#ignantfolk

Today at work I heard someone say that being gay was a choice. Like “choosing to jerk off.” It took all of my sanity to not respond to that comment. This person then continued to talk about how it was a lifestyle and so forth. The conversation was with someone who is on the same work team as me. The person on my team basically thought opposite of whatever homeboy was saying.

This all stemmed from the news that Jason Collins came out. Kudos to him. It’s a big risk to do so. Prior to that, Brittney Griner came out — save the fact that there was very little knowledge of this because the media hardly brings attention to women in general. Especially queer women of color.

There’s so much I would like to say about all of this. What I say is what I feel, and what I feel is stung. I felt pinched when I heard that person say those things. Sometimes I get so caught up in my own little world that I forget that some people don’t think that identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender is not a choice. I don’t choose that. I am that. And for that person to compare being LGBT to jerking off. What. The. Fuck.

There are no words to express how I feel right now. I’m mostly perplexed with a hint of annoyance. I know there will always be people that think that way, and sometimes you just have to move on from the situation. What can you do? What can I do? It took a lot for me to not stand up and say something… I really wanted to say something. But, I didn’t.