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I'm not sure where to post this. I thought of putting it in "Politics & Other Controversies", because it involves gays and the acceptance of them, but on further reflection, it's more about internet censorship.
I frequent a message board run by my favorite author. She happens to have a gay son. Therefore, she is absolutely intolerant of anyone posting that they believe homosexuality is a choice, etc. She believes (and I agree) that such viewpoints are harmful and could put people like her son at risk of violence.
It doesn't matter how polite such posts would be, there is no room for dissenting opinion on her board. Anyone who posts such views will be immediately banned. Let me add that she pays to keep her board free of any advertising, and she has said many times that she considers the board to be her virtual living room.
Although I agree with her viewpoint about gay acceptance, about gay people being born that way and so on, I'm uncomfortable with that level of intolerance and censorship. How is it possible to change anyone's mind about such things if you won't even engage them in a dialog? I'm sure there are many people who would never change their minds, no matter what they're told or what scientific evidence shows to the contrary, but still...
I know that I have the right to silently leave her board as a form of protest, and that she has the right to run it however she sees fit. It still bothers me, though. Thoughts, anyone?
As a parent, I get really annoyed by the people without kids who think they're experts on parenting.
As the parent of a gay child, she probably gets just as annoyed by people who don't have gay children but think that they're experts on parenting them
I'm not sure where to post this. I thought of putting it in "Politics & Other Controversies", because it involves gays and the acceptance of them, but on further reflection, it's more about internet censorship.
I frequent a message board run by my favorite author. She happens to have a gay son. Therefore, she is absolutely intolerant of anyone posting that they believe homosexuality is a choice, etc. She believes (and I agree) that such viewpoints are harmful and could put people like her son at risk of violence.
It doesn't matter how polite such posts would be, there is no room for dissenting opinion on her board. Anyone who posts such views will be immediately banned. Let me add that she pays to keep her board free of any advertising, and she has said many times that she considers the board to be her virtual living room.
Although I agree with her viewpoint about gay acceptance, about gay people being born that way and so on, I'm uncomfortable with that level of intolerance and censorship. How is it possible to change anyone's mind about such things if you won't even engage them in a dialog? I'm sure there are many people who would never change their minds, no matter what they're told or what scientific evidence shows to the contrary, but still...
I know that I have the right to silently leave her board as a form of protest, and that she has the right to run it however she sees fit. It still bothers me, though. Thoughts, anyone?
Because it IS her board I have to agree that she is well within her rights to dictate what is said.
BUT...there is always one of these pesky little buts......
On a public board, my opinion takes a 180 degree turn around. People believe what they believe. They have reasons for this and the right to this.
They also have to right to state what these beliefs are. Nobody likes having other people's beliefs shoved down their throats.
Thanks, everyone. I agree with all of it! I was really just venting. And if I cared enough, I guess I could start my own message board (um, no thanks!).
Although I know that sexuality isn't a choice (I'm bi), I don't mind people expressing alternate viewpoints regarding this so long as they make it clear that it's their own opinion. Even if they may be misguided, the great thing about the societies we live in is that everyone is entitled to their own viewpoint, plus if everyone had the same opinions about everything then discussions would be pretty boring. I do, however, get annoyed when hetrosexual people say that being gay or bi or whatever is a choice and preach this as if it's fact because they don't have any experience of it themselves so really they're just speculating. This woman sounds like she's going somewhat overboard with the censorship though as she's basically denying people the right to free speech. After all, if she's straight then she doesn't know that it isn't a choice either so I guess her opinion is also speculative. In the end though, it's her site so she makes the rules.
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I agree with all of it! I was really just venting. And if I cared enough, I guess I could start my own message board (um, no thanks!). 
