Posted by long time exer on July 19, 2011 at 12:53:42
In Reply to: Re: Lady Gaga posted by MG on July 15, 2011 at 12:34:21:
I think it is great when people who are celebs or public figures in general, stand up for human rights and Lady Gaga has certainly been active in that arena. My hat is off to her for that. Treating homosexuality as an illness or a character defect and believing it can be prayed away is not just ignorant, but very dangerous. If an individual believes they are wrong and seek help to stop living that way without at least exploring why they have so much inner shame about their orientation and how it may be a product of the religion their family holds, rejection or bullying at home and in school, general societal rejection and shame. I am grateful that society is progressing in moving away from archaic and damaging strictures about how a person should be versus who they truly are.
There may be some who get into a same sex relationship as the result of abuse, but they wouldn't stay there if they weren't at least bisexual by nature.
I think it is great when people can accept who they are and don't put themselves and others in a whole lot of pain by trying to be something they are not. Cases in point include people who marry to try and appear "normal" within their society, but they keep going back and are drawn back to what is natural for them and families get hurt in the process.
I know there are at least a few prominent ex-gay leaders who have reverted to their nature after being spokespersons for the supposed evil in their orientation. I am relieved that society in many places in the world are starting to support self acceptance rather than encouraging living a lie. I am also glad that people in high places in politics, even in the bible belt, can now serve their cities or government without having to hide their orientation. My city has a great mayor who is openly lesbian and quite a good manager. She was elected,in the bible belt, and everyone knew she was lesbian when they voted for her. They weren't voting for an orientation, they were voting for a competent leader.