![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Jun. 21st, 2007 10:40 pmToday is a weird day, gay news-wise. A lot of issues about bashing/denial going on.
For some reason, Dutch magician Hans Klok, currently performing in Vegas, feels he cannot admit to being gay in the States (on the Howard Stern show he proclaimed he is straight) even though it is common knowledge in the Netherlands that he has had a steady partner called Frank for years (his misstep is all over the "news"). I wonder why he did that. Afraid his popularity would dwindle? Assistant Pamela Anderson even confirms that he’s straight cause she’s kissed him. Well, that proves it then. Apparently if you’re gay you’re physically unable to kiss women. Klok says he felt put on the spot. Does that explain why he lied about the person he is? Or can you really not admit to being gay in the States without losing something?
Then I read in the popular, free newspaper METRO, that two of their male writers hit the streets of Amsterdam, posing as a gay couple, to see if they would be threatened. They even meandered, hand in hand or cuddling, through the “hot spots" (which are apparently those areas where the population of Moroccans and Turks are highly represented). They were happy to say that the amount of harassment was negligible. Sure, they got funny looks, but most people were perfectly friendly, didn’t pay them attention, or just nudged each other as they walked past. Then they detail that there were some comments thrown at them, like “Hey, homo’s!” and “Disgusting! Don’t you like pussy?”, but that the Dutch institution which promotes equal rights for gays (COC) and who has warned about the higher level of intolerance against gays is, in their opinion, overreacting.
Now, that’s nice to hear. I don’t know if these boys are actually gay or not themselves, but honestly, if I were walking down the street and some guys shouted after me “Hey, ugly!” or “Hey, fatso!” or “Disgusting! Can’t you find a man who’s your own colour!” or “Gross, can’t you be handicapped some where else!”, that I would both be severely pissed off, affronted and probably hurt (even if you ought to be above it). I don’t see where, when people are merely walking down the street with their partner, it is all right to treat them as a spectacle or as noteworthy enough to judge their - unobtrusive and private – life choices out loud. If I had to walk around every day being scrutinised like that, several times a day, then I wouldn’t be happy about the way things are either. Even if there hasn’t been any violence acted out against me (lucky me, I didn’t get violated today!).
Although they did say that they asked one Islamic man what he thought about gay people, and the man claimed that is religion tells him to love and accept others, so that's what he does. This gives me hope.
Now, this, I hardly even know what to say about. I cannot believe someone was acquitted of murder because they are a homophobe. I also don’t see what it has in common with this case. What does it matter if Hall was gay or not (though it seems like he wasn’t). It doesn’t justify a murder, nor is beating someone to death for hours and hours on end “temporary” insanity or homosexual panic (that panic sure stayed past the realistic “threat”, eh). Especially if there’s two of you and one unconscious one of him. Do you think this case was ignored in the media specifically because the label hate-crime or homosexual got attached to it (if so, these murderers chose their own best defence)? Sometimes people scare the hell out of me; for allowing things like this.
For some reason, Dutch magician Hans Klok, currently performing in Vegas, feels he cannot admit to being gay in the States (on the Howard Stern show he proclaimed he is straight) even though it is common knowledge in the Netherlands that he has had a steady partner called Frank for years (his misstep is all over the "news"). I wonder why he did that. Afraid his popularity would dwindle? Assistant Pamela Anderson even confirms that he’s straight cause she’s kissed him. Well, that proves it then. Apparently if you’re gay you’re physically unable to kiss women. Klok says he felt put on the spot. Does that explain why he lied about the person he is? Or can you really not admit to being gay in the States without losing something?
Then I read in the popular, free newspaper METRO, that two of their male writers hit the streets of Amsterdam, posing as a gay couple, to see if they would be threatened. They even meandered, hand in hand or cuddling, through the “hot spots" (which are apparently those areas where the population of Moroccans and Turks are highly represented). They were happy to say that the amount of harassment was negligible. Sure, they got funny looks, but most people were perfectly friendly, didn’t pay them attention, or just nudged each other as they walked past. Then they detail that there were some comments thrown at them, like “Hey, homo’s!” and “Disgusting! Don’t you like pussy?”, but that the Dutch institution which promotes equal rights for gays (COC) and who has warned about the higher level of intolerance against gays is, in their opinion, overreacting.
Now, that’s nice to hear. I don’t know if these boys are actually gay or not themselves, but honestly, if I were walking down the street and some guys shouted after me “Hey, ugly!” or “Hey, fatso!” or “Disgusting! Can’t you find a man who’s your own colour!” or “Gross, can’t you be handicapped some where else!”, that I would both be severely pissed off, affronted and probably hurt (even if you ought to be above it). I don’t see where, when people are merely walking down the street with their partner, it is all right to treat them as a spectacle or as noteworthy enough to judge their - unobtrusive and private – life choices out loud. If I had to walk around every day being scrutinised like that, several times a day, then I wouldn’t be happy about the way things are either. Even if there hasn’t been any violence acted out against me (lucky me, I didn’t get violated today!).
Although they did say that they asked one Islamic man what he thought about gay people, and the man claimed that is religion tells him to love and accept others, so that's what he does. This gives me hope.
Now, this, I hardly even know what to say about. I cannot believe someone was acquitted of murder because they are a homophobe. I also don’t see what it has in common with this case. What does it matter if Hall was gay or not (though it seems like he wasn’t). It doesn’t justify a murder, nor is beating someone to death for hours and hours on end “temporary” insanity or homosexual panic (that panic sure stayed past the realistic “threat”, eh). Especially if there’s two of you and one unconscious one of him. Do you think this case was ignored in the media specifically because the label hate-crime or homosexual got attached to it (if so, these murderers chose their own best defence)? Sometimes people scare the hell out of me; for allowing things like this.
