# For the first time ever, I feel offended **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740 "2004-10-05T22:03:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/41 "2004-10-06T03:02:08Z")
Oooh, after reading **Tuckerfan** ’s suggestions, I wanted to add [this website](http://freewayblogger.com/index.htm) as a possible resource of ideas if the original ones fall through. Ya know, a little less expensive anarchy if necessary. 😃 Besides, a grass-roots campaign might prove extremely heartening and even more fun. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/42 "2004-10-06T03:37:51Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > As far as SHAKES is concerned, I don’t agree with him, but I do understand what he’s trying to say (or at least I think I do), so let me give it a shot. SHAKES, a left-handed person can learn to write and do other tasks with their right hand. They may even get pretty good at it. But they will never be right-handed. They will always be a left-handed person who knows how to do stuff with their left hand. A lesbian could, if determined, marry a man, clean the house, cook the dinner, have kids and drive them to soccer practice. But she will never be a heterosexual; she will be a lesbian who is living a straight lifestyle. Sex drive is innate. Lots of people deny theirs in various ways. Monks and nuns often never engage in sex, in spite of the fact that they are hard-wired to want to. But that doesn’t mean they are non-sexual beings. They are sexual beings living a non-sexual lifestyle. Does that make sense to you? Absolutely, it makes sense. Your analogy with the Nuns is a good one. Myself, I couldn’t say that a woman who decides to deny herself sexual pleasure for her belief in God is making a poor decision. I think the same could be said for the very few Gays out there who feel they could have a better life by not following there gay urges. Now, for most of us, we’d be like “What? Deny myself sexual pleasure or a possible soulmate to share my life with? Feh, FUCK THAT.” which is pretty much MY mentality. However, there are those few out there who have a differnt way of thinking and a different set of priorities in life. Now I’m starting to wonder who the founders are behind this billboard. Are they gay? Because if they’re not, this billboard WOULD be wrong on a whole new level. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/43 "2004-10-06T03:47:22Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > Now I’m starting to wonder who the founders are behind this billboard. Are they gay? Because if they’re not, this billboard WOULD be wrong on a whole new level. I’m guessing a combination – some aren’t gay. Some THINK they aren’t gay, but they are, they’ve just been brainwashed into (temporarily, I hope) thinking they’re not. ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/44 "2004-10-06T03:52:41Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > Now I’m starting to wonder who the founders are behind this billboard. Are they gay? Because if they’re not, this billboard WOULD be wrong on a whole new level. Well, if you go to [pfox.org](http://pfox.org), you’ll find that Donnie McClurkin was ONCE gay. **McClurkin has been very public about his battle to overcome unwanted homosexuality. … Donnie is a brave example for many seeking to live life beyond homosexuality and flourish in Christ.** The founders are extreme right-wing homophobes. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/45 "2004-10-06T04:13:36Z")
Hasn’t the founder of Exodus totally repudiated the group now and everything it stands for? ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/46 "2004-10-06T04:22:53Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > OK thanks for the responses folks. > > I’ll agree that gay is innate. Just like being left handed is innate. I just see no logical reason why a left handed person couldn’t learn to be right handed. > > I only ask because I have heard gay people claim they wish they could be straight is all. Granted most of them wish they could be straight due to all the bigotry towards gays; but, hey, none the less, they still claim they wish they could be straight. My father was born left handed and it was bashed out of him in primary school. You might be able to change a biological inclination but that doesn’t mean that you should, that is desirable or that anyone will thank you for it. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/47 "2004-10-06T04:37:43Z")
“John Paulk, the poster child for ex-gays, was recently spotted in a gay bar in Washington. He said he was there to use the washroom. And you know, no one thought to ask him _for what._” - Kate Clinton If I wanted to (possibly due to a blow to the head,) I could join one of these ex-gay programs. I could learn to act butch, give up sex with men, screw women, call myself straight, get married to a woman, have kids. I’d still be a fag. I wouldn’t be a very _happy_ fag - actually, I’d probably end up a _suicidal_ fag - but I’d still be a fag. No reputable psychologist believes that it is possible to intentionally alter your sexual orientation. Just because you sleep in a garage doesn’t make you a car. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/48 "2004-10-06T04:53:36Z")
My mum had a friend whose husband (after 5 kids and 20 years of marriage) finaly admited he was gay. It would have been much more helpful to all involved if he had been allowed to be comfortable with who he was right from the start. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/49 "2004-10-06T06:05:45Z")
I wish the OP had included the text of the billboard, so we didn’t have to click on the link to see it and give the stupid site any more hits than necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/50 "2004-10-06T06:45:50Z")
