Gay Reaction To Homophobia

I have been out of the closet now for about 6 years, I came out within my first year of college (I mean my one and only year at BGSU.) I came out into a completely accepting community of people who with open minds and hearts accepted my coming out of the closet with open arms and where always available to talk about my being gay when ever I needed to. I am out to my parents and my immediate family, while they are still learning how to accept it into the life force of the family, they have come to accept me for who I am, mostly because family in itself has the innate structure of unconditional love. It took me some time before I was fully able to just say "fuck it, you can take me or leave me, I am who I am and that is all that matters." I don't hide my sexuality to anyone, I am also one who doesn't advertise, (i.e. I don't walk into a room and say "guess who is the gay one here,") mostly because that is just obnoxious. I am not one to censor what I am thinking our what I say, even if I don't say a whole lot.

This is all leading to a point I promise. Last weekend, I had my first real bout with homophobia, and it involved my and my new boyfriend, while we were walking holding hands in the French Quarter. Here is what happened, me, Tony (my boyfriend), and his friend were walking through the French Quarter from one bar to another, talking admittedly pretty loud about some pretty lewd things (but only in the sense of making fun of the stuff, and pointing out it's stupidity), anyway, we were walking behind this couple, and all of a sudden the man turns around, looks down at Tony and I holding hands, and says "You're being too loud." First of all in the French Quarter one can not be too loud, it is basically impossible. Secondly, we all watched him look down at Tony and I, it was pretty obvious he was not making a point about our volume level. Let me just say it out loud to those not aware of what I am discussing; this was a homophobic action.

While this wasn't a blatant statement, and he admittedly didn't say anything like "I don't think you two should be holding hands," it was still obvious that he was irritated with the fact that he was being followed by a loud gay couple. I guess my point of this story is that if you are uncomfortable with two people holding hands and showing affection for each other, then you should find a more discreet way of avoiding it. I have a feeling though that if I was with a girl holding hands, the man probably wouldn't have made the comment that he did. But alas I cannot make that assumption. I just feel that if you are going to make a statement, then don't make it obvious that the volume is what you are really offended by, at least have the balls to make the homophobic comment that is really on your mind. I mean I really doubt it would have made a difference to me either way, but off handed homophobia is just another reason why PC attitudes in this country are messed up.

I am sorry for ranting about this situation, and I am aware that I am only really arguing about one side of this situation, I am just reacting to a problem that I keep seeing in this country all the time.

So that is my update on this blog and I hope y'all who are reading this are enjoying reading what I am really thinking about all of the time. Also I would love a comment once in a while just to know that I am not talking to myself.

Peace.