-Uncle is racist but supports LGBT rights?

The are racists on EC and in practically every community in existence. The one doesn't always go with the other.

 

really i didnt see any racist comment here or i missed one or two ???

 

Sometimes they do get taken down. I have seen explicitly pro nazi statements on here and plenty of other racist and sexist expressions.

 

Unfortunately, people don't tend to see things the way they actually are, so while racism and homophobia are both forms of prejudice based entirely on factors that cannot be controlled by the individual, some people seem to think that one of them is more acceptable than the other.
I suppose it's better to be racist and support LGBT+ rights than to be both a racist and a homophobe, but it's still not brilliant :/

Sometimes, older generations can be very ignorant about these things. He might not even realise what he said was racist (my uncle does that all the time)
I'm not sure.

As for racists on EC, they are here, however the people who run the site (mods/admins/etc) are really good at their jobs, and things tend to get taken down very quickly if they're offensive.

 

There was a question like this a few days ago, yes there are gay and trans racists, why would there not be? Does being in a minority automatically make you more tolerant to other minorities? No, does that mean there are no black homophobes? Of course not. I've not been here long but I've seen a few racist, sexist and straight hate posts, but they've all rightly been taken down by staff. You'll find old people can be odd when it comes to race and sex, my grandmother can't stand lesbians but can tolerate gay men, she was born in the 20's and it was a radically different time to now.

 

You could spend forever trying to dismantle the reasoning behind one individuals skewed logic. Transphobia tends to pop up now and again on EC as well, even though you'd think people in the same community really should know better.

I have a friend who has a fondness for effeminate gay men but has made insulting comments about lesbians who look butch, although to be fair she did catch herself and said something along the lines of: "maybe I have unfair double standards?" So she is aware of it at least.

 

Would your great-uncle be conflicted about somebody who was gay and non-white? Would he accept the gay part but detest the skin color, or would he suddenly dislike both?

I'm curious.

As for racism on EC, it's there, as others have said. The blatant racism is handled and easy to spot, but it's the subtle brand you have to watch out for. Racism isn't a no-way or all-the-way attitude, it has layers and levels.

 

LMAO.......

My sister is the same way. She couldn't care less about anybody having relations with the same sex.......but when it comes to blacks and Mexicans..........OMG, you better cover your ears!!!!

I'm surprised she isn't a member of the KKK.

 

The KKK hates gays.

 

It's not a pre-requisite.

 

I have an aunt who's not opposed to gay marriage and yet both she and her husband throw the N-word and have some very unflattering views on the capabilities of racial minorities...

 

The two sentiments are not mutually exclusive. I don't know if that's the correct term but it sounds right so I'm sticking with it xD

 

Unfortunately, supporting the rights of any persecuted minority doesn't make you exempt from being a bigot. In fact, many people use their apparent support of LGBT rights as a guise to appear more "tolerant" and/or as an excuse to be more of a bigoted asshole on other issues.

True story: Not long after I came out, my cousin and her partner came over for a family lunch and the topic of gay marriage somehow came into the conversation. She blatantly stated that she didn't support it but reassured everyone that she wasn't against equality for LGBT people because she has "gay friends." I immediately looked at my sister and she shot me a "can you believe this fucking idiot" look. Suffice to say, it became an extremely awkward situation.

The point is: your uncle isn't a "rare specimen" and it's just a matter of accepting it for what it is.

 

Yes it is good that your uncle supports LGBT rights. It is unfortunate that he is a racist. And you can even be LGBT and be rasist same as you can be part of a racial minority and not support LGBT rights. Some people cling to some forms of ignorance.

 

It seems to me that prejudice like this is a gross over-simplification of real problems in society. Your great uncle may attribute poor family decisions to some trait of their race, when really he just might see it more in black people than anyone else because he expects to, and blaming a group is easier than picking out every singular instance of having too many kids in all races. He doesn't have any similar reason* to resent gay people I assume, so finds them harmless unlike most hardcore conservatives.

*I use "reason" most lightly; it's only a subjective explanation, not a good logical process.

 

Sure, all combinations exist. Nothing surprises me. I've seen mixed stances with people. People's thinking isn't binary.

In general, it's probably a result of what was said around the house and their reference group growing up and specific experiences with and perceptions of different groups of people along someone's life journey.

What is said can definitely be offensive, but I'd really dig deep and try to figure out how much of it is hot air. Some people are so idiotic that they're annoying. Some people are even more idiotic that they approach being someone to laugh at.

 

The thing about the two of them is that they're perfect examples of people in America who say that we live in a "post-racial society" and they're racists themselves.

 

Lol.

Just because we don't have institutionalized racism doesn't mean it's not almost as bad as it was back in the day. And I don't just mean "white vs. other" either; it goes all directions.

 

We have transphobia and biphobia within the LGBT community. I see no reason to be surprised by what you described.