Gay Rights in West Virginia (Charleston, War: fit in, home, high school)

[GottaHerdOn]

As many of you may or may not know. West Virginia isn't the most accepting state for gays and lesbians. Currently it is perfectly legal for an employer in West Virginia to fire an employee on the basis that they are gay or lesbian. Charleston has passed a measure that protects gay and lesbian rights within the city. I know West Virginia is in the buckle of the bible belt, but come on folks. We live in the land of the free where ALL rights should be the same from person to person shouldn't they? Shouldn't we all have the same rights and privileges. Shouldn't everyone be allowed to love whom ever they want and have all the same rights as straight couples that are in love? Should children bounce around from foster home to foster home because gay parents are so wrong? Do we want to continue to force gays and lesbians out of our state by creating such a hostile environment for us to live in? I know this is probably going to rub some people wrong. But please don't spill hate on this. I also realize that the gay rights movement isn't going to happen over night. It took forever for black Americans, Jews, and women. We need to keep CHURCH and STATE separate (our foundation for America), and I urge you all to make West Virginia a more accepting state.

[David Kennedy]

I never liked California partiularly...lots of gays and I didn't liked being hit on. Was an invasion of my personal privacy and I resented that.
I worked on a top secret military base then and traveled to California often, San Fran and LA.
A guy I worked with was an Army Staff Sergeant, was black and was Mr. U.S Army and could do the PR posters for them. One evening as we were sipping a brew at the club, he confided in me that he was gay.
This was a time in the military when gay meant death to career and a dishonorable disharge that would ruin any future civilian position.
I said, "Curtis, you are military...and you are BLACK! There are NO gay black men!"
(Blacks in our society then were carrying a persona of heterosexual dominance)
Curtis said, "I'm different...I think differently and feel differently and I've been that way since high school."
Our family never had prejudice issues, one of my fathers hunting buddies was an old black man. I liked going out in the woods at night to hunt coon with Mr. H***, he had great stories to tell when the campfire was built. A few years ago, one of his grandsons, a law professor who has argued at the Supreme Court, gave our family one of its greatest compliments.
He said, "It was hard to be in high school and never be invited to anyones birthday party...I was never invited to anyones birthday..except by your family." I looked at him
puzzled and asked..."Why wouldn't you be invited..we were friends?" Color has never
been an issue to this friendship.
A gay man lives openly in our little town of 2,000. He was the president of his high school class and is a fitness instructor. When he came out into society there was a furvor and then it died down. That's been about 10 years ago.
Our little town was a last holdout for the Civil War and many don't understand the deeply seated resentments and hatreds that have been handed down from generation to generation.
Many had to rethink their feelings because Mr, X was a relative and was openly living with another man. Mr. X was successful and respected and up until that moment of truth, was part of THAT community...I laughed at them...at their having to face their hatred, personally.
Once in a while I will see Mr. X walking to his Baptist church meeting with Bible in hand. I smile broadly and wave...that's what we do in West Virginia...we're all friends and part of the same family.. Some of us just don't know that yet...

[Janipoo]

I didn't realize that WV employers could let an employee go because of their sexual orientation. I thought that was from a federal level that you cannot discriminate. If that is the case, than that is scary, employers can then fire for about anything I guess as long as it has nothing to do with religion, race, or gender. Where would they stop?

Personally, I don't know what the big deal is except for the people that aren't comfortable with themselves. Take for instance a man is out and another man comes on to them, they can say "No thanks, I'm straight, married, just not interested", what is the difference if it was a woman that they were not interested. I know that I have had guys in the past that hit on me and I was like "YUCK" even if I wasn't dating anyone I would just say that I had a boyfriend. I have in the past had a woman what felt like she was coming on to me and I was caught off guard and couldn't think of what to say so I just giggled and walked away, mind you I wasn't having a conversation with her so I wasn't being rude either.

I just don't get all this and I have feelings on what should and should not or even could be done. I can see that it is not quite time for the government to allow gay marriage but I think there should be some kind of a civil union that allows a partner to be involved in medical situations especially when the family is estranged. I hate to hear about when someone is in the hospital and their partner is not even allowed to visit because they are not family....just not right. Or even when you are building a life together, ie..house, cars, stuff in general and if something happens the family comes in and takes half...again not right.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

I never liked California partiularly...lots of gays and I didn't liked being hit on. Was an invasion of my personal privacy and I resented that.

When I moved to Atlanta (from Charleston) I was amazed at the number of gay people here. Huge in number, but much more quiet and less out there at the time (1984) than you would see in other major cities. But your comment above did remind me of one person I knew (so don't think this is an insult as it's in humor).

I knew a guy who was definately a ladies man. Worked out a lot, had one of those chiseled faces with a constant 3-day shadow - you know, "Mr. GQ" who's whole family were blessed with that gene that most of us will never see in our DNA. Well, while overall he was a nice guy, he fell somewhat into that stereotype of good looking guys who "knew it" and who "showed it". His shirts fit a bit TOO tight, as did his pants, etc. In other words, he wanted everyone to see the bod he was blessed with and had worked hard to buff up. Well, yeah, it did attract the ladies - but again, this is Atlanta... it also attracted the dudes, too.

Over and over again when he and I hung out I would hear him complain about men "looking at him" and hitting on him all the time. He really at times got bent out of shape over it. Finally I got tired of it and had to slap him with reality, and said, "Guy - you wear spray on clothing and flaunt it - you're asking for attention. You want people to look at you. If you don't want the gay guys to pay attention to you, stop flexing your pecs in your spray-on shirt as you walk around town - DUH!". LOL. He was pretty surprised I'd say something like that, but he did (somewhat) tone down his musclemag clothing attire after that - except for date night.

