I was watching a documentary on the ABC last night (Iview) about San Francisco in the 80's and it made me think about all the myths and out of date information that people tell about the LGBTIQ community.

One of them is the Gays cant have long term relationships – and yet my partner and I have been together for 12 years and I know there are people in the Freedom2b community who have been partnered for over double that time.

The classic one is that Mardi gras is about sex and depravity but those who have seen the march know that its quite long. and many parts of it are quite low key. Organisations just as banks, police etc just march.

I know a number of heterosexual, devout christians who have taken their children to see the parade over multiple years – and these are people who are careful about what they expose their children to. In fact the parade in real life is much more tame than the media makes it out to be.

Of course theres the classic – all gays will get AIDs and die.

Firstly – there is a BIG difference between HIV and AIDS. BY and large these days HIV is often treatable – and the mortality rate for people with HIV has plunged – and in fact – over the medium period – (by 2006 and its improving all the time) is the SAME as similarly aged NON_HIV infected people. Even over the longer period the gap is shrinking every year.

The medications now are many, varied, have only minor side effects (and given the number of choices can be minimised quite well) and HIV infected people are generally living productive lives.

Also while year by year Statistics vary – but one lot of (Australian) stats I was looking at recently showed that over 55% of females diagnosed with HIV and over 25% of men – were infected due to Heterosexual contact – and the trend at the moment is an increase in the heterosexual community….

So there are a few myths that I have encountered. Any thoughts on them ? What are some of the LGBTIQ myths that you have encountered – especially ones that you once believed that now you know to be untrue ?

Hi Shadow Boxer

Excellent post and great points made by yourself and Mother Hen.

Another myth is that all bisexuals are promiscuous. I identify as bi but am definitely not promiscuous.

Blessings,

Ann Maree

Probably the biggest one for me was that gay men are all superficial and vapid. Of course, now I know that's not true!

Green?! Really? That's hilarious.

JUST A LITTLE SOMETHING I PREPARED EARLIER FOR A BOOK I'M WRITING

1. ALL gay people are promiscuous

2. ALL gay relationships don’t last

3. ALL gay people are perverts and debauched

4. Homosexuality is caused by a dysfunctional family upbringing. Healthy homes don’t produce homosexuals.

5. The bible CLEARLY says that homosexuality is a sin

6. Homosexuality is caused when people are molested or raped

7. ALL gay people are sick and need healing

8. You could never have a happy rewarding life as a homosexual

9. You can’t find good friends in the ‘gay scene’. All gay men are bitchy shallow and insincere

10. Homosexuality is a choice

11. There is a ‘gay lifestyle’

12. There is a ‘gay agenda’

13. You can become gay……homosexuals recruit….that’s why we can’t let them teach in our schools or be near our children in case they get converted.

14. Homosexuals aren’t good parents. Their children miss out if they don’t have a mother and father

15. Children of gay or lesbian parents will turn out gay

16. Homosexuals are a threat to the traditional family

17. You can change your same sex attraction if you are willing and try hard enough. Deep down inside we are really heterosexual

18. "All homosexuals want to have sex with children, therefore we can't let them near our children."

19. Homosexuality is abnormal/unnatural

20. ALL gay man have anal sex

21. Gay men what to have sex with anything in trousers

22. All lesbians are man haters

23. All gay men secretly want to be women

24. All lesbians became that way because they were raped or sexually abused

25. Bisexual people are in denial about their homosexuality.

26. That to be gay means being weak, effeminate.

27. All lesbians are ‘butch’.

28. Transgender people are homosexual

29. In homosexual relationships one takes the role of the male and the other the female.

© Anthony Venn-Brown

Twitter: @gayambassador

Website: http://www.gayambassador.com

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