Women are now getting harassed in bathrooms because of anti-transgender hysteria

And before?

 

Yeah, I thought so as well.

 

I'm not blind. I'm a 45 year old woman who pays attention, and has for many years.

Edit to add, I think it's en vogue to flaunt differences and exceptions in our very socially driven culture today. Whatever they are. This isn't a dig on a group, it's just an observation. As such, I don't think "people" were blind, but I think "people" are reacting in a way that gets more press than it could have 10 years ago.

 

Considering that it was forced down people's throats by the courts, mostly against the will of the people, it shouldn't be surprising.

 

A majority of Americans support marriage equality: Record-High 60% of Americans Support Same-Sex Marriage

The poll is a year old, but there's no reason to think there's been a retrenchment.

 

I was curious as to what length you would go using the logic of your statement. Should one be quiet and keep their feelings to themselves only in certain situations, or are there situations where one should speak out. If I saw a killer clown from outer space trying to creep up on you, Abner, I would not be quiet and keep it to myself. I would post in DegreeInfo in all CAPS and try to get your attention.

 

Your mama.

 

It's really amazing how quickly a person's position can "evolve" when politics and political correctness is involved.

 

:smile: :smile:

 

Awesome! :notworthy:

 

So the seismic shift in attitude regarding this subject is due to political correctness and politics? Not because people actually feel differently about the topic? That ascribes to mere politeness and expediency a great deal of psychological power. Can you point us to anything that actually supports that?

And even if that was so, what difference does it make? People have clearly changed their minds on this subject.

 

That's what the courts are for. To protect people's rights when the standard political process fails to.

 

My comment was centered around the fact that a chemo patient who was called a "fucking dyke". I find that inappropriate, especially in a family restaurant. I think people have a right to disagree and state their concerns, but comments like these are not appropriate.

 

It was inappropriate, I agree with you. My comment was intended to see how far your logic went in terms of keeping quiet.

 

I have no empirical data. But over the past 15 years or so, numerous politicians (nationally and locally) who were against gay marriage, one day they wake up, and, wow, it is a most wonderful thing. Do I think a few of these persons changed their minds? Probably. Do I think they all changed their minds? No I do not! And yes, politeness and expediency have great psychological power, especially when it comes to garnering votes or when one does not want to be labelled a bigot or hater.

 

Let's assume for a moment that the politicians you refer to are the craven opportunists you indicate. No problem. But if so, they're reacting to SOMETHING. As polls are showing, the American people have shifted dramatically on this topic. Perhaps these politicians are following their lead? Perhaps they're changing their views to better represent their constituency? Sure, they routinely fail to lead. But, at least, they're choosing to follow.

I'm still not clear on what artifice you're referring to when you talk about "politics" and "political correctness." These things are based in something. What is it? (Other than what I'm saying, which is the attitudes of Americans regarding this subject--and all things related to LGBTQ--have shifted.)

Or is this your personal objection? Because the people are supportive.

 

This is the part where I piss off Bruce and Rich at the exact same time. Ready?

Marriage equality wasn't forced down anyone's throat. Cite one person who was forced to marry someone of the same sex as a consequence of the SCOTUS decision and I will buy you dinner.

Obama are was forced down the throats of everyone. And it cost a lot of democrats their seats in congress. Both involve one of our branches rendering a decision without regard for the will of the majority of the people. The difference is that one, Obamacare, involves everyone. Every single person who has or had health insurance was affected, every person who didn't have health insurance was affected. Everyone who owns a business was affected. It is nearly impossible to have not felt the impact of it no matter who you were or how badly you wanted to avoid it.

Marriage equality affects only those who choose to enter into marriages. That's it. Gay people married each other before SCOTUS rendered a decision. They married before it was legal in any state. They existed and lived their lives for as long as humanity has documented human behavior. And unless you choose to marry a man, Bruce, it impacts you not at all. So saying it was shoved down your throat, aside from the middle school giggle that allusion evokes, is a bit extreme. It's like going to the store, seeing that they sell orange juice, and saying the store is trying to force orange juice upon you.

For the record, my issue with Obamacare is that it is ineffective and very costly to employers and many employees. I feel like you have to either choose between the way things were or a universal healthcare scheme such as one finds in Canada or Europe. The half in and half out thing we concocted created many more problems than it aimed to solve though it made a bunch of billion dollar insurance companies even richer.

 

I remember hearing some pretty strange arguments against gay marriage, and I won't bother repeating all of them. I am still confused about one though. People predicted that gay marriage would affect the legitimacy of straight marriages. I dated my wife for 8 years, and we have been married 23 or 24 years now. Gay marriage has had no affect on my marriage in any which way. Can you or someone else explain to me how gay marriage was supposed to affect my straight again. I am not being sarcastic. I am still confused by that one.

I have a lesbian cousin. For ten or twelve years she would not go to family functions, because she felt that she had to hide the fact that she was lesbian and she had a female partner. My family is staunchly Catholic, though I follow the teachings of spiritual visionaries like Christ and Confucius, I do not necessarily identify myself as a Christian per se. Anyway, one day she announced that she got married. I guess she had enough, and decided to just come out with it. She was afraid that my family would denounce her, and her lifestyle. The family congratulated her, and she corresponds with my wife via FB on a regular basis. To her amazement, her marriage did not raise any eyebrows, nor did it stir up any controversy. They are just another married couple to us.

 

Whenever we get a update to the forum, I really hope that there is an option to rate a post "funny" or at least to "like" it.