Philadelphia.....
I am back after a long "hiatus" from the blogging scene. Actually, visiting several of my friends' blogsites for the past couple of hours, I thought, hey...what's holding me back? Well, professional life is cruising along; I really like being at my present job...friendly colleagues, good work place conditions, challenging boss (well, sometimes, a bit nosy..like yesterday he came and peeped into my computer screen!) and what not. So, what have I been doing? Watched two movies..."Anywhere but Here". I started watching this movie and realized that I had seen it before. An emotional mother-daughter relationship thingy it was. The other one was "Philadelphia". I couldn't watch it at a single seating. Everytime I looked at Tom Hanks, I remembered a close friend with "alternative" sexual orientation. Wouldn't want this to happen to him ever. Tom Hanks was incredible...he is one of those guys who, inspite of being a no-looker, bewitches you! Talk about charisma...I wonder what he is like in real life. Same goes for Denzel Washington. To complete my list of reel hunkies, there is Nicholas Cage and ummmm...let's see, I think that's it. Oh wait...there's John Cusack, too!
I wonder why homosexuals are at a higher risk of contracting AIDS? Is it because they are more prolific and tend to have anonymous and multiple partners? Will making them a part of society (hey, own up...most people still pretend that they are"queer") help? Will granting them the right to marry and integrate into society take care of this rampant and unsafe sexual practices? I don't know...don't mistake my questions! I think they are just like us, I mean, they are like anyone else and I wouldn't really discriminate them anywhere (either in my personal or professional workplace). But, watching the movie really opened my eyes to the deeply ingrained beliefs/constructs that we carry throughout our lives without pausing to stop and think. Is "Live and let Live" passe? Anyone with a thought?
posted by pc @ 4:07 PM
3 Comments:
I guess unsafe practices are the reason homosexuality and AIDS (or many other STDs) are taken in the same breath..not to forget that it has given many of those conservatives a reason to consider homosexuality as evil and ubnormal... though in some cases homosexuality (or even pedohilia) might have been a result of certain incidents in childhood...I doubt its existence as being a medical condition. and as u've said...they r normal people like you n me.
inspite of being a Tom Hanks fan...'ve missed out on watchin Philadelphia...will do so at the next available chance!
But John Cusack?? why o why??
I also don't know what causes the sexual orientation in anyone to be the way it is. & what is medical? What about depression? That sometimes has to do with the chemicals in the nervous system & sometimes the environment (social, emotional etc) around. & one feeds into the other. I think its probably similar for homosexuality, i.e. some of it can be "nature" & some might be "nurture". But no matter what, we need to accept people as who they are.
I also think that legalizing same sex marriage etc will help the situation in terms of AIDs & other STDs.
I must say, all your best intentions are indeed well taken.
However, there are some myths that are best dispelled:
* Pedophilia is best not confused with sexual orientation. Heterosexuals are more likely to be pedophiles than homosexuals (statistically!)
* There is evidence to point to there probably existing a 'gay gene' and that specific nurture (as for any other gene) is more conducive to expression(occurance among identical twins, brain geometries etc.)
* High STD transmisson rates among gay men is because of higher promiscuity... however this has more to do with the lack of an institution to express oneself, frustration from being marginalized and/or the need for gay men to live double lives for fear of marginalization.
* Best way to uderstand gay/lesbian folk is to understand your own sexuality ... after all lesbian/straight/gay/bi/transgendered
we are all part of the diversity on the same rainbow :)
Truely, we cannot simply live and let live... Support from straight allies like you will go a long way in banishing the myths and making life better for all of us.
And yes, Tom Hanks is one man to die for!! :)
Post a Comment
<< Home