I think that there are two different subjects being discussed here.
A) First, there is the subject of the OP: Esprix has been littering the message boards with articles from “Planet Out” that discuss prejudice/discrimination against gays. Should he quit doing that?
B) Second, there is a separate subject on a much larger issue: Some people feel that Esprix and possibly some of the other gay and lesbian posters are showing off their homosexuality more than necessary. Should they quit doing that?
Here’s my own opinion on subject A):
I kinda have to agree with the OP. I’ve seen a few messages lately posted by Esprix where he quoted some pertinent lines from a “Planet Out” article, made a one-line comment about how unfair he considered it, and that was it. Nothing else. I think that this sort of hit-and-run posting gets a little tacky over time. I wouldn’t be particularly happy if a PETA advocate started littering the SDMB with horror stories about the fur industry or if a Christian started doing that sort of thing with articles about how Fundies are being mistreated by liberals (or vice versa).
I think posts of this sort would be more valid if Esprix would take the time to explain why a given particular incident is important to him or mirrors some incident in his own life, or if he participated to a greater extent in these threads in some other way, rather than just parachuting “Planet Out” articles into the SDMB whenever they bug him.
That’s my own perception of that issue. It may be wrong, but that’s my perception. In any case, Esprix has already said that he’s considering doing less of those posts, so it’s probably a moot issue.
As for subject B):
Leaving aside the “Planet Out” articles, I’m happy with the level of flaunting of homosexuality, and I could even stand for a bit more. There’s an incredible amount of flirting, PG-rated sexual jokes and connotations, and even blunt discussions on sexual topics coming from the heterosexual side of the SDMB, and I don’t see nearly enough of the same coming from the homosexual posters. Several threads in the past really stand out in my memory in terms of some frank homosexual flirting and discussions of sex, but only several of them. I expect that true equality will never really until people are every bit as welcoming towards homosexuals flirting and kissing in front of them–or on TV or in the movies–as they are towards heterosexuals doing the same.
The producers of “Will and Grace” are still at the point where they have to weigh the impact on their audiences of each and every kiss between two men on the show. It shouldn’t have to be that way. Hell, I’m very pro-gay, but even I still do a double-take when I see two men smooching in public in down on the Mall in DC. That tells me that there’s not enough of it going on, since it’s still such a rare sight.
In short, I think we need more “flaunting” rather than less. More tales of personal lives, more tales of personal loves, more tales of how an issue looks from the “gay side.” And more willingness of others to hear those tales, or at to quit complaining that the gays are “flaunting” again.
