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Gay World
When I was sixteen years old, before I went to college, before I realized I was gay, I saw this video on public television. I was riveted. I couldn't believe they would broadcast this on TV. And I haven't seen it since. It's by therapist Brian McNaught, who leads a small audience in a "visualization" to imagine a world where everyone is gay. Except you.

Here is a bit of it that I typed out for you to read, if you don't have ten minutes to spare to listen to the whole thing:

"What if every billboard you passed featured two people of the same sex? If every comic book hero was gay? What would it feel like if every station you turned on the radio or television featured gay people - every movie you went to featured gay people? What would that feel like? What if your homeroom teacher was gay? And the librarian? And the principal? And the guidance counselor?

What if everyone in school thought you were too?

Now not everyone in this fantasy is gay. There are people who are sexually interested in, attracted to, people of the other gender. You learn this word later in your life - they're called 'heterosexuals'. Most people though when you're younger - mean people particularly - they don't call them heterosexuals. They call them 'breeders'. MAKE LOVE NOT BREEDER BABIES the bumper sticker says.

When a handful of breeders tried to get legislation passed so they wouldn't lose their apartment or their job, you saw a bumper sticker that said KILL A BREEDER FOR CHRIST.

These people want special rights for what they do in the bedroom the night before. Breeders.

The boy thought to be a breeder is the one hit in the head with a dodge ball in seventh grade. Your best friend whispered in your ear in seventh grade that God would vomit in the presence of a breeder.

That's what you think you are."

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Thanks for posting that. It seems like I remember seeing it once upon a time, too.

I wish most of the country could have a nice, calm rational discussion about homosexuality. What would people like Sarah Palin or my father say?

I want to ask Sarah Palin or your father... "What would you have me do?" No, seriously. Imagine that I turn my life over to them and let them make all my important life decisions for me. What should I be doing instead?

If they want me to date a woman and try to convert to heterosexuality, my first question would be, "So, would you want me to marry your daughter? Your sister?" Would they want me to experiment and pretend to be straight with a member of your family, 'cause I'd have to marry *somebody*. But we both would know that it will probably end in divorce or cheating at worst - and at years of sexless, loveless marriage at best.

If they want me to simply abstain and be celibate, I wonder if they would be there to support me and listen to me when I tell them over and over and over again how lonely and pointless life is when you force yourself to be single - knowing that there is happiness if only you could date someone of the same sex. Would they be there for me? Probably not.

I have a feeling what they really want is for us to be invisible. For us to go away. For homosexuality to be a topic they would never have to think about. Ideally, they would wish we were dead, so they could pretend that gay people don't exist.

Last 'graph: bullseye. You're smart.

Edited at 2010-12-01 02:12 pm (UTC)

It is only reasoned, rational discourse that will ever make any difference. But that ain't gunna happen if people just walk away, cover their eyes and say "lalalala..." Which is what happens when prejudice and bigotry is confronted directly and the simple fallacies and rationalizations are dispensed with.

Often the early signs of this are statements like, when gay people come up in conversation, "I don't agree with that." You cannot agree or disagree with an extant group of people. There is nothing to agree with, it is a meaningless notion, unless the assumption is of some profound wrongness that needs to go away.

I love the way you've phrased the approach and your conclusion. I've had conversations frequently since I was very young child and can only conclude the discourse that people who are antigay want us to not exist. Not only be in silent acceptance of our tertiary status in society, but to remove us from history; to not ever have to deal with the consequences and ramifications of what it means to have fully functional homosexual adults with agency and choices to make within our shared space.

I've seen this and other videos, thanks for reminding me of Mr. McNaught.

I may come back to the vid after catchin' up on 1239234 flist entries.. yet.. it does bring to mind.. what you wrote after.. of the movie "Torch Song Trilogy"... near the end.. when Arnold is arguing with his mother and explaining that same thing to her.. If things were different. The OTHER way around!! :)


It's about the Sex, Silly.......grins.

I honestly believe that Haters focus on one thing and one thing only when they hear the word "Gay"; two guys butt fucking.

Not the relationship, friendship, love, companionship, or anything else, just the sexual act between two guys which they automatically gross out on.

Some Haters are turned on by the thought of two women making out but I won't go there at this time.

Loved this. Thanks for sharing. What year did it air when you saw it on television?

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