Standard shades of different opinions
Any social issue will have sets of people belonging to certain categories that are pretty much same independent of the nature of social issue. The idea of this post is to list those. The reason for doing it is that this list can be a push for some people to move from one category to other (basically grow as/become a freethinker). Such categorization helps visualize the position of those set of people, and hence it easy to see the rationale behind their thinking, which gets muddled up when arguing to and fro.

I will use example of homosexuality, as I think any rational person can see the right side of social issue.

1. People with extreme opinions totally violating basic human rights (even as basic as right to life)
Such people hold the opinion that justify acts from killing people to total ostracization of certain section.
E.g. Those fundamentalists who are even ok to kill gays.

2. People who won't go to the extent of killing but do support curtailing other basic human rights.
Such people will often suggest the oppressed to change or accept their fate.
E.g. people who argue homosexuality is "unnatural" or "just a phase" and that people should choose heterosexuality.

3. People who are ok (implicitly) treating the oppressed as second class citizens
These people are those who wil stop at "live and let live" logic. But they won't oppose the oppressive social/cultural systems and actively resist changes or be passively indifferent. These people need a privilege check.
E.g. People who are ok with homosexuality as long as they don't need to face it in daily life. They'll argue "Homosexuality is ok, but what is the need to teach kids about it" or "Why do they need to show two guys kissing in the movie?"

4. People who accept that there shouldn't be any discrimination [Equalists]
These people will be opposed to discrimination and also agree about change in social/cultural systems.

But in atheist circles, these people also tend to be the ones against affirmative action considering it to be "reverse discrimination".

5. People who are against discrimination and also support affirmative action
Support for affirmative action comes from realizing the fact that current status quo is heavily imbalanced against the oppressed and restoring equality will have to involve affirmative action and concession policies for the discriminated.

For e.g. encouraging recruitment of homosexuals in position of powers through some affirmative action policy.
[+] 2 users Like Kanad Kanhere's post

You should put this on Nirmukta.com. Might help push some 4s into 5s.

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