> [@Mockingbird](#): > > I saw a bigoted bumpersticker on my way to run errands. > > **One Man|One Woman: Yes on 36** If only one man and one woman are going to vote for Proposition 36, then I don’t think it’s going to pass! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/51 "2004-10-06T06:49:59Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > If only one man and one woman are going to vote for Proposition 36, then I don’t think it’s going to pass! 😛 I didn’t want to appear out of the loop and ask, so thanks for the clarification. I thought it must be a position. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/52 "2004-10-06T07:27:32Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > This is just disgusting. > > The following box contains witnessing. It’s progay witnessing. But, I’ll put it in a box just in case anybody is offended. > > If you are gay, it is because the Lord made you so. Your homosexuality is not a sickness. It is not a sin. If He really had such a problem with gay people, don’t you think he’d just stop making them? Sadly, I’d have a feeling that the folks who put up the billboard would argue that God does NOT make or want anyone to be gay. Homosexuality is a wanton, hedonistic creation of sinful mankind, and thus must be turned away from, like the golden calf, lest his vengeful wrath flay the flesh from your bones and boil your organs. Oh, and he loves you and wants you to be happy. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/53 "2004-10-06T14:03:28Z")
I always want to ask these people, with people like you around, who would be STUPID enough to choose to be gay, assuming such a thing were possible? I sure as hell wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/54 "2004-10-06T17:51:29Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Just because you sleep in a garage doesn’t make you a car. If I could some up with some way to condense the 46 posts before this one, this would make a great bumpersticker or t-shirt. Alas, out of context it doesn’t do much. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/55 "2004-10-06T18:14:31Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > My mum had a friend whose husband (after 5 kids and 20 years of marriage) finaly admited he was gay. My dad is gay. 🙂 My parents separated after 2 kids and 17 years of marriage, and one of the times I talked with my mom about the whole thing she told me that Dad always knew he was attracted to men (of course), but figured he could live as a straight man. (Which explains why he wound up being arrested for solicitation outside a public men’s room right before they separated… :rolleyes: ) They were married in 1970, they had just graduated from college earlier that year, and the situation was complicated by the facts that they really did love each other and that both of them were pretty naive (and homosexuality was _not_ acceptable in Dad’s Irish Catholic family; in fact, neither of his parents ever knew, and I think only 1 or 2 of his brothers and sisters know now). > [@matt\_mcl](#): > > If I wanted to (possibly due to a blow to the head,) I could join one of these ex-gay programs. I could learn to act butch, give up sex with men, screw women, call myself straight, get married to a woman, have kids. > > I’d still be a fag. I wouldn’t be a very happy fag - actually, I’d probably end up a suicidal fag - but I’d still be a fag. Hopefully Dad has never felt suicidal (though I suppose he has), but I shudder to think of how profoundly unhappy he would still be if the marriage hadn’t dissolved. Mom has warned me to “never marry a bisexual;” I haven’t bothered trying to explain to her that she married a gay man, not a bisexual (he cheated on her plenty of times, but not once with another woman), and that one’s sexual orientation has nothing to do with one’s fidelity or ability to be monogamous. At 56, she’s still naive in some ways… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/56 "2004-10-06T20:41:38Z")
Plus, hasn’t it been established that harm can be done to a left-handed child by forcing him to be right-handed? IIRC, King George VI was originally left-handed and forced to use his right hand as a child. He ended up with a horrendous stutter they said, as a result. If you suffer damage just from having your left-handedness suppressed, how much worse would it be to have your sexual orientation suppressed? I mean, damn. And it doesn’t just harm the so-called “ex-gay”. What happens if this guy marries a woman, and like **calm kiwi** said happened to a friend, like **Misnomer** said happened to his father, after 20 years finally came clean with himself? Imagine how devastated his wife and kids would be? How many MORE people would that hurt? The whole ex-gay movement disgusts and offends me. And I’m not even gay. You don’t have to be gay for something like this to offend you. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/57 "2004-10-06T20:54:30Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > If only one man and one woman are going to vote for Proposition 36, then I don’t think it’s going to pass! 😛 Now that’s something to hope for. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/58 "2004-10-06T20:55:24Z")
> [@bughunter](#): > > > [@Jackmannii](#): > > > > I hereby nominate “Ex-Gay to Perform at Republican National Convention” as one of the all-time great press release titles. > > Yeah, my first thought was “Oh, what’s he gonna perform? _Cunnilingus?_” Well, it sure as hell won’t be show tunes. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/59 "2004-10-07T01:10:19Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Just because you sleep in a garage doesn’t make you a car. Reminds me of the line from “Fight Club” - “Stuffing feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken!” I like yours better, though. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740/60 "2004-10-07T01:16:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Well, it sure as hell won’t be show tunes. > > Regards, > Shodan Well, not “I Feel Pretty” at the very least! 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-first-time-ever-i-feel-offended/267740.md?page=4)