Most of us (men or women) don't usually have to be worried about being so attractive that we get hit on by the opposite AND the same sex all the time. But those who do, should really look at yourself. Guys - you know how a gal will walk around with a tight low cut dress but complain about getting hit on, and you think, "Well, what do you EXPECT??"... well, same applies here. If you don't want gay guys hitting on you - you might just want to take a look in the mirror and see how you're presenting yourself. How do you dress? Do you work out and wear those spray-on pants or muscle shirts everywhere? Hey - it's 2007, you'll get the gals if you dangle the bait, but you'll get guys too. So dress sloppy if you don't like it. Works for me! (well, that and being butt-ugly) LOL

[GottaHerdOn]

Well sadly its not just WV, infact WV is more gay friendly than most of the states in the south and midwest politically. Sad but true. I personally find it flattering when people hit on me or call me cute no matter what sex they are. I don't see why anyone wouldn't want to hear that.. ha ha But it sounds like your friend was trying to hard or something to be Mr. Macho

[Janipoo]

Originally Posted by GottaHerdOn

Well sadly its not just WV, infact WV is more gay friendly than most of the states in the south and midwest politically. Sad but true. I personally find it flattering when people hit on me or call me cute no matter what sex they are. I don't see why anyone wouldn't want to hear that.. ha ha But it sounds like your friend was trying to hard or something to be Mr. Macho

Especially, getting up in age (+ pounds ) you have to take compliments anyhow or where you can get them .

[wapper]

Why do homosexuals keep pushing a political agenda under the guise of civil rights. It is after all a "sexual preference/orientation" is it not. Don't I have the right to object to acts that I consider disgusting. One of the men I admire greatly said judge me by the content of my heart, not my color. Applying that to homosexuals, I find most of them lacking in character, morality, and social conduct. My moral compass centers on a believe system that tells me to reject homosexuality on all levels as a viable life style, but at the same time to treat all of my breathern as I would want to be treated. I don't want homosexuals approval, I don't care one wit about what the gay community thinks about me, and I certainly don't need "civil rights" legislation to grant me special considerations, so why should a gay need any of those things from me. You alread have the native right to be as disguisting as you want to be, no new laws are needed.

[corgis]

Originally Posted by wapper

Why do homosexuals keep pushing a political agenda under the guise of civil rights. It is after all a "sexual preference/orientation" is it not. Don't I have the right to object to acts that I consider disgusting. One of the men I admire greatly said judge me by the content of my heart, not my color. Applying that to homosexuals, I find most of them lacking in character, morality, and social conduct. My moral compass centers on a believe system that tells me to reject homosexuality on all levels as a viable life style, but at the same time to treat all of my breathern as I would want to be treated. I don't want homosexuals approval, I don't care one wit about what the gay community thinks about me, and I certainly don't need "civil rights" legislation to grant me special considerations, so why should a gay need any of those things from me. You alread have the native right to be as disguisting as you want to be, no new laws are needed.

This poster sums up the way a lot of WVians think. It's just plain wrong. I have a lot of respect for those who have "come out", I thinking it takes a lot of guts to hear and see that kind of behavior from people. When I see a post like this, it makes me sad to be a West Virginian. I'm a retired, married, straight woman in my 60's and if the majority of people think like this poster does, maybe it's time for me to get out of West Virginia and move someplace where people are just people, doesn't matter their color or their sexual orientation.

[David Kennedy]

Atlantagreg....

We're talking about sitting on the can and having a guy stick his head under the divider...I was laughing about it last week...that might have been Senator Larry Craig...WEEEUUU!
AND just sitting having a cup of coffee in a booth at LAX and having a guy sit down and ask if you were taken...I replied that I was waiting for my girlfriend...and I was...
I'm talking about having space violated and being offended.

That guy coming under the divider might have been the Avon Lady, though.
If you let me live...I let you live...a pursuit of happiness thing...goes back to 1791..
Being gay is not an issue with me...I've had gays work for me...They were good workers...I wanted good workers.

[Janipoo]

Originally Posted by wapper

Why do homosexuals keep pushing a political agenda under the guise of civil rights. It is after all a "sexual preference/orientation" is it not. Don't I have the right to object to acts that I consider disgusting. One of the men I admire greatly said judge me by the content of my heart, not my color. Applying that to homosexuals, I find most of them lacking in character, morality, and social conduct. My moral compass centers on a believe system that tells me to reject homosexuality on all levels as a viable life style, but at the same time to treat all of my breathern as I would want to be treated. I don't want homosexuals approval, I don't care one wit about what the gay community thinks about me, and I certainly don't need "civil rights" legislation to grant me special considerations, so why should a gay need any of those things from me. You alread have the native right to be as disguisting as you want to be, no new laws are needed.

This really doesn't deserve a response but here it goes.......As far as a choice, I as a straight female didn't choose to be with men, it is what turns me on. The thought of being with a woman grosses me out and I would rather cut my wrist than be with one. I couldn't even imagine feeling this way and trying to fit in with society and do otherwise. The post above really gets under my skin, so holy'er than thou. As far as religion goes, again as a Christian, my God would not torment my fellow brothers and sisters with these feelings if there wasn't a lesson/reason for it, and I don't believe that it is for them to go through life feeling less than or that they have failed him. It is people like the post above that need to answer for their actions against another human being......whoever they may be! This response might not go over too well.........So Be It!!