2. http://www.gaymatters.net/gender-inequality-in-the-gay-community/
The answer to the question: “Are gay men
treated differently than gay women in different
cultures?” is a resounding yes. It is already a fact
that not everyone is accepting of the gay
community. But since there are still two sexes which
are male and female, the heterosexual perspective
still focuses on those two identifying factors. For
most people, gay men and gay women are still to be
viewed differently and that they should be treated
differently as well.
3. http://www.gaymatters.net/gender-inequality-in-the-gay-community/
One culture or race that is more at ease with gay
men is the Filipino people. In the Philippine setting,
gay men are more accepted because they are
associated with being funny. They are commonly
seen in comedy films, TV shows, and other forms
of entertainment.
In movies, gay men are always portrayed as the
supporting character that makes everybody laugh.
In real life, they are also not taken seriously due to
the fact that most Filipinos think that gay men are
only the drag queen type of homosexuals.
4. http://www.gaymatters.net/gender-inequality-in-the-gay-community/
Gay women, on the other hand, are more often in the
closet because the Filipino culture often expects its
women to be more of the traditional type— someone
who would get married to the perfect guy, have kids, and
take care of the home. If someone tends to challenge
that norm, it creates an ill atmosphere.
In mainland China, it is entirely different. Since the
Chinese view lesbian relationships as more spiritual, they
are more tolerant of gay women than gay men. The Mr.
Gay China pageant did not push through because
minutes before it started, it was ordered to be put down.
5. http://www.gaymatters.net/gender-inequality-in-the-gay-community/
Another theory that some sociologists think is that
gay women are less offensive to the Chinese society
because the public tends to think of sex when they see
gay men, but lesbian sex is still a mystery to them. So in
simpler terms, gay women are seen as being in love rather
than being promiscuous.
On the other side of the globe, in another continent,
it is safer for gay men to be themselves, but far more
dangerous for gay women. In Uganda, homophobia was
so severe that gay women are raped to be “cured of their
disease”. If that’s not cruel, then nothing is. Africans have
been homophobic from the roots of their generation—
and activists even say that they are “born with it”.
6. http://www.gaymatters.net/gender-inequality-in-the-gay-community/
While an anti-gay bill was always pushed for
approval, a lot of brave gays and lesbians still pray and
hope that this may not come to pass. What’s worse is that
even American evangelical leader Lou Engle supports the
bill. What’s worse is that he even goes to drastic measures
in promoting to “kill the gays”.
Engle is the leader of TheCall, who was in full
support of Proposition 8 in the U.S. He often preached
that homosexuality is a sin that provides a “spirit of
lawlessness” and that people should avenge in the name
of God and stop homosexuality no matter what it takes.
7. http://www.gaymatters.net/gender-inequality-in-the-gay-community/
While an evangelist like Engle lives in the U.S., for the
most part, America is still the land of the free. They have
made a lot of progress in accepting and respecting the gay
lifestyle and have improved in becoming more tolerant of the
gay community. But people say that their treatment of gay
women is better than how they treat gay men.
Coming out early in the American society may be a factor.
Usually gay men are seen to exhibit the “qualities” of being
gay since middle school, especially in high school. Because of
the adolescent environment, gay men are teased and bullied, to
the point of being bashed all the time. Since gay women
normally come out when they are already in college, the
bullying is less and somehow gay women fit in.
8. http://www.gaymatters.net/gender-inequality-in-the-gay-community/
This stigma is taken into the adult stage, when
everyone else has their jobs and should be taking care of
their careers. In fact, gay men who get into scandals are
much publicized in the media. Celebrities who commit
offensive acts towards other people are gravely assigned
to showbiz headlines and this creates a negative impact
on the gay society as a whole, especially with gay men.
Gender inequality between gay men and gay women
is just the new “men are more superior to women” idea
of the 50s. While we are still in a time when the ignorant
still persecute their fellow humans, then information
about the homosexual lifestyle is still not fully reinforced.
There is still a lot of work to be done.
