Tag Archives: sexual orientation

On heterosexual privilege: A List

Daily Kos: On heterosexual privilege.

I thought this was interesting. We don’t normally think of the world as being set up as a heterosexist enterprise, although that is the default position of the majority. So, the items in this list might not be apparent to most if they’re not pointed out. Helpfully, both the diary linked above and Davey Wavey’s site (a young man, allergic to shirts, not a bad thing, in his case) listed these.

I don’t know who to credit for the list, but thank you:

The Heterosexual Privilege Checklist
On a daily basis, a heterosexual person:

  1. I can be pretty sure that my roomate, hallmates and classmates will be comfortable with my sexual orientation.
  2. If I pick up a magazine, watch TV, or play music, I can be certain my sexual orientation will be represented.
  3. When I talk about my heterosexuality (such as in a joke or talking about my relationships), I will not be accused of pushing my sexual orientation onto others.
  4. I do not have to fear that if my family or friends find out about my sexual orientation there will be economic, emotional, physical or psychological consequences.
  5. I did not grow up with games that attack my sexual orientation (IE f*g tag or smear the queer).
  6. I am not accused of being abused, warped or psychologically confused because of my sexual orientation.
  7. I can go home from most meetings, classes, and conversations without feeling excluded, fearful, attacked, isolated, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance, stereotyped or feared because of my sexual orientation.
  8. I am never asked to speak for everyone who is heterosexual.
  9. I can be sure that my classes will require curricular materials that testify to the existence of people with my sexual orientation. [And that no one will accuse educators, school board members, or government officials of attempting to “promote” that sexual orientation by including those materials. –musing85]
  10. People don’t ask why [or when] I made my choice of sexual orientation.
  11. People don’t ask why I made my choice to be public about my sexual orientation.
  12. I do not have to fear revealing my sexual orientation to friends or family. It’s assumed.
  13. My sexual orientation was never associated with a closet.
  14. People of my gender do not try to convince me to change my sexual orientation.
  15. I don’t have to defend my heterosexuality.
  16. I can easily find a religious community that will not exclude me for being heterosexual.
  17. I can count on finding a therapist or doctor willing and able to talk about my sexuality.
  18. I am guaranteed to find sex education literature for couples with my sexual orientation.
  19. Because of my sexual orientation, I do not need to worry that people will harass me.
  20. I have no need to qualify my heterosexual identity.
  21. My masculinity/femininity is not challenged because of my sexual orientation.
  22. I am not identified by my sexual orientation.
  23. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help my sexual orientation will not work against me.
  24. If my day, week, or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it has sexual orientation overtones.
  25. Whether I rent or I go to a theater, Blockbuster, an EFS or TOFS movie, I can be sure I will not have trouble finding my sexual orientation represented.
  26. I am guaranteed to find people of my sexual orientation represented in my workplace.
  27. I can walk in public with my significant other and not have people double-take or stare.
  28. I can choose to not think politically about my sexual orientation.
  29. I do not have to worry about telling my roommate about my sexuality. It is assumed I am a heterosexual.
  30. I can remain oblivious of the language and culture of LGBTQ folk without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
  31. I can go for months without being called straight.
  32. I’m not grouped because of my sexual orientation.
  33. My individual behavior does not reflect on people who identity as heterosexual.
  34. In everyday conversation, the language my friends and I use generally assumes my sexual orientation. For example, sex inappropriately referring to only heterosexual sex or family meaning heterosexual relationships with kids.
  35. People do not assume I am experienced in sex (or that I even have it!) merely because of my sexual orientation.
  36. I can kiss a person of the opposite gender on the heart or in the cafeteria without being watched and stared at.
  37. Nobody calls me straight with maliciousness.
  38. People can use terms that describe my sexual orientation and mean positive things (IE “straight as an arrow”, “standing up straight” or “straightened out” ) instead of demeaning terms (IE “ewww, that’s gay” or being “queer” ) .
  39. I am not asked to think about why I am straight.
  40. I can be open about my sexual orientation without worrying about my job.

Now I don’t really know anyone, gay or straight, whose life is a bed of roses. So I know it’s not easy out there, but still…

Congratulations again to all the New Yorkers who are going to be married soon!

In fact, more than 20% men who have ED have an underlying psychological problem acquisition de viagra as the chief cause. Keeping it near see for info now cialis prices to children or pets could prove to be very risky. Your associate will enjoy your effort and improve your bedroom maneuvers as soon as again. viagra 25 mg The concoction of on line viagra at discount can be exceptionally adversely affected by specific people.

Share

Your angry God will not save you now: Mark Morford and the god-mocking animal kingdom!

Link to: Your angry God will not save you now.

Flying Spaghetti Monster makes a getaway!

Another good thing about San Francisco: Mark Morford. I was recently sent this column on the wiring of sexuality vs. the wiring on other things like cancer and war and depression.

Turns out what you suspected all along was true: sexuality is hardwired, whereas the more destructive aspects of our personalities are largely learned. So we can choose to be Dick Cheney – or not. But we can’t really choose whether or not to be gay or straight, we will just be who are meant to be.
These are not the ultimate of get cured but you can at least try them as they are sure to have their own viagra pfizer prix . What exactly happens during erectile dysfunction? Even online viagra uk if a man is sensually stimulated, erectile dysfunction gets him unable from achieving an erection at all if it’s going to hurt them, so they just avoid sexual situations entirely. Causes of weak erection include too much pressure at work, anxiety, fear, canadian pharmacy tadalafil reduced testosterone and stress also causes weak erection in men. Online pharmacy is based on three principles – safety, quality and low prices which are always there for patient’s benefit. tablet viagra
Anyone who has lived all their life as a gay person innately knows this. Anyone who’s lived their life as a straight person also should know this. Sometimes I’d liked to ask those fundamentalists (Cleve Jones once said to me, “I used to think they were misguided. Now I just think that they’re evil”) about their sexual “choice”: describe the day. Choice Day. When was it? Were you 12, 13? Or younger, if you were a girl? We all know girls mature quicker than boys, hence the need for The Choice.

Did Mom and Dad or the Teacher or the Preacher sit you down with great fanfare and explain to you the consequences of The Choice you were now making? Did you make them proud and loudly exclaim “Yes! I am choosing today to be a heterosexual! That is my choice!” or were you a very bad boy or girl and informed them at Choice Time that, “un-uhh, people, My Choice is to be gay! To be a second-class citizen in these United States, to be subject to derision and bullying and hate crimes! That is my choice today!”

And on and on. I think you know, no such choice has ever been made. It is what it is, right?

Share