tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post3909203328834080418..comments2024-03-29T03:47:13.852+00:00Comments on Going Gently: An ApologyJohn Going Gentlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958171262765033946noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-14200986604101104422016-11-08T20:54:11.206+00:002016-11-08T20:54:11.206+00:00I'm reminded of a story I heard in a documenta...I'm reminded of a story I heard in a documentary of the pore-stonewall years. A young lesbian woman was harassed my some men before walking into an early covert "gay" bar. When they found out why she was upset, the patrons ran out to confront the guys. <br /><br />She further burst into tears because as she said:"It was the first time anyone ever stood up for me."<br /><br />That story always sticks with me.ilducehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04964508218530524594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-49742566263133328402016-11-01T14:00:19.337+00:002016-11-01T14:00:19.337+00:00My brother, who came out to me about a decade ago,...My brother, who came out to me about a decade ago, is a surgeon. When he decided to tell his co-workers and colleagues about his orientation, the general reaction was, "Yeah? So what?" and that was the end of it. Things have changed.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443352705506509732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-31232796488426878002016-10-30T21:54:09.172+00:002016-10-30T21:54:09.172+00:00Good that so many of his colleagues stuck up for y...Good that so many of his colleagues stuck up for you and told him his comments were out of order. And good that he accepted he had put his foot in it and promptly gave you a fulsome apology.nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10472673041193755894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-2629766366542467882016-10-30T13:20:32.176+00:002016-10-30T13:20:32.176+00:00What a powerful story and how fortunate you were. ...What a powerful story and how fortunate you were. I wish I can say that my professional experiences were similar, but I think our difference in age had a lot to do with it. Having always been out, proud, and diplomatic at work, I often felt like I was carrying the banner wherever I went. Addressing insensitive statements like the one your colleague made, standing up to assholes for myself an others. Times got better until my last 4 years of work. My company was purchased by an Ohio-based company that seemed to be locked in self-ritieous 1950s America. I thought I had done with institutionalized ignorance and insensitivity and then along came THAT job! So happy to be done with it... and to be here in our home in Spain. (Sorry I went on so long.)Moving with Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12954028272162285597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-90768642419579200662016-10-30T00:44:50.589+00:002016-10-30T00:44:50.589+00:00-glad you had them on your side.x-glad you had them on your side.xBeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07886227825064266814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-72486852029182489652016-10-29T21:50:21.121+00:002016-10-29T21:50:21.121+00:00Wow, that just moved me to tears. Love you Cous xx...Wow, that just moved me to tears. Love you Cous xxKaren Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06378578081183078365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-56135443872038488612016-10-29T21:16:46.492+00:002016-10-29T21:16:46.492+00:00I doubt it but I was never unsure that he did not ...I doubt it but I was never unsure that he did not respect me as a nurseJohn Going Gentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14958171262765033946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-21151739180957002092016-10-29T16:56:41.152+00:002016-10-29T16:56:41.152+00:00I find it amazing that someone could think that an...I find it amazing that someone could think that an ultimate disappointment would be that their child came out as gay. If you break that down - 1. It is the first thing that comes into their mind (my admit I don't often think about whether people are gay/straight/bi/or whatever - I also don't thi about whether they like Brussels sprouts or not - it is not relevant. 2. The disappointment was that the child came out as gay - not that they were gay. This makes no sense. "I would prefer my child to live his/her life as a lie, or denying themselves of the opportunity to have a loving sexual relationship"<br /><br />Mostly, I find it amazing that this would be someone's first thought.Travellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04074252019053387130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-59676924387102857452016-10-29T14:21:05.754+00:002016-10-29T14:21:05.754+00:00I suspect he learnt a valuable lesson that day, an...I suspect he learnt a valuable lesson that day, and you learnt how many good friends you had among your colleagues.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04177854521955532744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-40180281435765537132016-10-29T14:12:07.067+00:002016-10-29T14:12:07.067+00:00Friend you are . . .
And the ". . . raft of...Friend you are . . . <br />And the ". . . raft of people. . ."<br />Thanks for this . . .<br />Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08723721131329150461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-71327916213221610302016-10-29T12:10:55.097+00:002016-10-29T12:10:55.097+00:00Stories like this break my heart and make me glad ...Stories like this break my heart and make me glad that my children at very young ages, were loved , cared for and entertained by a whole group of insanely funny, kind, "motherly", gay men.<br /><br />Due to my husbands business, he knew a lot of gay men and they all became friends. Lucky me to be welcomed into that group.<br />One of them, Sebastian, would link arms with me as we walked down 3rd Ave in NYC and say silly things about shopping, "just us girls" and he would have me and everyone around him laughing til they cried with his mimicking of famous women .. while we shopped. No quiet subtle gay men in my life :) <br /> Notes From ABroadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12202279303962539035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-88343437988868084702016-10-29T11:54:04.381+00:002016-10-29T11:54:04.381+00:00Nice to have friends that care like that.
