Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs? Raised Presbyterian, briefly dabbled with born-again fundamentalism in confused late teens period, later agnostic, now (10 years) athiest. Takes a while to make up my mind.
Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how?
Strangely, no. I say that mainly because I was raised in a fairly intolerant environment, yet never can remember feeling that one’s sexual preferences were anything to get worked up over.
Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not?
Nope. Only had to turn down a couple of propositions from guys in my life as well (equally unattractive to gays and straights, I guess…) I’m notably uncomfortable with physical contact in general, although fortunately for my well-being, this phobia seems to magically disappear in the presence of certain females.
How are you stereotypical? Or not?
I’m probably not the best judge of what stereotypes I may fit into.
What annoys you about the heterosexual community?
The entire worldview that can be boiled down to the word “machismo”. The assumptions that compassion, rationality, taste, and unwillingness to commit violence are for the weak.
How good is your gaydar? Quite frankly, it’s rarely switched on to begin with. When operative, accuracy no more than 70-80%.
Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian?By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/favorite coworker,etc.
No known relatives. Several gay friends, both male and female, met while living in France during the years '89-'99. One recent friend apparently is bi, haven’t really discussed it with him.
**1. What do you identify as? ** Heterosexual male 2. Age/location? 35/Miami, FL 3. Current relationship status? single (divorced over 3 yrs ago) 4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs? Raised Roman Catholic, Pope owed me money so I split at about age 27. Now a Christian who sees the Bible as tainted by the human hands that wrote it, with a touch of Taoism and other stuff. 5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how? I didn’t see it in a positive light until college, when several friends came out. Seems I had the exact same issues with women as they had with men. I am comfortable with gays and lesbians as friends, yet politely and firmly deny come-ons by gay men.
**6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not? ** Nope, I have not felt the desire to do so. 7. How are you stereotypical? Or not? Nope, I’m better than average. 8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community? I don’t see a “hetero community”, I see a community.
**9. How good is your gaydar? ** Pretty accurate, but I still get false negatives. 10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian?By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/favorite coworker,etc. No. 11. Any other comments? I loves wimmins.
What do you identify as?
Heterosexual (female, obviously)
Age/location?
22/Chicago
Current relationship status?
single
Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs?
Well, I was raised Catholic, but not in a conservatively religious household (my parents have gotten more and more conservative over the years, but it’s more of a political than a religious thing) and with a more or less secular education, though I did go to a Catholic high school. I’m still practicing, but I disagree on some things – ordination of women, contraception, homosexuality…I guess this would make me one of those dreaded “cafeteria Catholics,” wouldn’t it? Anyway, I really haven’t worked out my issues with religion yet…
Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how?
It hasn’t, particularly – it’s never bothered me.
Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not?
Not really. I once kissed a girl during a margarita-fueled game of spin-the-bottle, but it’s not like it meant anything.
How are you stereotypical? Or not?
Well, I like folk music and comfortable shoes… Oh, and I’ve got short hair and hardly ever wear dresses, other than on stage.
What annoys you about the heterosexual community?
What AHunter said. Also, my sad lack of a love life.
How good is your gaydar?
Not very good at all.
Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian?By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/favorite coworker,etc.
Not that I know of. I’ve never heard my brother (who’s 18, so you’d think he would) express any interest in girls, but that might just mean he’s either more interested in nerdly pastimes or to embarrassed to say anything about it while I’m around.
Any other comments? (I’m leaving this one blank, because I want to see what others say first.)
I don’t feel like going to my 9:30 class. Yeah, it’s irrelevant, but it’s a comment, isn’t it?
3. Current relationship status?
Engaged and living with fiance.
4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs?
I was raised Christian and had to go to church every Sunday until I was 16. I still have religion and beliefs but I don’t go to church.
5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how? Very much. My mom is very anti-gay and very close-minded and it drives me nuts. Basically she believes that all gays are going to burn in hell simply because they’re gay! She probably expected her kids to believe the same way but this kid doesn’t. I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’re gay or straight or bi or whatever. You do what makes you happy and I’ll do what makes me happy and maybe we’ll be friends along the way.
