Are people against gay marriage unsure about their own sexual preference?

[NNN0LHI]

In my 49 years on this earth I have always wondered if the most vocal gay bashes were actually more than a little concerned about why they were attracted to their same sex? Has anyone else noticed this? Have any studies ever been done on this subject?

People I have known who are gay never bothered me at all. Even the gay people I have known and worked with who flaunted their sexual preference never bothered me. Why in the hell does it bother some people so much? I just don't get it.

Don

[scottcsmith]

1. They might be

The reason given by most people that oppose gay marriage is that a gay marriage will somehow undermine the sanctity of the institution of marriage. I'll ponder that the next time I'm in Vegas and pass a quickie wedding chapel with an Elvis impersonator performing the ceremony.

[Tim4319]

2. I have three words

J. Edgar Hoover! Enough said!

[rucky]

3. Are racists closet minorities?

naw. they just hate.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. I've been hearing this for years

And I think it's a bullshit argument designed to scare the piss out of homophobes. That said, I think it's kind of funny. :evilgrin:

[gold_bug]

6. there might just be something to it...

http://www.planetout.com/pno/news/article.html?2002/02/08/3

Friday, February 8, 2002 / 03:47 PM

Heterosexual males who may feel insecure about their masculinity could have a tendency to be aggressive toward gays, says a new study.

The research may point to the psychological roots of homophobia and gay-bashing, explained researcher Richard H. Gramzow of Northeastern University in Boston.

"Men with a threatened male ego may be typically more hostile towards gay men," he told Reuters Health, "and that could eventually translate into more aggressive behaviors."

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. Maybe it works for SOME

It might explain some the behavior of some homophobes, but i hardly think that all homophobes are really questioning their own sexuality. I just don't think it's a legit blanket statement.

[supernova]

5. Could be

a form of self-loathing.

The anamosity is partly generational too. The older folks don't quite understand the whole gay concept anyway, because it was such a taboo subject for so long. If they knew gay people, they most likely weren't aware of it.

[Az]

8. The discomfort towards homosexuality

comes from a lack of awareness of how to bond with such people. We learn how to bond and associate with people as children. Long before a person's sexual preferences are a critical determination of their identity. Thus we establish our means of associating with others based on simple gender identity rather than their internal gender identity.

From this when we enter into more active sexual stages this change in the number of types of identities we must deal with can send some people into a confused state. A person who is visually one sex professing gender identity of the opposite sex completely disrupts others learned bonding systems. It leaves them incapable of knowing how to address these individuals or even how to associate with them.

Like all things it is learned by exposure. The more isolated the more reactionary a persons encounter is likely to be.

[bearfartinthewoods]

9. some of the people i know who are against gay marriages are gay

and i don't think they are unsure about that at all. :grin:

don't try and diminish the opposition this way. i know it's tempting but it's never helpful to misunderstand people's motives