That bit always makes me laugh because it's so true! I'm convinced that everyone has at least one person close to them that is gay. If you disagree with that statement either someone in your life is in denial about being gay or you yourself are denying that they are. I come from a pretty small family and even I have a gay cousin!
Look, I get it. A lot of people are scared of gay. They think it's an evil, disgusting, rebellious decision some weirdo made. They refuse to accept that being gay isn't a choice, but rather how they were born. It's a part of them - like their arms, that little bump on their nose, or their dry sense of humor. And personally, I'm ok with it. Gay doesn't bother me. Never has. Never will. So you're gay. So what? Someone telling me they are gay is like telling me they like sugar in their coffee. I don't care. It doesn't affect my life, nor our relationship. You're not my gay cousin Erik. You're just my cousin Erik. And we can hang. Why couldn't we hang? Because you're gay and I'm straight and people will talk? Fuck 'em.
My cousin was set to fly from New Zealand to NYC over the 4th of July weekend to visit me. I was excited to see him, especially given the fact that he lives on the other side of the planet and we're rarely able to get together. He was going to be in town for 4 days and I made plenty of plans to keep us entertained. While at the airport, I even scored us dates for that night - a girl with a gay bestie! Things couldn't be going more perfect, until I got the text message...
"Dude, aren't you worried people will think you're a fag?"
The text message came from a homophobic friend of mine. It instantly pissed me off. I wanted to reply with something equally as rude, but just sent a simple "no" to him. His homophobic issues weren't worth getting angry over and spoiling the holiday weekend. It's said that racism is taught and I feel homophobia is too. In fact, homophobia is contagious! And unlike gay, you can catch it.
What I wanted to tell him is that gay doesn't rub off on you just because you hangout with someone who is gay. I can't catch his gay like I could catch his head cold. And I like to think that the vast majority of society isn't ignorant enough to think that just because a straight person is friends with, or blood relatives with, a gay person that it doesn't automatically mean I have homosexual tendencies. Ignorance is contagious. Homophobia is contagious. Gay isn't.
Those are the things I wanted to say. But I know that unless or until someone close to him admits they are gay and he realizes they are the same person they've always been, he simply won't understand.
***NOTE***
Related post of interest: 2/12/08 - Coming Out Of The Closet
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