GLR Forum

General Forum => Politics => Topic started by: Feral on Mon, Jan 23, 2006, 20:24

Title: Denneny 6: all gays are born into a straight world
Post by: Feral on Mon, Jan 23, 2006, 20:24
Denneny’s sixth proposition is: “All gays are born into a straight world and socialized to be straight; consequently, we have internalized the enemy, and all political struggle must be simultaneously a self-criticism and self-invention. Self-criticism does not mean criticism by gays of other gays who are perceived to be different.”

It should come as no surprise that the majority of gays should hold straight culture in such esteem; they are raised to value it. Indeed, they are raised to consider it their very own. When a young man emerges from his straight cradle (as he almost surely must, if only temporarily) and encounters gay culture for the first time, there is inevitably a cultural shock. The “gay lifestyle” is spontaneously created by the actions of the gay people themselves. While it has certainly been shaped by forces from without, gay culture is a manifestation of the will of the gay people alone. Gay culture is what we say it is, what we demonstrate that it is, and it can become whatever we choose it to become if only we will “walk the walk” in addition to “talking the talk.” We invent our culture daily. That it might differ from the surrounding straight culture is inevitable — it is not being re-invented by straight people. Gay culture is at least one thing for which the gay people may take all the credit, but at the same time we must accept all the blame for it. It may seem awkward at times to create one’s own culture but here is a secret for you: everyone creates their own culture...everyone.
Title: Re: Denneny 6: all gays are born into a straight world
Post by: K6 on Tue, Jan 24, 2006, 00:45

It should come as no surprise that the majority of gays should hold straight culture in such esteem; they are raised to value it. Indeed, they are raised to consider it their very own.


I have no problem with the ways and means of organized heterosexual societies.But I do not accept their aims at all,especially in the sphere of demographics and sexual orientation.

K6
Title: Re: Denneny 6: all gays are born into a straight world
Post by: Mogul on Wed, Jan 25, 2006, 05:16
Well, the cultures are in constant developement - they iclude not only a snapshot of what is now, but also what has been before. Gay saunas are as well part of our culture as certain works and mithology of old Greeks are. Any culture is a mixture of various micro-cultures of individuals - and as such is diverse. Straight culture has internallized homophobia as part of a culture, and it requires certain intellectual efforts for any good-hearted straight to overcome this homophobia and learn from his daily experience that gays are OK.

Interestingly, the borders between cultures are permeable - gays contributing to the straight culture and straights contributing to the gay culture. I am very fond of japanese shonen-ai mangas and think of them as an essential part of modern gay culture, whereas they are mostly made by heterosexual female artists. =))

Some aspects of the gay culture may appear in a personal view of course of a doubtfull worthyness - e.g. certain monotony in the "official" music tastes and toilet romantics (the older know what I mean). But as you said, we form our culture ourselves - each of us. Though I agree with Denneny that we shall not criticize other gays for being differen - he probably meant the "indiscrete" appearence of some of us - but I also agree with Larry Kramer, who calls us to critically identify self-destructive behaviours and clearly fight them. I see no reason to restrain from constructive critics on other gays - not to make them harm, but to achieve some additional benefit for us as a people.