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Anyone nearly apolitical when it comes to LGBT issues?

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by OMGWTFBBQ, Oct 8, 2012.

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  1. OMGWTFBBQ

    OMGWTFBBQ
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    l'm not really apolitical otherwise, l used to be very interested and l would have to say that l am less interested in this election on nearly all issues. lt just feels more obviously phoney and "rushed' in a kind of way, lacking, but usually l'm pretty interested.

    Seriously though, it is not natural for me to voe with my sexuality in mind. And l'm really sick of being treated like someone who is disloyal to the LGBT community.

    Mind you l have never voted rep in my life but l am totally a swing voter, l can't promise l never would.

    l can't even promise you l want to be married. lt's not something l ever felt like l wanted, even if l could marry a woman and l'll be living in a state where l would be able to do that.

    l know that doesn't mean l can't empathize with people who do want to be married but it doesn't come naturally to me, l'm not someone who's views are shaped by what the other people in my life want(l'm not saying that doesn't sound selfish).

    l'm just tired of that attitude, spent the day with family yesterday and 2 LGBT family members (who probably do not suspect me at all) told my uncle he was "screwing them over" in plain English because he was voting rep.

    l'm not into it. l would never say that to anyone and l do not expect people to rearrange their views for me, even family.

    There's nothing ''wrong'' with it but l don't think that way regarding any issue.

    lt is extremely important to me that people around me feel like they're allowed to have views that are different than mine and know that l won't take it personally.

    So, how much does your sexuality influence the way you vote, and what do you think of the situation above?
     
    #1 OMGWTFBBQ, Oct 8, 2012
  2. BNQ2012

    BNQ2012
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    I think most people vote in accordance with that they deem the most important issues for them at the time as they should. For some LGBT people, I am sure that issues such as education, the economy, foreign policy or whatever will trump LGBT issues at various points in time. LGBT issues tend to hold a lot of weight for me, however, not because I don't see other things as important and in some cases more important but because I don't think most politicians have anything worthwhile to say about them. If I had to pick one issue as the most important for me it would probably be the economy. Sadly and perhaps pessimistically, I don't think either candidate can or will do much to fix that.

    The major problem with the two party system is that often neither choice is ideal and we find ourselves sacrificing one thing that is important to us for another. Like you, however, no party gets my vote automatically. I've never voted Republican either but I weigh each candidate and election on its own merits so I don't automatically rule it out. When a party takes the vote of any group for granted you can be sure that's a recipe for your interests being cast aside.
     
    #2 BNQ2012, Oct 8, 2012
  3. OMGWTFBBQ

    OMGWTFBBQ
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    True. l agree with you as far as the economy too, what l deem most important changes and right now for me it's also the economy, and l also don't think either party is going to fix it.

    l know not voting is never really the right answer but this will most likely be the first election l don't vote in.
     
    #3 OMGWTFBBQ, Oct 8, 2012
  4. TheEdend

    TheEdend Guest

    The whole issue is complicated.

    On one side you have people like you that are more worried about the economy than other issues. They want to make sure their country is taken care of before themselves in a way. They don't agree with the democrat candidate on any other issue other than gay rights. From an article that I read, around 20% of the gay vote will go with romeny in this election.

    In the other side you have people that have a very personal stand when it comes to certain policies that a candidate can hold. To many they might not feel the pressure of not having rights like getting married and protection from being fired right now, but to many that's something that they have to deal with right now. To them, voting rep right now means that they will have to feel oppressed, insulted and lesser being for another 4 or 8 years.

    For me personally, while I understand where you are coming from, it is hard for me completely "get it". The next president might be able to choose the next 2 supreme judges, and whatever they say will have a HUGE impact on the world. To put a guy who is so anti-human up there its a tragedy for me, but I do know that its not a black and white issue for many.

    I think until you are fired and denied basic protections under the law because of your sexual orientation or gender identity, then you won't really get how important everything really is. As is, LGBT people have it pretty easy in the US for the most part, so we have the privilege to choose whether we are content with what we have or if we want more.
     
    #4 TheEdend, Oct 8, 2012
  5. BNQ2012

    BNQ2012
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    I see nothing wrong with not voting. Voting is a right and a privilege but to my mind, that does not make it an obligation. There are plenty of thoughtful reasons that one might choose to abstain such as dissatisfaction with the choices offered or a major philosophical or moral issue with the available choices. Seems perfectly defensible to me...
     
    #5 BNQ2012, Oct 8, 2012
  6. Pret Allez

    Pret Allez
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    I am extremely political about queer issues, and I take that as part and parcel of the warrior identity that I am trying to cultivate. In my view, it's a duty to be politically engaged when oppression is at issue.

    While I am somewhat saddened by your view, I respect it. Although I think we are in a culture war (the one Bill O'Reilly started), I think that queers should not have a draft. While I don't think any queer person should feel forced into being political or be ostracized, it does amaze me that we fact a good deal of oppression as a collection of communities, and I just feel that calls for a certain level of commitment to changing that reality.

    This is my guiding principle, and its applicability to issues like this should self-evident: "I will defend those who cannot defend themselves."
     
    #6 Pret Allez, Oct 8, 2012
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2012
  7. OMGWTFBBQ

    OMGWTFBBQ
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    l do recognize that it's necessary for some people to have militant attitude about changing things.

    So thank you for not insulting me and acting like l'm totally different than you for not being a carbon copy, l feel like l even experience this with straight people who are very far to the left and l hate being around it :slight_smile:

    l guess naturally, l don't think of myself as LGBT first, or even a woman first.

    Women's issues come with the same kind of consideration and the way women will treat other women who do not vote for "women's issues" can be truly awful.

    l don't think it's fair to expect all women to hold these issues at the same level of importance over a lifetime, that feels like a contradiction to being an independent woman IMO.

    l feel the same way about being LGBT.

    so l could never be a warrior for any of these things. With the current candidates, l would not vote republican because the way these people are treating the longstanding women's issues RIGHT now is very weird to me and not something l support.

    So in that way l support women's rights in that l would not vote for something that would cause more damage than is necessary. And l would also not vote for a candidate who would take way more LGBT rights than we already have.

    l may vote for one that is more neutral, really it is completely dependent on the candidate and that's my whole point, l hate feeling like l'm supposed to be 100% loyal to either party, especially based on my sexuality.

    So mostly l'm neutral on some longstanding issues and my views change on more current ones.

    l mean no offense by it to any group of people but what l really can't stand is when people think that you think you're better than them or "different" from the group somehow.


    So it's nice when people accept the differences.

    The bonds that people sometimes form based on political issues can seem so contrived to me anyway, l like to be around people who seek out other characteristics about a person first because that's really all l'm concerned with in the long run.
     
    #7 OMGWTFBBQ, Oct 8, 2012
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