North County Voting Patterns (San Francisco, Orange: neighborhood, living in, legal)

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by Encinitan

I disagree, actually. You think it would be easier growing up gay in, say, El Cajon? Or Santee? Or ... You get the picture. Now, growing up gay in the South? THAT would be awful, I imagine.

lol.. Well, yes, okay, you're right. Still, my impression of North County is that the parents of a gay kid would be terribly ashamed of their son or daughter.

[Hobgoblin]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

lol.. Well, yes, okay, you're right. Still, my impression of North County is that the parents of a gay kid would be terribly ashamed of their son or daughter.

I'm the parent of a gay kid in North County and I'm most assuredly not ashamed of my child. I am ashamed of all the people, many of which are my neighbors, that voted yes on 8.

[esmith143]

Is there such a thing as "gay kid"? I doubt that a child can definitively self-identify as gay earlier than late teens.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by esmith143

Is there such a thing as "gay kid"? I doubt that a child can definitively self-identify as gay earlier than late teens.

Oh, please stop. We've all had enough of the ignorance about sexual orientation. Nearly everyone knows what they like by the time they're in high school. Yes, there's often experimentation, and yes, maybe a few still aren't sure, but in general, most of us know what we like by the time we're 15 or 16.

The main reason a teenager might not admit he or she is gay is due to pressure from society.

[esmith143]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

Oh, please stop. We've all had enough of the ignorance about sexual orientation. Nearly everyone knows what they like by the time they're in high school. Yes, there's often experimentation, and yes, maybe a few still aren't sure, but in general, most of us know what we like by the time we're 15 or 16.

16 is not exactly a "kid" any more.

It would be tough to be a gay teenager anywhere outside of Hillcrest. 90+% of teenagers are straight and most of them are intolerant.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by Hobgoblin

I'm the parent of a gay kid in North County and I'm most assuredly not ashamed of my child. I am ashamed of all the people, many of which are my neighbors, that voted yes on 8.

Hey there. Sorry about my tone. I do sometimes make strong statements in order to get my point across. I really admire you for speaking up.

You're a perfect example for your neighbors to follow. I'm sure that seeing those Yes On 8 signs every time you came home must have been difficult for you, and for your child.

It's sad that so many people base their beliefs on ignorance. It's clear that people are woefully uneducated about sexual orientation in this country. Over time, at least, I'm confident that things will get better.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by esmith143

16 is not exactly a "kid" any more.

It would be tough to be a gay teenager anywhere outside of Hillcrest. 90+% of teenagers are straight and most of them are intolerant.

You're right - 16 is not exactly a "kid" - but still, a lot of people do think of high school students as "kids".

Thanks for being polite in your response. I'm sometimes quite sensitive about this topic since it has affected me personally.

[Hobgoblin]

Yes, technically a teenager is no longer a "kid", I suppose. My "kid" is 17.

AnUnidentifiedMale, thanks for the clarification and kind words. I'm well aware we live in a conservative area (at least compared to most of coastal California), but we all have to make compromises in life.

The map scared me at first. I was thinking it was a much slimmer margin between the conservatives and the liberals. Although the yes on 8 signs were everywhere, there were enough No's (and Obama signs too) to give me a sense of not being completely overwhelmed by the opposition.

I was happy to find the map's numbers were fudged and the difference was much more in line with what I thought they would be.

[ajslispee]

I don't understand why people seem so pleased to be conservative republicans with tendencies towards discrimination (Prop 8). The people in my area, which I am ashamed to say, were actually standing on street corners with signs referring to children going to gay weddings and being taught "gay stuff" in schools. This was just another fear monger tactic that managed to scare a bunch of uninformed people. I don't see why people can't all have the same rights. I don't care if you want to get married to someone of the same sex. It does not make me a better person because I am straight, and I don't deserve rights that others don't have.

[Abashi]

Originally Posted by ajslispee

I don't understand why people seem so pleased to be conservative republicans with tendencies towards discrimination (Prop 8). The people in my area, which I am ashamed to say, were actually standing on street corners with signs referring to children going to gay weddings and being taught "gay stuff" in schools. This was just another fear monger tactic that managed to scare a bunch of uninformed people. I don't see why people can't all have the same rights. I don't care if you want to get married to someone of the same sex. It does not make me a better person because I am straight, and I don't deserve rights that others don't have.

Its because we live in right-wing San Diego.