6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not?
I’ve never had a homosexual experience and I never will. I just don’t dig women in that way and I’ve never been curious or wanted to experiment.
7. How are you stereotypical? Or not? I’m a girly girl but I’m also a tom boy. I like to wear makeup and paint my fingernails and dress up but I also like to watch football and boxing and drink beer with the boys. It doesn’t kill me to go out in public in sweats and no makeup and I also don’t have to be in a relationship and/or in love to with a guy (like so many women I know) before I’ll have sex with a guy. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but it’s not a requirement for me… sometimes I just want sex!
8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community?
People like my mother who condemn those who are not like her, who don’t believe the same as she does.
9. How good is your gaydar? Pretty good. I’ve known a couple of guys who were gay but were in denial about it for several years. I knew they were gay before they did! With women it’s usually harder for me to tell though.
**10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian? By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/favorite coworker,etc. ** I was good friends with a guy in High School who didn’t “come out” until a couple years after graduation. We’re not as close as we were back then but we live in different states and haven’t stayed in touch like we should.
11. Any other comments? I’m hungry and I’m going to go have breakfast now.
Straight male (actually, I prefer the term “breeder”)
28/D.C. Metro area
Married for just shy of a year to the woman I’d been dating for the nine years prior.
Raised in a generally areligious [sic] household, now a missionary athiest.
Changed? I don’t think so. I’ve always been very pro-gay as befits the bleeding-heart liberal that I am.
No. Once a number of years ago I met a guy to whom I was somewhat attracted. We flirted a bit and, had the chips fallen this way, I probably would have been willing to make out with him, but I was already in a committed relationship by that time so I wasn’t making out with anyone.
I realize it’s an unrealistic portrayal of how people are in the real world, but I’m fascinated by lipstik lesbianism.
I don’t know that there is a “hetero” community.
My gaydar is generally very good; I don’t know of any false positives, although certainly I’ve met gays I didn’t spot. As for lesbians, I have no facility for detecting them at all.
I used to have a good friend who was gay but he’s moved out of the country and we lost touch. I’ve just started a new job and am beginning to make friends with folks, some of whom I believe are gay, but I don’t know yet for sure.
Other comments: This may be pure prejudice on my part, but I have a real problem with transsexualism. To my eyes, it seems like a form of gay-bashing: “I was born a man, I’m attracted to men, so I’d rather turn my world upside-down and put my health at risk rather than live as a homosexual.” Maybe I just don’t know enough about it.
1. What do you identify as?
Heterosexual male (closet asexual)
2. Age/location?
35 / Ocala, FL
3. Current relationship status?
Unusually single
4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs?
Raised military generic Protestant, some Lutheran, currently undifferentiated Christian/borderline agnostic.
5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how?
Other than realizing it exists sometime in my teens, not much…
6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not?
Nope. Not interested, I guess.
7. How are you stereotypical? Or not?
I’m more or less continually horny, but unwilling to risk doing anything about it.
8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community?
General stereotyping. Everybody’s an individual, to be judged on their own merits. Not gender, sexual preference, skin color, nationality…the damn list goes on way too long!
9. How good is your gaydar?
Fair. After some exposure, I can usually tell if a person is gay, but it’s not 100% reliable. And usually, it’s none of my business.
**10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian? By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/favorite coworker,etc. **
One of my roommates/best friends in college. Several of my coworkers.
1. What do you identify as? Heterosexual male. 2. Age/location? 27/Oakland, CA 3. Current relationship status? Married (second) 4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs?
Baptised Lutheran in infancy, raised as Jehovah’s Witness from about age 7 to 14. To the best of my ability to recall, I have never in my life felt even a glimmer of a suspicion that a god exists. Thoroughly atheist. 5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how? I’ve never cared one way or the other. I’ve grown increasingly concerned by the uniformity in what tries to present itself as the gay political leadership. 6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not?
