@carlo: You just said much more about your internalized homophobia than you did about the “worthiness” of the T belonging in the GLBT movement. Remember that a large amount of credit for beginning the modern gay civil rights movement belongs to a big number of transgendered people, drag queens, and others that deviated from strict gender “norms” imposed upon us by society. We wouldn’t be where we are today without their tireless advocacy and support.

“we are not the same.”

I agree, because no two people are the same. Similarly, no two groups of people are the same. But just because people are not the same does not mean that they cannot work together to pursue common goals.

“the media preys on people that are freakish”

Why do you think that is? It’s because sensationalism sells, and the media is in the business of turning a profit, not of educating the populace. Don’t believe everything the media tells you — constantly question your environment and draw your own conclusions.

Oh, and the word you wanted to use was accepting, not excepting. Your homonym misusage was unintentionally funny.

@Trace: Just because a number of people agree with your ignorant opinion does not make your ignorant opinion less ignorant. Your misguided beliefs do not trump science.

@”Me”: Unless you are the perfect specimen of physical health and well-being (and only a rare few of us are), then you are in no position to judge others on whether or not they “need” a gym membership. Besides, there is a big difference between *having* a gym membership and *using* one.

As to what brought this couple together, who are you to say and what business is it of yours? Did you assume that the girlfriend’s intentions are bad because she’s dating a transgendered man, because her boyfriend is a celebrity, or both? And who’s to say that Cher is willing all of her estate to Chaz? Cher does have two children after all, and not all rich people leave their fortunes to their loved ones.

Basically, your screed was a bunch of judgmentalism on a subject about which you know nothing. And Chaz identifies as male, so using male pronouns, as opposed to “s/he,” is appropriate.

Clearly you’re not paying much attention, then. The Anti-Defamation League (which exists to combat Antisemitism) has also taken outspoken positions in favor of gay rights. They’ve sent representatives to testify for gay rights bills in Congress. They issue positive press releases whenever good things happen in states.

The NAACP and several other lesser-known organizations representing other minorities are all pretty much the same way, for that matter.

You might also be interested in knowing that Jews are the American demographic most likely to support same sex marriage (other than LGBT people themselves), with a percentage of support in the neighborhood of 83%.

Frankly, it wouldn’t work even if the community were divided, because to the straights who are bigoted, trannies are just really confused gay men and lesbians anyway

Tracey: Whether some of the schmucks here agree with you is irrelevant. Kinsey’s work is only ‘discredited’ if you drink the right-wing half-truths kool aid and want to believe your beliefs trump science. There were problems with his methodology, and his model for the data was too simple, but the work has been expanded on, not rejected, in terms of the people who have done research in the area.

Since you want your beliefs to rate higher than science, I suppose you also believe that the world was created in seven days about 5700 years ago and that the universe revolves around the earth, eh?

Stop being a bigot. If you will reinforce oppression rather than fight it, you are part of the problem that stands in the way of any of us getting our rights.

Being that much of Kinsey’s work has now been discredited, I would not use that as a valid source.

*

I have just one question:

Why do gay women have to have that special moniker of “lesbian”? Why can’t they just be “gay” women?

Okay, maybe two questions in all (*wink*):

Why does some gay women claim the pink triangle as “their” symbol of power? As we know, it was originally a symbol given to gay men in concentration camps.

Love my gal pals, regardless.

Jimbo,
I use both terms. I’ve been out for over 30 years and The word lesbian was what one called a gay female. Some people use one term,some use both.
I don’t know if someone can come up with a better answer,but there’s mine.
As far as the pink triangle goes,I have no answer. I love the rainbow!

Whatever convoluted ‘beliefs’ or ‘theories’ you have is immaterial because you aren’t a sexologist and haven’t done any real research. Science says that you’re wrong, and that should be good enough for anyone here.

carlo: We can’t fight oppression without allies, and even if trans people are not the same as gay people (although there are many, many gay trans people) they are our allies.

If you can’t respect our allies, all I have to say is get out of the LGBT community. Go back into the closet. You’re harming our community more than helping it with your hateful vitriol.

Jimbo: Because ‘lesbian’ is a term with historical origins to the island of Lemthos in Ancient Greece and the female members gay-rights movement started using it as a symbol. There is no equivalent term for men.

Remember that rights for lesbians have a historical connection with the feminist movement; rights for gay men do not have as much of one.

I don’t know of any lesbians who use the pink triangle as a symbol. If they do, they do so out of ignorance, because the more common lesbian symbol is the black triangle. There’s also the possibility that since the pink triangle is used in the logos of some gay rights organizations, they claim it as a symbol because of their affiliation with those groups.