I still have this discussion with my dear old dad. He worries that two gay parents will influence their child’s sexuality. I only have one line of argument… gay people are (mostly) borne of heterosexual parents.
2 Likes
I beat my dad into a corner and got him to acknowledge that being gay is completely normal as is having red hair. 
Then worked on what it means to be a good parent.
In fairness to him he allowed the inherited prejudice to go.
In the interests of full disclosure one of my siblings is gay so the fact that I even had to have that conversation with my dad is a bit out there.
Got there in the end though, lol
there are people who think that being Chinese or having red hair or being gay is an abomination, some accident of birth makes you bad, 
4 Likes
If I look back ten years ago I can clearly see I’ve become much less sympathetic to anything related to “minorities,” given how increasingly dubious slogans have been shoved down my throat with dictatorial force–no more discussion allowed, if you disagree the slightest bit you’re Hitler.
Adding to that, the whole movement unleashed quite a few rabid dobermans, allowing them to express their hatred to the full extent of their lungs–as long as it targets the “majority.”
So the whole thing doesn’t surprise me. XXth Century Hollywood depicting blacks/Arabs/hippies as angry maniacs targeting us? That’s gonna antagonize the public against the whole demographic. The media showing “activists” claiming to represent a certain part of the population as angry maniacs targeting us? Same thing.
1 Like
I reckon so. When I lived in Tainan I used to frequent the Family Mart down the street. It was pretty friendly with the clerk, and would joke around from time to time with him, but nothing serious. Certainly nothing to let him think that I was homophobic,l; if anything the opposite.
However, one night, the issue of voting on gay marriage came up for some reason. It was at that point he told me how he and his buddies used to go to the park in the middle of Tainan to look for gays (which was a well-known place for gays to hook up, especially back when things were more hush hush).
He told me that they would do this from time to time, and that will only found a guy that looked like he was gay that he would stomp him brutally. Then repeat on the next victim. He said this with a straight face and I tend to believe that he meant what he said.
However, nothing about any such attacks made into the news. Yes, I did read the local newspaper at the time. I think it is really a broad and unfair generalization to say that hate crimes are a “Western” phenomenon.
7 Likes
You beat your dad up ? LOL.
Oh and having red hair is not weird in Ireland it’s like 1/4 of the population isn’t it ?
I bet you are still in bed, young uns always get up late.
1 Like
If he has an Irish passport he is Irish right ?
You got me on a technicality, buddy 
Respect.
1 Like
Apologies for the “Can you read” comment I actually learned that from Forumosa. 
Abdullah the Celt ?
2 Likes
Correct
It’s all good. You have nothing to apologise for. 
Edit: I do still wish to drive home the point that in general British people really do not give a flying fuck if you are gay, straight, liberal, half transitor radio or whatever.
3 Likes
Yup I have met some scumbags like that in Taiwan
However I do not think that was Gain’s point.
He was not saying it is only in the west he was saying it is recently increasing in the west due to the rise of the far right. Marine Le Pen is like within a 2% margin of being the next French president.
2 Likes
Anyway it turns out it was probably some Islamic extremist that did it. His details are all over the papers. Sicko. Ireland in general is quite open towards people of different sexual orientation .
2 Likes
After a long recent history of (spreading a global wide message of ) intolerance. It’s been a revelation.
3 Likes
Yea and what’s amazing is if you ask the older generation they will generally say, yeah it’s ok, no problem.
It is almost unheard of for older people around the world to change their minds on 'moral issues ’ and that speaks volumes about that generation in Ireland. Compare to the stubborn bullheaded conceitedness of the older generation in Taiwan !
They didn’t need to change and it was against all that they were taught when growjng up , but they were willing to reevaluate and see that being gay isn’t a problem. They saw the hypocrisy of the church and they were open to discussing in the media and with their families.
And of course they all knew of their slightly odd cousin or brother living with thejr mammy in their forties with the camp accent in a country town but never able to openly admit it what they were or live openly with their partners . I remember those times well.
3 Likes
The article is from 2017. Is she still calling for a referendum?
2 Likes
Is it safe to be LGBT in Ireland
1 Like
I think I’m a bit younger than you, but growing up, it was very much not the done thing to be homophobic at all. Ireland has certainly come a long way, especially with young people coming up now - they’re much more open minded than even my generation.
2 Likes
Got your point. Thanks 
.
It is safe to say that political extremism of almost every flavor is going to infringe upon individual rights, freedoms, liberties, etc. I’m a “conservative” libertarian. What consenting people want to do with their reproductive organs is up to them. However, my upbringing has resulted in some personal beliefs that some (eg., woke) people would consider “far right,” I suppose. It’s just that I keep them to myself.
1 Like
That’s a bit of a stretch, but there is a point hiding in there too. Glad to see people move on from religious mind control, no doubt about that.
The most significant injustice was the institutionalized abuse of economically poor single mothers and their babies. Something that was actually characteristic of all of Europe at one point. Lasted in Ireland up until scarily recently. But like I said was a wide trend too. Not unrelated to say how native Canadian and Australians were treated, and poor people in general
1 Like