Depends on your definition of experience. I have passionately kissed men several times in my life, but it generally wasn’t for erotic ends. 7. How are you stereotypical? Or not? I wouldn’t know, someone else will have to provide input on that. 8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community?
Their sheer numbers greatly restrict the supply of available women. 9. How good is your gaydar? Mediocre, mostly because I honestly don’t care enough to give it thought. 10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian?
Not particularly. But the circle of people with whom I would say I am “close” is very small. Less than 10 people. There are several homosexuals in my immediate circle of friends. My wife, however, identifies as bisexual. This is moot, though, as we are monogamous.
1. What do you identify as? Hetero male. 2. Age/location? 23/New York, NY 3. Current relationship status? Relationship? What’s that? 4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs? Raised Reformed Jewish, now thoroughly agnostic. Definitely spiritual, in ways that I have not considered enough to describe. 5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how? No. An unusually large percentage of my family is gay. I was also something of a late bloomer romantically, so my parents always considered the possibility that I was gay. I was raised with a rather open view of sexuality. 6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not? Nope. It’s just never come up. 7. How are you stereotypical? Or not? The hell if I know. I like beer. I like poetry. I like watching sports on TV from time to time. I have mostly female friends. 8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community? The hetero male community does not know how to dress, is piss-poor at decorating, and generally has no style whatsoever. 9. How good is your gaydar? Not bad. I can of course tell the obvious, flamboyant ones. I can usually tell if a man is a little too well-groomed. 10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian? Not really. I know a lot of gays and lesbians, but despite my pretty open attitude, none of my best friends are gay. Nor anyone in my nuclear family. Just plenty of aunts, uncles, etc.
Divorced after 14 years of marriage. In what can only be described as a torrid love affair with the hottest woman on the planet for the past 2 years.
Raised in the Southern Baptist Church. Luckily, it didn’t stick and I’ve developed my own system of beliefs. I attend a UU church.
I am a believer in the credo that whatever two consenting adults choose to do in the privacy of their own home is no one else’s business. I don’t have an attitude about homosexuality or heterosexuality one way or another.
Some high school fumblings, a few experimentations in college (I’ve told the story of my romp with the Scandinavians once or twice before on the Board), and a few experiences since then (post-divorce, pre-current relationship). What can I say, I have alot of love to give (he said with an evil grin).
Not particularly sterotypical at all. Have a range of interests that cover the entire spectrum. Sports? Sure, I’ll watch and participate. Cook? I’m a terrific cook and had a recipe published in Southern Living. Style? A subtle sense of style. Not alot of flash, but lots of attention to detail. Musical tastes? You name it, I can listen to it and enjoy something about it.
I’m annoyed by the same things in any community, regardless of sexual orientation. Bigotry, insensitivity, laziness, ignorance.
Very good gaydar.
My brother was gay (he died of AIDS in 1990). I have a cousin or two is gay. My boss is a lesbian. Several other gay friends.
1. What do you identify as?
About as straight as “straight” can be. 2. Age/location?
37/Northern DE 3. Current relationship status?
Married 9 years. 4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs?
More-or-less Christian/Agnostic upbringing, mother went to seminary while I was in the service, Born Again about 6 years ago. 5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how?
I’m better informed than I used to be, and as the years pass, I’ve become more and more “unconcerned” about people’s orientation. It’s not my issue, so I generally don’t wory about it. If God has a problem with homsexuality, I’m quite sure he’s capable of handling it when the time comes. Judging people is on His jobsheet, not mine. 6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not?
Nope. Never tempted, nor even curious. 7. How are you stereotypical? Or not?
Sterotype: Straight white Christian male, military veteran, married, one child, gun owner, republican, child goes to private school.
Anti-stereotype: Rockefeller Republican, never divorced, unconcerned about homosexuality, suppports “green” and women’s causes, votes split ticket. 8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community?
Persistent prejudice, especially among men. The smug self-assurance that “they” are “wrong”. 9. How good is your gaydar?
