The truth is, United States Census in 2000 placed our number at 4% (approx. 12 million persons) of the population, with an asterisk: "it is difficult to get an accurate count because many fear discrimination if they disclose their orientation, especially on government forms." Does it matter if we are 1%, no, it shouldn't, no group should be discriminated against, but we aren't 1% and it is just one more lie of the Anti-Gay Industry that needs to be exposed.
Let's look at some other Census figures: Those who call themselves Polish-Americans are "only" 3.2% of our population, Scottish-Americans "only" 1.7%. Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander-Americans numbered 426,194 in 2006, or "only" 0.14% of the population. The American Jewish population was estimated to be "only" 5,128,000 or (1.7%) in 2007. When you discriminate against these groups, you are rightly considered a bigot.
I don't think being less than 5% of the population qualifies any group as a target of discrimination. Do you?
Being hurt by an act of discrimination is not (and should not be) based on percentages or numbers - it is the act itself. When you look up discrimination in the dictionary nothing is mentioned about the number of people being targeted - or the percentage of those people within the "general" population.
ReplyDeleteIt's just another poor excuse to speak/act badly about a group of people to make themselves feel better. (They certainly don't look any better.)
Minority is the key word. Any thing that is less than half.
ReplyDeleteJust because GLBT can 'blend' doesn't make them not a minority.
But those that oppose GLBT folks will always find some excuse.
Ceara
By the way, I've always wondered where these people doing these surveys on the percentage of LGBT in the world and nation considering many are still closeted people yet and thus remain silent to much of the public. So when people say there is only 10% of people in the world who are homosexual or the percentage you gave of our people here in the United States it is not an accurate count. If the count was accurate and each and every individual reported their sexuality to the majority of the population then I think the heterosexuals would be a little more frightened of the numbers.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, you are right to point out that our numbers do not actually matter. I think the individual should matter.
ReplyDeleteWell if they want to play the percentage game - I highly doubt that there is only 1% - 2% gay folks. I reckon the percentage is much higher but majority of them are still in the closet like yours truly and some of them are still struggling and denying to admit that they are gays.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
JJ
Whether you are in Wisconsin or not, OutInWisconsin.org needs your help. I just produced a pamphlet OutInWisconsin.org can hand out to all communities. Put on cars, hand them out to members at your church and make sure to bring extra copies people may ask for to give to their friends. It discusses some of the things I have discussed in my three parts to "What Did Christ Really Teach?" on my personal blog "Christians For Equality and also introduces some of us from Out In Wisconsin. If you are able to download wps files to your computer please look to the "Take Action" page on the website listed above and download the proper files. Also, email me at kim@outinwisconsin.org to let me know if you've used them and how many you plan to hand out. I am very curious to know what people think of them.
ReplyDeletepngwnz, that is great insight and it really does only make them look bad.
ReplyDeleteCeara, absolutely true! And I doubt they really need excuses to hate, some people always just will.
Kim, yes I agree, when everyone if free to just be themselves then will it really matter?
Thank you for the link to your pamphlet!
Minimization is a huge thinking error that so many use to dismiss, undermine, sabotage. Doesn't surprise me that the anti-gay movement will resort to that and many other tactics!
ReplyDelete