Funny ...Nice to have friends that care like that. <br /><br />Funny how some folks have limits on love, you know? Gay child? Can't love him/her, etc. <br /><br />MissFifiUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14590011396134249375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-9568946090500423482016-10-29T11:51:21.885+00:002016-10-29T11:51:21.885+00:00When you love...you love. There can be no conditio...When you love...you love. There can be no conditions put upon it. Linda Metcalfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14706004604567190617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-13813130998614178992016-10-29T08:34:33.718+00:002016-10-29T08:34:33.718+00:00wow... lovely story. We're lucky people to be...wow... lovely story. We're lucky people to be surrounded by love.xAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11431297921869969693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-49560851086789280802016-10-29T06:35:45.465+00:002016-10-29T06:35:45.465+00:00What's wrong with repeating movie clips? I...What's wrong with repeating movie clips? I'm flummoxed. Perhaps they take up too much data. Curly Clubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12802333414956803595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-85044687270817450732016-10-29T05:36:49.171+00:002016-10-29T05:36:49.171+00:00I was at the Mr Gay Wellington contest last Sunday...I was at the Mr Gay Wellington contest last Sunday and at each round the 8 contestants were asked a question. Round 3's question was, "what do you think is a big issue facing the [gay] community" and several answered the same way, that even in a city as cool as ours, idiots still felt it was ok to hurl abuse at people who were different on the street. yup. Ironically as one of a few people who went up to street level for a breath of smoky air during a break, we got hassled by a group of drunk idiots. I raised my voice and just let rip, "Oh just FUCK OFF!!" This resulted in one of the group coming over to apologise and have a chat - clearly he was out of his comfort zone but he made an effort and walked away on good terms. I am too old and have had too much steet abuse hurled at me over the years for being fat, not gay) to let this kind of thing go any more!MrsC (Maryanne)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14440723067459232998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-42043212213552200152016-10-29T05:12:05.266+00:002016-10-29T05:12:05.266+00:00I'm glad there was an apology. He at least ha...I'm glad there was an apology. He at least had the courage for that. And, maybe, he had the opportunity to examine his unfounded opinions and maybe rethink some things. One must always hope...<br />xoxoxoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07477806052578880686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-11094720601216820642016-10-29T05:10:37.943+00:002016-10-29T05:10:37.943+00:00awwwww I think we are the lucky ones to have stron...awwwww I think we are the lucky ones to have strong daughters gay or not.angryparsniphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17236094827257446781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-77891571459511998392016-10-29T05:08:03.779+00:002016-10-29T05:08:03.779+00:00Brilliant point, Ms Moon.Brilliant point, Ms Moon.ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07477806052578880686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-74656963394765260092016-10-29T05:05:56.037+00:002016-10-29T05:05:56.037+00:00Dear Parsnip, you and my mum had a similar reactio...Dear Parsnip, you and my mum had a similar reaction to the news that your daughter is gay. Her overriding concern was for my safety, not my sexual orientation. She couldn't bear the thought of people attacking me, judging me, or even being 'mean' to me. Her worry was that my life would be harder, and that she couldn't protect me. If you are like my mum, you are one of the best...<br />Cheers,<br />eehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07477806052578880686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-25838132358460450732016-10-29T04:01:53.106+00:002016-10-29T04:01:53.106+00:00I wonder if he apologised to you because he wanted...I wonder if he apologised to you because he wanted to, or because he was forced? Probably the latter.Cro Magnonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06840670227576695352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-40847489333110159262016-10-29T04:01:15.775+00:002016-10-29T04:01:15.775+00:00A wonderful story John, it had me in tears. How ma...A wonderful story John, it had me in tears. How many generations will it take, do you think, before families will worry about the important things - like whether their children are happy and well adjusted, rather than their orientation?<br />Virginiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06864657381173674455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-44714448234205522016-10-29T03:51:45.526+00:002016-10-29T03:51:45.526+00:00I remember a few years back when, I think, there w...I remember a few years back when, I think, there was talk about equalising the age of homo- and hetero- consent, a man (just a 'Joe Public' on the street) interviewed on the radio said he'd rather have a son who was a serial killer than a gay son. The very fact that he could say so publicly says tons about that person - as well as about society. I also wondered how many people thought the same way but kept it to themselves. I suspect that the stronger reason why such people could feel this way is that they would rather not face 'ridicule' from others themselves, even though there's no grounds for believing that they would (though they'd always be wondering what other people thought even if left unsaid), rather than defending their own offspring.Raybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424095016313843883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-17250115556801520032016-10-29T03:32:07.131+00:002016-10-29T03:32:07.131+00:00What a nice story- thank you!What a nice story- thank you!Donnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12914479337992538262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20303812.post-86082025852627765492016-10-29T00:20:31.184+00:002016-10-29T00:20:31.184+00:00Or an unapologetic joker? ...
I do hope you were ...Or an unapologetic joker? ...<br /><br />I do hope you were joking about the last few, YP!jenny_ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15475480579733466963noreply@blogger.com