Pretty good, but I’ve been fooled now & then (false negatives and false positives). Oddly enough, the less I worry about whether or not someone is gay, the better my “gaydar” becomes. 10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian?
A former girlfriend (that was hard on the ego!), a sibling, any number of coworkers and supervisors (including my best military friend and mentor, a lesbian). 11. Any other comments?
Nah. I’m pretty boring, when you get right down to it.
Baptised and confirmed as a Presbyterian almost 20 years ago. Haven’t been to church since. Current beliefs are of an open mind about anyone. I try to judge based on individual merit, not because of orientation.
My attitude hasn’t really changed any, except for a better understanding of some of the things that gays have to go through.
I wouldn’t really call it an experience, but I once made out with a male friend on a dare. Not to mention giving thinksnow a lapdance at ChiDope.
I like sports. Both watching and playing.
Narrow-minded, unenlightened people who have no respect or understanding of people who might be…gasp!..different.
It sucks.
I’ve had a former roommate die of AIDS. I used to live with a gay preacher, too. :eek:
What do you identify as? ** Heterosexual Female **
Age/location? 23/Phoenix
Current relationship status? **Complicated version of the standard Boy Meets Girl story **
Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs?** Raised by an athiest father (who later became somewhat Catholic) and a Born Again Christian. I’ve been just about everything I can think of. Settled on militant agnosticism. (I dont know and neither do you!)**
Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how? **I’m sure there was a time in my life where my parents made it very clear that being gay wasn’t right. After going through a bi-curous phase, a bi-phase, a lesbian phase and a basically heterosexual phase. I’d say my attitude is pretty stable now. I just dont really think about homosexuality in a way that would force me to develop an attitude towards it. **
Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not? **Yes. Definately. A couple, even. Women are beautiful… just not what I’m looking for in a relationship.
**
How are you stereotypical? Or not? ** I wear makeup. That’s a girl thing, right? **
What annoys you about the heterosexual community? There’s a heterosexual community?! Hmm. Probably the lack of parades. =)
How good is your gaydar? Essentially non-existant.
Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian? ** Yes.**
1. What do you identify as? heterosexual male 2. Age/location? 21/Terre Haute, IN 3. Current relationship status? Married for 1 month
**4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs?**I was rasied Christian; my father is a Baptist minister. But I was always taught by him to keep an open mind. I’m still Christian. I believe the teachings of Christ are good guides to live by. My wife is a Thai Buddhist, so I straddle a lot of lines between Buddhism and Christianity. 5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how? It has some. I’ve always been open minded, but I had some fundamental problems with homosexuality. Those problems are fading away. I still hold some disagreeable opinions on homosexuals, but I keep them to myself. The need to forget petty bigotry is apparent now more than ever. 6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not?
No I haven’t. I’ve never had the inclination. 7. How are you stereotypical? Or not? I guess I’m part of the “Tech” Generation. My life ambitions center mostly around computers. My wife is Thai, I’m an American. A Long story…and certainly not stereotypical.
**8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community?**The whole “guys can screw around, girls can’t” annoys the hell out of me. 9. How good is your gaydar? Pretty good.
**10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian?By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/favorite coworker,etc. ** Not really, I’ve worked with a few…but they were all snobby assholes. So it wasn’t a good experience. I’ve met several in passing that I’ve liked. 11. Any other comments? Keeping an open mind, and learning from mistakes, are probably two of the best pieces of advice my father gave me.
