I hoped to remain silent on this issue but I can no longer hold my tongue after recent events:
When growing up in the 1990s, I had no high school classmates who were openly gay though I heard through social media that a few of them did come out in later years. Some were surprises, others were not. Surveys show that among Gen-Z (age 18-25), roughly 1 in 6 identify as something other than fully heterosexual and cisgendered. That is compared to only 1% among people my father’s age and about 4-6% among people my age. About 20 years ago, we were told that it was all genetic. You were either born that way or not. I never really bought into that, and the recent increase is strong evidence that it is primarily due to environmental factors. I believe that very few people are truly “born gay.” I have no firsthand experience but some believe it can be traced to imbalances during the mother’s pregnancy. Some were sexually abused as children, but I do believe that more people are identifying that way because it’s celebrated in today’s culture. I don’t know the exact percentage, but a good chunk of the 16% identify as bisexual. I’m betting that they “mostly” prefer the opposite sex but choose to identify as something else because it’s cool to do so nowadays.
How would I react if a close friend came out as gay, bi or trans? It would depend on their attitude. Suppose they mind their own business and stay relatively quiet about what goes on in their bedroom? I would not care, and it probably does not affect the friendship. There is a difference between talking about going to dinner and a movie with your partner versus sex with your partner. On the other hand, if you cannot make it through a day without referencing your sexuality and frequently talk about your relationship drama, I don’t want to hear it and I would think less of you. That goes for straight people too. I had a former co-worker who is straight, but her life was like a soap opera, and I did NOT want to hear about it. Lastly, suppose that a church member acknowledges same sex attraction but chooses not to act on it and speaks out in favor of abstinence or at least monogamy? I’d actually think more highly of them.
Because homosexuality involves an action, I’ve always had a problem with arguments that equate it with racial discrimination. If a person has a certain percentage of non-European DNA, you can tell immediately that they are a racial minority. With LGBT people, you might suspect it in some cases, but nobody has to know unless they tell. With that said, I know what it’s like to be bullied for being different than others. I believe in treating all people with respect and civility. I never have and never will mistreat anyone because of their sexuality. NO discrimination. Tolerate but don’t celebrate.
For better or worse, same sex marriage is here to stay and I will not rehash the arguments for and against it. The dirty secret that nobody talks about is that while there are exceptions to the rule, most straight couples seek monogamous relationships with cheating being a taboo that usually leads to a break-up. Most gays are NOT monogamous. There is also rampant drug and alcohol abuse in addition to promiscuity within the gay community. RFK Jr, who is hardly a conservative icon, stated that drug abuse hastens progression of HIV into full blown AIDS, while many patients can live in good health for many years with HIV if they make good lifestyle choices. Even with the advanced anti-retroviral drugs, current life expectancy among gay men is only 59 years with or without HIV. By comparison, a 45-year pack- a- day cigarette smoker has a life expectancy of 63 years. We certainly don’t promote smoking in schools. When you are an adult, you are free to do as you please and I support laws that guarantee your rights. Just don’t promote it to children. If more people would remain abstinent until marriage and remain in monogamy, there will be fewer social problems associated with broken homes. Why not promote that instead of LGBT issues?
I knew that the LGBT lobby would not stop with gay marriage. I predicted that they would go after businesses and churches who would not cater to their agenda. I also predicted that within a few years, they would push for legalized polygamy and polyamory on the grounds of discrimination against bisexuals. I never saw the push for trans rights. Nowadays, you cannot scroll your Yahoo news feed without seeing multiple articles promoting trans-rights, which are usually calls for “gender-affirming care” for children and allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports. Riley Gaines, who spoke out against the latter was called vile names, violently assaulted, and barricaded in a room for 3 hours. Books depicting gay sex in graphic detail are available to boys as young as 11 years old in middle school libraries. As for drag queen shows, why are they so insistent on performing for children? That should be strictly “adult entertainment.” The term Christian nationalism, which I had never heard until recently, has popped up frequently in liberal news sources. To me, this implies that opposition to the trans agenda put you on par with the nut jobs in Uganda or Saudi Arabia. There are plenty of secular folks who agree that it should not be promoted to children. Trans activists stormed the Capitol in Kentucky and Tennessee yet nobody on the Left called them threats to democracy. For the radical Left, no matter how extreme their viewpoints, dissent will not be tolerated.
As for gender-affirming care, let’s call it what it is. Underage patients are allowed to have their private parts mutilated but cannot get a tattoo until age 18 or buy beer and cigarettes until age 21. Word on the street is that “puberty blockers” are prescribed without parental consent or even notification but you need a permission slip to go on a school field trip. I don’t believe that puberty blockers are safe. In fact, studies show that the effects are irreversible if taken for an extended period of time. Even though the transition is affirmed by their role models, mental health issues still persist and suicide rates remain extremely high. Many go on to regret it and de-transition. When that happens, they become a pariah in the trans community while the rhetoric is always to “express yourself as you please.” What if that expression involves a southern accent, church attendance, hunting/fishing and driving a pickup truck? I don’t think that lifestyle will be affirmed by the Left.
Trans athletes can participate in sports, but it must be against the boys. Suggesting that grown men who identify as women should be allowed to compete against biological women is just plain NUTS! I never thought I would see this happen. In most sports such as soccer and basketball, a National team of All-Star boys aged 15-16 can defeat a women’s professional team. To their credit, Track and Field has banned biological men from women’s competition. A woman who can run 400 meters in 50.0 seconds is a serious contender for an Olympic medal and probably ranked in the top 5 in the World. Every year in the United States alone, hundreds of high school boys can beat that time. Granted, hormone therapy will slow you down a bit, but you retain advantages of larger bone structure, muscle mass and greater lung capacity. I can certainly envision a college man who runs 46.5 and thus, no chance of making it as a pro going on to dominate on the Women’s side. A man who can run the distance in 45 seconds would be unbeatable in the women's division even with hormone therapy. I fully support saving Women’s sports.
