You have no right to disagree!
Feb. 22nd, 2001 04:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silversolitaireI just read something on the Harry Potter Forum at fanfiction.net that made me very angry. This person said, and I quote: "I'm afraid that if Rowling made one of the characters gay, I would never touch her books again; and it is not because I hate gay people, I just strongly disagree with their lifestyle."
I mean, excuuuuse me! What the hell does this person think? This is what I wrote in reply:
"I promised myself not to say anything about this, but it's been gnawing on me all day and I finally have to say it. I'm trying to make this as calm and collected as possible.
First: I really hate the expression "to disagree with s.o.'s lifestyle". A so-called lifestyle is a person's individual choice and it's not for you or anybody else to judge this. I don't disagree with people's lifestyles either just because they eat meat or go to church every Sunday. It's not my business. If it rocks your world, so be it!
Second: what exactly IS their lifestyle and what makes it eligible for your disapproval? Define "gay lifestyle". I, for one, have a gay lifestyle. I've been together with my girlfriend for 3 years. In that time I've never been with anybody else. I've occasionally given someone the eye, but that's about it. I love her and I intend to spend the rest of my life with her, so God is willing. I'm faithful and responsible regarding my relationship. What makes it inacceptable? I'd really like to know!
Third: To bring it back to Harry Potter, I'm tempted to say that people who have such narrow minds really shouldn't read Harry Potter at all! Don't get me wrong. You're free to say that homosexuality is not your thing. You can say that you hate slash. It's all okay. But when you say that you'd never touch a book of J.K.'s again if she made a character gay, then you're a bigot. Harry Potter is about people who are different and who are excluded from society because of that. It might come as a surprise, but there ARE kids out there who grow up to be gay and they might just find some comfort in reading Harry Potter and finding that other people share their feelings. I'm sure this will never happen though, so you're safe to read as much Harry Potter as you like for all your life!"
*huff*
I mean, excuuuuse me! What the hell does this person think? This is what I wrote in reply:
"I promised myself not to say anything about this, but it's been gnawing on me all day and I finally have to say it. I'm trying to make this as calm and collected as possible.
First: I really hate the expression "to disagree with s.o.'s lifestyle". A so-called lifestyle is a person's individual choice and it's not for you or anybody else to judge this. I don't disagree with people's lifestyles either just because they eat meat or go to church every Sunday. It's not my business. If it rocks your world, so be it!
Second: what exactly IS their lifestyle and what makes it eligible for your disapproval? Define "gay lifestyle". I, for one, have a gay lifestyle. I've been together with my girlfriend for 3 years. In that time I've never been with anybody else. I've occasionally given someone the eye, but that's about it. I love her and I intend to spend the rest of my life with her, so God is willing. I'm faithful and responsible regarding my relationship. What makes it inacceptable? I'd really like to know!
Third: To bring it back to Harry Potter, I'm tempted to say that people who have such narrow minds really shouldn't read Harry Potter at all! Don't get me wrong. You're free to say that homosexuality is not your thing. You can say that you hate slash. It's all okay. But when you say that you'd never touch a book of J.K.'s again if she made a character gay, then you're a bigot. Harry Potter is about people who are different and who are excluded from society because of that. It might come as a surprise, but there ARE kids out there who grow up to be gay and they might just find some comfort in reading Harry Potter and finding that other people share their feelings. I'm sure this will never happen though, so you're safe to read as much Harry Potter as you like for all your life!"
*huff*
