In the last 2 weeks there have been 2 programs on TV which have interviewed gay persons. How I wish there could have been such programs when I was young but then homosexuality was never mentioned in polite circles.
Anyway, on Sunday the Australian 60 minutes had a section on
Dads Coming Out
One guy is now happily partnered and still is friends with his ex-wife and accepted by his teenage children. He is very lucky but he talks about being brought up in a homophobic family and society which was the pressure on him to get married. His father's view was
'Gays, poofters, just should not be allowed to live — they should be wiped off the face of the earth'. 'All poofters should be put on a boat, dragged out to sea and sunk'. That is what I lived with my entire life.
Since he has come out his father no longer speaks to him.
What a contrast to the interview on Talking heads
with Jonathon Welch an Australian tenor and choirmaster who has become well known due to a program "the Choir of Hard Knocks" which created a choir out of homeless persons.
He came out to his family at the age of 18. He related:
'I can remember it was a Christmas Day, and I said, "I think I'm gay." And my sister said, "I've known that for years." And I went, "Oh. Well, why didn't you tell me," you know? But my family has been wonderful, you know. They've just loved me and accepted me for who I am. I'm very loved. Very fortunate.'
How much misery is caused by homophobia. How different it could all be.
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2 comments:
Loved and very fortunate indeed. What a great interview.
[I may have posted this comment several times, I'm having a bit of trouble with this today.]
It always saddens me to read about how hateful ideas can turn parents aginst their own children. It was recently pointed out to me that being in a minority by virtue of sexual orientation - or gender identity - is unique/rare in that one does not susally share this minority status with one's family.
Other ways of being in a minority - through ethnicity, for example - are things families can share.
It therefore takes the whole "village" to stand with our GLBT children/sisters/brothers.
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