Glastonbury "Gay" Meet

[Bobs]

I'm under the impression that something along the lines of 1/5 of all people are homosexual, no?

Which therefore means there is what? 35000 gay people at Glastonbury, which if you had been before, is all about freedom and happiness?

Hell you can't tell people if they can and can't do anything! everyone has paid £200 and everyone should be entitled to do as they like, if thats having a large meet where the majority are gay, but all are invited then so be it.

People who are opposing it, why are you doing it? If it's going to wind you up so much, you don't come into this thread to start with and you just don't turn up, more importantly, if you can't support homosexuality then, most likely you'll stick out like a sore thumb at Glastonbury, I wouldn't bother going to The eFests meets, Camping in because you'll kill the vibe, i'm not gay myself, but i'd be pretty peeved off if a gay person told me off for being active and friendly with a girl!

Have a great time at the Meet everyone!

[Bobs]

I'm under the impression that something along the lines of 1/5 of all people are homosexual, no?

Which therefore means there is what? 35000 gay people at Glastonbury, which if you had been before, is all about freedom and happiness?

Hell you can't tell people if they can and can't do anything! everyone has paid £200 and everyone should be entitled to do as they like, if thats having a large meet where the majority are gay, but all are invited then so be it.

People who are opposing it, why are you doing it? If it's going to wind you up so much, you don't come into this thread to start with and you just don't turn up, more importantly, if you can't support homosexuality then, most likely you'll stick out like a sore thumb at Glastonbury, I wouldn't bother going to The eFests meets, Camping in because you'll kill the vibe, i'm not gay myself, but i'd be pretty peeved off if a gay person told me off for being active and friendly with a girl!

Have a great time at the Meet everyone!

[Joshuwarr]

I agree with the long post above

[mrfunk]

It's a shame, there is so much animosity and raging emotion in this thread that it's gone way beyond reasonable debate. This is how wars start, people from two sides of a debate say things that provoke so much anger in the other that both lose all capacity for cognition and are provoked into acting on the basis of nothing more than primitive instinct.

Will never understand why sexual orientation has to always be such a big, ugly, angry issue. Here's my take on a couple of things for what it's worth.

- Homophobia, Homosexuality & Chips

Look, all people, irrespective of who they are, are capable of getting a chip on their shoulder. Hetro people, gay people, disabled people, poor people, rich people, black people, white people etc. etc.

The fact is, people from any social cross section with a chip on their shoulder are always in the minority within their group and it's the people with the chips who speak up. Call them activists, call them crusaders, call them nutters, call them what you want, whether or not you agree with them, they see things wrong and they want to actively devote their time to making what they see wrong, right. Everybody else in their group is just busy trying to get on with their lives and wherever possible, be happy.

People seem to have this intellectual "glitch", whereby they assume or more accurately, are made to feel that the more prominent the position in the social hierarchy at which a piece of information is made available, the greater a majority it represents but that isn't the case.

That's where all this, "gay people can't keep it to themselves", or "as long as gay people keep it out of my face" nonsense comes from. Gay activists specially make a point of "putting it in everybodies face" to try and keep the socially important matters surrounding sexual orientation(such as homophobia) in view of the public so that they continue to be addressed.

On a side note, sadly, it's this very same "glitch" that makes terrorism such an effective weapon, in a perfect society where people didn't process information in this manner, terrorism wouldn't work.

For myself, I've known exactly two gay people in my life, when I met them I didn't know they were gay until I was told by somebody else(for some reason?) and somebody saying to me "I'm gay", is as important in my judgement of them as the phrase "I like cake" is. Fact is, they were no more or less in your face about their sexuality, or sex in general than anybody else I know, gay or otherwise.

- Homophobia, Homosexuality & Humour

In the context of humour, people are not faceless mannequins, they are organic caricatures of social life.

The argument of whether or not humour that plays on stereotypes contributes to the dumbing down of important social issues is certainly I concede a valid one, the sad fact of the matter is, racist or homophobic jokes are often told for the purpose of being prejudice, as well as the purpose of being funny, however... Humour designed to take the piss out of people, doesn't provide a get out clause where equality is concerned, we're all in the same plague pit, everybody fits _SOME_ stereotype and people taking stereotypes out of context and putting them into a vacuum where they're taken so very extremely seriously all the time, irrespective of how or why they're used, is one of the very things that makes them so potently harmful to society. When one person says something to another, the importance of context when determining intention, is so massive, I really can't emphasise just how important it is.

