@georgetakei@universeodon.com
One of the things about the phrase “openly gay” is that it (correctly) suggests there are a lot more gay people in our lives than we realize. They’re just not “out.” But yeah, the suggestion that there could be shame in being gay is unfortunate.
Ideally, whether someone is gay, lesbian, heterosexual, trans, cis, whatever shouldn’t matter at all and not need to be stated. We’re all people and deserve the same respect no matter who we happen to be.
@georgetakei@universeodon.com openly
christian, openly blonde, openly smart, openly tall, openly deaf, openly old…@georgetakei@universeodon.com
I dunno this feels cart before horse to me. The phrase is a reminder that closeted people exist, which is a reminder we still need.
I don’t want the closet to remain necessary, but it currently is for some folks. If thinking about it makes a person feel bad, then they ought to try and do something to dismantle the abusive communities/parents who cause it, rather than seeking to find a change in language that lets them forget it.
I do think “openly” can be overused or used with negative connotations in some contexts, sure. And maybe there is a better term. But arguing the distinction never matters suggests one is ignoring the troubles of closeted LGBT people.
@georgetakei@universeodon.com all words can start out good and then become toxic
@georgetakei@universeodon.com George Carlin took this stand many decades ago. 🤣
“They say ‘he’s openly gay.’ But that’s the only minority they use that for. You know, you wouldn’t say someone was ‘openly black.’ … well maybe James Brown… or Louis Farrakhan; Louis Farrakhan is openly black. Colin Powell is not openly black, Colin Powell is openly white; he just happens to be black.”
