Does anyone else get offended when people use the term "lifestyle" when talking about gay people? I mean they don't talk about straight people by saying the "heterosexual lifestyle". I also never hear it used with religion, race, sex, or anything really except for homosexuality. Lifestyle on freedictionary means "A way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group." Usually people seem to use the term when saying "He/she is living the homosexual lifestyle" or "I don't support the lifestyle but I still think you are a cool person." Lifestyle seems to give the idea that it is a choice. And not all gay people have the same beliefs and ideas. It's not like some kind of cult lol. What do you all think?
I can't say I'm fond of the term either. The only way being gay affects your lifestyle is by affecting whom you fall in love with and have sex with. I suppose that in our relationship-centric society, that means a lot, but the relationships themselves aren't different enough in any meaningful way to warrant a separate term. The only reason I don't think the term is flat-out ridiculous is that I don't think the term "heterosexual lifestyle" is flat-out ridiculous. The ideas I think of when I hear the terms "homosexual lifestyle" and "heterosexual lifestyle" could just as easily be captured by the term "monogamous lifestyle", or whatever other term is appropriate. That said, the fact that people only use one of those terms is flat-out ridiculous. Also, image is relevant.
Initially I didn't like the term "lifestyle" but then I thought about it and never really found it to imply that homosexuality is a choice. I mean, someone who's visually impaired leads a bit of a different lifestyle than I do but I wouldn't say they had any choice in the matter. That's probably the worst analogy ever but that's all I have. If someone used the term "lifestyle choice" I might take a bit of offence.
I totally agree. If someone uses the word lifestyle, I'll call them on it. "Well what kind of lifestyle are you living? Aren't you just living your life? Well we are too!"
