Internalized homophobia and transphobia kills LGBTQ folks. STOP IT!

[Lunabell]

Read it. Some of y'all might learn something from facts and evidence.


https://www.rainbow-project.org/internalised-homophobia/

[marble falls]

1. It's definitely got to stop.

[hlthe2b]

3. I truly don't think most DUers are. But a question..

who is that in your Avatar? (just curious).

[Lunabell]

4. Desantis.

I hate him with every cell in my body.

[hlthe2b]

5. Appropriate...

[MerryHolidays]

6. I agree that DUers shouldn't be doing this

I suggest you communicate with the Admins via PM.

[Lunabell]

7. Well, I've actually been warned that others who approached them about this

have been tombstoned. So...

[Scrivener7]

13. I absolutely don't believe that. The admins are supportive of

LGBT rights and are very clear about their support.

[Ms. Toad]

40. It's a mixed bag - but the current owner is very receptive.

The "cut it out" post from EarlG a couple of months ago about homophobic and transphobic posts didn't just materialize out of nowhere.

In the past, it was more dismissive than supportive - and there was a massive LGBT purge in the past. Recently (prior to the cut it out post) it was largely benign neglect - for example pretending the juries were sufficient to address the issue. The TOS has now been amended (something we've been begging for for years) to expressly include:

Members are expected to respect diversity and demonstrate an appropriate level of sensitivity when discussing related topics. Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or other forms of bigoted intolerance are not permitted. When highlighting bigoted comments by a public figure, members should take care to avoid the impression that they agree with those comments.

For your information, our definition of transphobia includes, but is not limited to: Misgendering, deadnaming, or otherwise refusing to recognize a trans person's gender identity; Arguing that trans people are not "real" men or women; Arguing that trans people should not have the same rights as cis people -- for example, the right to use public restrooms or play sports that match their gender identity; Arguing that there is any scientific basis for discriminating against trans people.

And I'm aware of several recent threads which survived juries but were subsequently locked by EarlG.

[Lunabell]

41. Helpful.

Thank you and I will carry on being an advocate for LGBTQ rights and acceptance.

I don't know Graham's story, nor do I care. I just know that my own internalized homophobia led to depression, isolation and suicide attempts starting at 9 years old. I finally learned around 20 that I'm ok just the way I was born.

If he suffers from internalized homophobia, he does not deserve to be mocked for it. He's definitely a shit, and in now way do I defend any of his shitty political positions. His possible inner self hatred and turmoil are pitiable. Nobody should be made to feel they are sinful or perverted for the way they were born.

[Scrivener7]

11. It's not the admins. The admins have been VERY clear about their

position about this.

But there are still posts that misgender people. The last one I saw survived two juries. (I was on the jury and was shocked that it survived, and then I alerted. It never got hidden.)

That's not admins. That's juries. That's us.

[MerryHolidays]

12. Admins can re-issue DU-wide warnings etc. If juries aren't working, Admins should be consulted. n/t

[AZSkiffyGeek]

15. Be careful calling out juries

People have gotten hides for asking those questions.

[Scrivener7]

16. So be it. But thank you. I do appreciate it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. Apparently some people think we can't possibly win elections without leveraging it. It's pathetic.

[BlackSkimmer]

29. Some think we need to be "just like them."

And yes, pathetic is a good way to describe it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

32. Why anyone would want to be like them is utterly beyond me.

[leftstreet]

10. Stop scolding

What you've been describing is not happening among the majority of DUers. It's not.

Members are very quick to point out inappropriate posting here, and the moderators or whatever remove posts at lightening speed.

[TheRealNorth]

17. I agree

Some people seem intent on stirring the shit pot today, and are making broad generalizations and accusations about the community.

[Lunabell]

19. Call them out.

Do you mean me? Alert on my post and let a jury decide.

[Lunabell]

18. You don't get to tell me what to do.

Much like my uterus, what I do on this forum is my choice, not yours, within TOS.

If you feel I am scolding DUers about their homophobic/transphobic attitudes, maybe it's your own internalized feelings. Protesting too much, me thinks?

[FreeState]

20. Ima gay man that's been here for many years

Your post isn’t helping. There are and have been major issues with homophobia, transphobia and racism on DU. You can search back in the LGBG forum to see it come and go - including hundreds of posters who have left because LGBT posters do not feel safe here. I know I don’t.

[Oneironaut]

21. They really don't. Lots of LGBT-related threads, especially about trans people, are a dumpster fire.

They often involve misgendering, insinuating trans people are predators / mentally ill, expressing disgust, or using GOP talking points.

No one is immune to propaganda, and, there’s a lot of anti-LGBT and anti-trans hysteria abound now in the US. It’s disheartening to come to this site and see the same shit that gets blasted all over Facebook.

I remember a user who was allowed to continuously post TERF propaganda for about a year. She and others were finally tombstoned, but, there is still a lot of homophobia and transphobia on this site.

[BlackSkimmer]

30. Frequently those posts are not removed.

I’ve seen it many, many times.

[Tree-Hugger]

34. Nope

Members may be quick to point out bigoted posts, but they are not always removed at lightning speed. I've both alerted on and sat on juries for clearly homophobic/transphobic posts that were allowed to stand. I have seen posts by trans individuals removed because they were defending themselves against transphobia.

Homophobia should be called out when it happens.

It was bad enough that EarlG stepped in:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=17193434

[leftstreet]

36. That's not the issue

What I said above is true:

What you've been describing is not happening among the majority of DUers.

You're not wrong in what you describe. But it's NOT the majority of members here

[Tree-Hugger]

37. As I said...

Homophobia should be called out when it happens.

[meadowlander]

38. So we're not allowed to call it out until at least 50% of the posters here are engaging in it?

What, pray tell, is the appropriate percentage of "democrats" who should be engaging in homophobic and transphobic posting and then bashing people for calling them out on it or ignoring alerts about it?

I'll go first. It's 0%.

[leftstreet]

39. Thanks for agreeing it's not the majority n/t

[progree]

28. This DUer uses the words "disgust" and "disappointment" in characterizing some DUers

just so you know
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=17193434

Locking, with disgust and disappointment at the people in this thread who still think making homophobic jokes about Lindsey Graham is okay on DU.

[Alpeduez21]

31. Thanks for posting this

I try to be as accepting and sensitive as I can but it helps to get such clear cut statements to keep me aware. I really appreciate this. Very sorry you felt the need to post this

[Lunabell]

33. Thank you.

I just don't understand why people are cackling and howling over the homophobia of Judy Gold's comments about Graham's alledged sexuality. If he is gay, he obviously is in a very bad place about it and people shouldn't mock him or anyone in that position. Sure he's a shit and I despise everything about him. But, I actually have compassion for those who can't come out of the closet due to their self hatred.

I grew up in a christo-fascist house. I know the inner turmoil, pain, humiliation, depression of internalized homophobia. I was lucky I got out of my teens alive. I'm not giving up this fight on DU. Others can call me a "shit stirrer", but maybe this shit needs to be stirred.

Check yourselves homophobes and transphobes, I'm like a dog with a bone on this issue.

[Alpeduez21]

35. You got it, Lunabell

I hate him, too but it’s because he’s an asshole. I wonder if I’m a more accepting world he wouldn’t be one