1997 Notebook

What if it is a choice?

Here's a thought. What if being homo- or bisexual actually is a choice? So many queer folk, myself included, feel that our sexual preference is determined by biology, not culture. There has been at least one study that has noted biological difference between heterosexual and homosexual people, but no one is even close to proof. What would happen if it were proved that we really do choose to be queer or straight?

From my own experience I don't think that it is a choice, but there's no way I can prove it. What if I'm wrong? What does that imply? Why would someone choose a life that has often been despised and hated? What does that say about society? Why would some children in a family be straight, some queer?

It's a fascinating question, don't you think?

1997-01-22

When Is a Dance Not a Dance?

When is a dance not a dance? When you're not enjoying it.

Last year I got a surprise. There's an active local contra dance group, and I went to one of their dances. I'd contra danced before with Two Rivers, a queer activity group in Albany, NY. So it wasn't hard to pick up the dances.

The surprise was dancing with straight folks. Every man was dancing with a woman, and vice versa. I danced with women. And it was... not comfortable. It wasn't dancing with women per se that was off. It was, yes, dancing in a straight venue.

So maybe I don't love the dancing itself. I miss it, sure. But dancing with a straight group just isn't what I'm looking for. I like dancing with men. I like dancing with lesbians. I miss it.

1997-03-15

Another War Movie

Star Wars has been released again. Isn't this a great movie for kids? Well, as long as you ignore the rebel soldiers who get killed in the first scenes - and the stormtroopers who get shot - and the alien who gets its arm cut off in the Mos Eisley bar, along with Gredo getting shot under a table - and the charred corpses of Luke Skywalker's aunt and uncle - and rebel pilots, Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi, and the inhabitants of an entire planet and a space station being killed as well.

Well, maybe it's not such a great movie for kids after all.

1997-04-16

Postscript, 2003-03-15. Before it was re-released, the movie was redacted in a number of ways. In the new version of Han's encounter with Gredo, Han doesn't shoot first. Guess he really was an ethical guy after all.

Morality

Which is worse: having sex with an animal, or killing it?

1997-04-16

Tried and Tested

If I were an employer who had to hire one of two candidates who were identical except for their sexual orientation, I'd hire the homosexual or bisexual person.

The reason isn't because of a person's orientation per se. All other things being equal, I'd choose someone who has come out of the closet because I know that person has made a difficult choice, and faced the consequences of that decision. He or she's chosen the tougher road, and I respect that.

1997-08-25

Morality, Revisited

(clarifying the 1997-04-16 entry)

Which is worse for the animal: having sex with it, or killing it to eat it?

In animal terms, aren't meat eaters lower than bestialists?

1997-11-18


Last updated 2 June 2000
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All contents ©1997-2002 Mark L. Irons

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