sociology professors response to gay marriage: warning he's an idiot

[Sam]

So I'm sitting in my sociology of family class and we are talking about marriage, eventually gay marriage is mentioned. Most of my classmates are homophobic idiots but I've gotten used to it over time, this time my professor joins in and says that if gay people were aloud to get married that soon people would want to marry animals and objects and their own sisters and brothers!

Come on! How dare he link gay marriage to that ^

I think that comment is totally uncalled for and a completely ignorant thing to say.

It took all of my self control not to say something, maybe I should have said something.

What do you think about that comment?

[Doglover]

Well it's sad, and stupid that he would say things like that. Sadly most people in my classes are homophobic too, so I feel your pain.

[divadarya]

Yeah, that's the classic Dumbass defense.

[Vampyrecat]

I think you should have said your own view. Your point of view is just as important, if not more important, then your teacher's view. Your teacher should be teaching unbiased classes, and not making bigoted comparisons.
Personally, I would also complain to the highest person I could, eg, the dean of that area of study. I'd make it clear that you were completely uncomfortable with that kind of teaching and that the way he "taught" it was completely inappropriate.

[mcrteenagers]

Or if you don't want to say something and direct all that (negative) attention to you, write a letter and leave it on his desk.

Making sure to be respectful, but calling him out at the same time (saying what he said was ignorant).

I know I would.

[justjoshoh]

I am intrigued that a sociology professor would actually make that argument unless facetiously. I think it would have been appropriate to challenge the statement. Perhaps, the professor was trying to draw ire out of you or fellow classmates to defend the position. Or the professor could just be biased or ignorant of the sociological studies of homosexuality.

[Orion]

Originally Posted by justjoshoh

I am intrigued that a sociology professor would actually make that argument unless facetiously. I think it would have been appropriate to challenge the statement. Perhaps, the professor was trying to draw ire out of you or fellow classmates to defend the position. Or the professor could just be biased or ignorant of the sociological studies of homosexuality.

I was thinking the same thing too. It seems strange that a sociologist could make such a statement, specially when sociology analyzes marriage as a social construct.

I still remember my marriage models classes, from the typical family organised marriages to convenience marriages of nowadays. So yep. A very stupid thing to say.

That is regardless of being a sociologist or whatever he wants to be Maybe he didn't study at all?

[Jace]

ooooh no he didnt! iwoulda jumped up and been like "Fuck YOU bitch! you wanna GO? say that to my face bitch! IM GAY! you needa FUCKIN THINK before you talk ho! WHAT! am i just a fuckin OBJECT TO YOU!!!"



and then got kicked out lolll

[KatoKumi]

Erm, objects and animals are not able to sign marriage licenses :/
And the whole brother and sister thing normally causes children to have defects.
So I don't see any relation.

I've heard people say that pedophiles are like gay people.

But the thing is, that if the object, animal, or child, is not willing, or able to have a consensual relationship, then that's nothing like a gay relationship.

[Psychedelic Bookmarks]

The sociology prof. does unwittingly bring up a major point though: gay marriage is a milestone in the liberalisation of the world. The world is liberalising and gay marriage is one of those symptoms - other things will follow. Maybe not marrying cats and dogs, but lots of things conservatives hate and fear for sure. So he was unwittingly voicing a key fear of conservatives, albeit in a ridiculous way.

[TheMusicMan]

Ignorami like this don't deserve the title "Professor."

[Alexander]

But we can't do anything about it until schools start brainwashing their students and teachers...... so.

[pirateninja]

Originally Posted by KatoKumi

But the thing is, that if the object, animal, or child, is not willing, or able to have a consensual relationship, then that's nothing like a gay relationship.

Exactly.

Write a letter of complaint. Places of education should be where people feel safe and secure and free from bigotry. Unfortunately, many places may not do anything about it fearing that they might "look bad". Still, what he did was uncalled for and you should at least try. If you are not out yet then just do it anonymously.

[Martin]

Hmmm, I am amazed a sociology teacher would be like that. To do such a subject you need to be willing to work with everyone as you do study all areas of society, so for him to turn round and say that really makes me wonder what the hell he chose that subject for.

The disappointing thing with sociology is that same-sex couples play such a minor role in it, and even that role is not enough to give us a good image either. Though the advantage is that we don't get a bad one, but homophobic idiots take care of that one. It's a shame to have a teacher like that as the information that goes on in sociology for same-sex couples is so narrow that it would be hard for your classmates to disprove any discrimination your teacher has, and they just then decide to take his word for it and they become deluded too.

Ask him to look at the same-sex study by a sociologist named Dunne. I would like to see him explain how that study shows that same-sex families on average bring up children more open minded than heterosexual families. How disgusting we are to do that.

[Martin]

http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/dyna...ails&id=gdunne

More information on Dunne and her work in family diversity. I didn't realise how much work she did on sexuality.

[tehnathan]

Originally Posted by Vampyrecat

I think you should have said your own view. Your point of view is just as important, if not more important, then your teacher's view. Your teacher should be teaching unbiased classes, and not making bigoted comparisons.
Personally, I would also complain to the highest person I could, eg, the dean of that area of study. I'd make it clear that you were completely uncomfortable with that kind of teaching and that the way he "taught" it was completely inappropriate.

I agree. If it were me, I'd just say something and walk out (the next place I'd walk out to would be the dean's office).

[Jeimuzu]

Originally Posted by biloved86

So I'm sitting in my sociology of family class and we are talking about marriage, eventually gay marriage is mentioned. Most of my classmates are homophobic idiots but I've gotten used to it over time, this time my professor joins in and says that if gay people were aloud to get married that soon people would want to marry animals and objects and their own sisters and brothers!

Come on! How dare he link gay marriage to that ^

I think that comment is totally uncalled for and a completely ignorant thing to say.

It took all of my self control not to say something, maybe I should have said something.

What do you think about that comment?

It's worth pointing out that if you can't sign a marriage contract, you can't marry. Animals can't sign a contract. And the reason why siblings can't get married is because the children are messed in the head if it happens.

His opinion holds no merit because it offers no evidence. Not quite sure how a man like that would make it to professor...

[Sam]

I have that class again tomorrow and I've decided I have to say something, he has to know how inappropriate that comment was and how ignorant it was I'm going to talk to him after the class. I just don't know what I'm going to say I can't get thrown out of the class because I graduate at the end of the semester but I would like to put it in a nice way that it was not right for him to say that.

Oh by the way he does know about me, it just pisses me off more that he would make a comment like that when he knows about me and I probably am not the only gay person in the class either.

[pwnorton]

That professor seems like a total dick-head. I'm glad you are going to say something. He needs to know that it is not okay to say stuff like that, especially if he knows about you. I'm still in HS, and we have very liberal teachers (a few who are gay), but if one of them said something like that, everyone in the entire class would be completely outraged. You are doing the right thing. Please keep us posted.

Originally Posted by biloved86

So I'm sitting in my sociology of family class and we are talking about marriage, eventually gay marriage is mentioned. Most of my classmates are homophobic idiots but I've gotten used to it over time, this time my professor joins in and says that if gay people were aloud to get married that soon people would want to marry animals and objects and their own sisters and brothers!

Come on! How dare he link gay marriage to that ^

I think that comment is totally uncalled for and a completely ignorant thing to say.

It took all of my self control not to say something, maybe I should have said something.

What do you think about that comment?

Because you know objects and animals can sign a marriage certificate. *rolls eyes* honestly the stupidity never ceases. I'm sorry you have to deal with that.