1. What do you identify as? Hetero female 2. Age/location? 27, Charleston SC 3. Current relationship status? Serious SO of off/on 9 years 4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? I was raised Lutheran, but I haven’t been to church in about 6 years. 5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? Well, since elementary school, yes. When I was little, if someone was bad or stupid or dumb, they were gay. Now they’re just evil, unintelligent, or uninformed. I’ve broadened my vocabulary and my mind a little. 6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not? Not an active one. I had a girl tell me that she thought I was really nice, and asked me on a date. I was flattered, but I just wasn’t really interested. 7. How are you stereotypical? Or not? I’m not girly. I don’t watch girly movies, I don’t like to go shopping. I also could care less if the curtains match the carpets or not, as long as I can see the carpet. 8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community? Um, not sure how to answer this one. 9. How good is your gaydar? It’s on the fritz right now. Sometimes it kicks in, sometimes it suprises the hell out of me. 10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian?By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/favorite coworker,etc. Yup. One of my oldest and best friends is gay, and I have a lot of acquaintances that are gay. Also, my sister has quite a few ex boyfriends that bat for the other team now, which I find really amusing. 11. Any other comments? This was an interesting survey. The only thing that I thought of while I was doing this was, where did I learn to be tolerant of other people? My parents and most of my family are very biased against anyone who doesn’t fit into their idea of social norms, with the lame excuse that it is how they were raised. And I don’t really remember anyone teaching tolerance in school, especially towards gay/lesbian people. Hmmpfh. More to think about tonight!
Religious/spiritual upbringing?
My parents did not believe in pushing their belief system on me wether religion or politics… Frankly they refused to tell me what they believed in when I asked=) Anyway atheist.
Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how?
No not really, never had any problem with it
Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not?
No, I guess I simply just like girls
How are you stereotypical?
I don’t really like that term. Maybe because I happen to fit it too well=)
What annoys you about the heterosexual community?
nothing that comes to mind
How good is your gaydar?
When it comes to women it is terrible
Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian?By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/ favorite coworker,etc.
No not really
Any other comments?
Yes, polls are fun and helps you train your english. It is edutainment people=)
1. What do you identify as? Hetro male. 2. Age/location? 41/Santa Cruz CA 3. Current relationship status? single (separated for last 4 years) 4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs? Brought up atheist, though listed as Episcopalian for demographic queries. Currently agnostic with no need or expectation that the question will ever be answered. I have a lot of respect for Zen and Taoist practices. 5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how? It hasn’t changed in that it’s something that I’ve just never really thought much about. It has no affect on how I feel about individuals. 6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not? Non-consensual when I was a young boy. Later in life, some kissing but nothing more. Just not much of a romantic turn-on for me. 7. How are you stereotypical? Or not? I don’t know how to answer this. I rarely think in those terms. 8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community? Prejudice without attempts to excise it in one’s self annoy me, but I don’t think it’s exclusive to any one community. I’ve met jerks and nice people in all communities regardless of sexual orientation. 9. How good is your gaydar? Not very good. 10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian? I’ve shared houses with gay and lesbian friends. When I was a young man, I seriously discussed marrying a lesbian friend with whom I was in love. We considered living in a commune with a polyamourous (sp?) outlook and having children together. 11. Any other comments? Have fun and be good to others. It’s most likely to lead to happiness.
1. What do you identify as? Heterosexual female 2. Age/location? 30/Canmore, AB Canada 3. Current relationship status? not married, involved in LDR. 4. Religious/spiritual upbringing? Current beliefs? Raised Catholic. Catholic school. Currently not practising, still believe. 5. Has your attitude about homosexuality changed? If so, how? When I first understood what it was, I was very young and a bit creeped out - of course, I was also creeped out about hetero sex. My attitudes have matured somewhat. 6. Ever had a homosexual experience? Why or why not? Nope. I’ve never found myself attracted to a woman in that way. 7. How are you stereotypical? Or not? I’m a mother, I’m a total Dolly Domestic at times, I like to dress up and pretty up from time to time. I love lingerie. 8. What annoys you about the heterosexual community? Pressure to marry and reproduce, and NOW. 9. How good is your gaydar? Pretty damned good.
**10. Are you close to anyone who is gay/lesbian? By “close” I mean parent/child/sibling/best friend/roommate/favorite coworker,etc. ** My sweetest, dearest friend is a big ol’ flamer (his words). No family members. 11. Any other comments? It’s snowy and pretty in the mountains today. And I have to pee.
Oh, and I’ve got short hair and hardly ever wear dresses, other than on stage.