Risa

My take on the most recent conservative LGBT propaganda:

https://old.lemmy.world/comment/5119958

Relevant bit:

And those people are grooming your kids into changing into something else, just like they did to themselves! Think of the children! LOL, it's some Invasion of the Body Snatchers kinda paranoia.

One thing I hadn't talked about was the "forcing" of LGBT issues.

When we were seniors ('89), saw a high-school buddy in a 50/50 gay/straight bar. About shit himself when he saw me.

"Please don't tell anyone Shalafi. 😬"

"I don't give a shit Sheldon. Let me get some of whatever you're hitting in that bag!"

Same bar watching my gf dance. Dude pulls up a stool and offers me a drink.

"That's cool and all, but you should know I'm not gay."

That man knocked over his barstool jumping backwards. From a 5'8", 120lb., 18-yo twerp.

"Oh shit! I'm SO sorry. I didn't mean...!"

"We're all cool! It's good! I'll still take that drink though."

All that to say, if any young folk think gays have it bad now? Let's hop in the Delorean and take a ride back to the late 80's. They were deep in the closet. Closeted as in, being out front with your homosexuality meant an ass beating. Hell, no one would even acknowledge Freddie Mercury, Liberace or Elton John as gay. There were "confirmed bachelors" or "light in the loafers". Delivered meaningfully, "gay" was a deadly insult.

Back on topic; Gays kept that shit on the down-low. And that's how GenX grew up, even more so our parents, less so the Millennials. They see LGBT folks celebrating themselves, rainbow flags in stores, whatever, as having other people's lifestyles, "shoved down their throat" or "forced on them".

Weird take, but I can understand it. Moved to the Deep South and all the religious shit feels like they're cramming their bullshit into my life. And they're trying to using legislation! And to circle back, these people think gay rights, or even existence, is being thrust on them via legislation.

tl;dr: I get it. It sucks. Society is quickly growing out of it, but it's a nice wedge issue for conservatives.