Believe it or not, "Mr young ignorant homophobic straight male" is a stereotype in itself and is used in humour almost as frequently as "Mr ignorant bogotted white racist" and "Mr black drug dealing pimp ganglord". Wow! Dragon's den moment, I could make a hipped up revamp of the Mr Men targetted at adults.

So contrary to the belief of some, it _IS_ possible to tell a prejudice joke solely for the purpose of being 'funny', the nature of the intent is _ALWAYS_ with the person _telling_ the joke, not with the person hearing it. I've got a ginger friend and I've got no qualms about using stereotypes in jest with him and he's the same way with me and my smartarsed geekiness.

This thread was obviously just an innocent request from somebody to hook up with like minded people, no different than if I'd have posted a thread telling everybody that I like reading books and want to meet up with other book readers. Can't believe it's gone the way it has and it's really especially sad that somebody actually ended up getting sent abusive txts for doing the same thing in previous years, it really is sad.

You should take people as they come and judge them on their flaws and merits as an "individual". Action is character, judge each person you meet based on what they say and do, in the context they say and do it and not on which social group they belong to, you do that and in your judgement of everybody who belongs to a stereotype, those hundreds of thousands, or hundreds of millions of people that you've never met before but think you know so well, then you will only ever stand a 100% chance of being wrong in your judgement.

Edited June 6, 2011 by mrfunk

[LusciousLucy]

Lengthy message about meet planning has been sent to Joshuwarr...this IS going to happen. Watch this space...

and thank you Mr F for your apology.

[Joshuwarr]

Ta, will begin reading

And good on ya Mr Funk. I'm sure you're a lovely geeza really

[mrfunk]

Ta, will begin reading

And good on ya Mr Funk. I'm sure you're a lovely geeza really

[Joshuwarr]

no I'm a twat lol

[LusciousLucy]

I cant pull up the article because of the membership restrictions on the Times website (cant remember my dad's login and not going to wake him at this hour) but the delectable Ms Caitlin Moran did a brilliant Celebrity Watch review of the last couple of year's G pointing out just how 'gay' Glastonbury has got. The inverted commas are to stress on the stereotypes that are put upon by modern life.

Acts like:

Gaga in 09 - I believe the phrase 'The Other Stage field became a gay nightclub in New York at 4am' was made in reference to that show

Pet Shop Boys - one of the best shows I have seen in a very long time.

Scissor Sisters and Kylie - say no more

I cant remember the list in its entirity but will try and dig it out tomorrow and copy the script.

The joy and fun enjoyed by thousands of people who love this music, gay or straight transcends the boundaries.

[LusciousLucy]

no I'm a twat lol

[Joshuwarr]

I may make an open event on facebook for this. A good idea? May be easier to gauge who is actually interested in this that way

[Lucyferrr]

I've spent all day not being able to post. Totally frustrating! But I've sorted it now. *phew*

Firstly, it's sad that on a forum where people have literally bent over backwards to enable me to get to glasto that I have had to read such ridiculous, archaic nonsense. Really sad.

I wonder how many people would have been so keen to help me if they knew I was a lesbian? The very fact I am thinking about that is truly horrible.

On the point of "gays need to stop shouting about it" etc it's not about "shouting" I can see how easy it is to sit a top your pillar of straight male privilege and judge it that way but really it's about not letting society force us into hiding. Visibility breeds acceptance.

Imagine not being able to go in a bar on any night of the week and casually hold your partners hand or kiss them for fear of being bombarded by drunken men who feel they have the right to make vile inappropriate comments or ask deeply personal questions? Imagine holding your partners hand in public and having people openly stare at you or make comments or (as once happened to me) have someone cover their childrens eyes?! Until this changes, unfortunately there will be a need for gay bars and straight bars. There will be segregation because its the only way people feel safe enough to be who they are.

Count me right in for a gay meet. I'll be more than happy to discuss gay rights with any homophobe over a pint

Now everyone needs to chill out because in 2 weeks we will be at a very large party together.

[eFestivals]

Can't believe this thread.

Some people are now on moderation.

I think this thread is better closed, and a new one started if anyone wishes to start a new one.