“I think its time to face up to facts. Stoke-on-Trent is still full of hatred for homosexuals. Yes its a little better, but I'm in love with my partner and I can't even hold her hand in public, I'd love for a straight person to know how that feels. It's a basic human right, and yes we could do it, but I know the reaction that would be given towards us and I'd rather a peaceful life, thanks. And so that's why we have a pride, so we get to be 'normal' in your eyes for a day. Don't come near if you don't like it, you were not invited. It's not about recruiting, jeeze, no one could recruit me to sleep with a man so how the hell does it work the other way around???? Yes, some people will get confused and some will fake it for attention but these people soon revert back. By the way, are you heterosexuals that influential or something???

Anyway, I went to pride, brill day, no trouble UNTIL we bump into a 'straight' boy in the street next to the park chucking verbal abuse at us... he must have had such high moral's, and the straight community must be ever so proud, sitting on a doorstep in his chav tracksuit, can of beer and couple of chav girls hanging off his arm. Why can't people waste their energy on putting little morons like that to rights than spending time worrying about what the gays are up to??!! Who's worse here, someone throwing a party or someone throwing abuse???

And to you....It's not down to being influenced by the media and gay prides etc. Your so stupid in not looking at the flip side which is that the majority of media is aimed at bigging up a 'straight' lifestyle, which in effect promotes it, which in effect causes a major percentage of gay people to live as a straight person for months, years or even their lifetime. In my personal reckoning I would put money on the fact that there are more people in this world that are pretending to be straight rather than pretending to be gay !!! I was one of the lucky ones.

It isn't a choice, it's them things called gene's duck. And so, I'l put my two brain cells together and I come to the conclusion that the gene's will carry on down the generations, multipying and multyplying, until one day (here's me wishing) we are the minority no more, yes, I know not gonna happen, but I can hope can't I!!. But then again that means the ignorant people's genes are gonna be passed on too....maybe its best we all turn gay and it will be no recreating and the end of humanity.

From a freak of nature...don't you know it ....raghhhh

DD”

“http://www.videosurf.com/video/dawn-porter-50678181

She concludes at the end,that yes indeed she could, that the culture she imerses herself in is exciting, and she feels like a member of a club/gang.”

“Laura i think you have hit the nail on the head!

Watching will and grace turned me gay! = at least i know now! Ill go watch Formula 1 to get some hetrosexual urges again! ppphhheeeww thanks for saving me

(obv i am mocking you incase you didnt get that part)”

“Laura, there is so much desperately copy/pasted and made-up information in your post that I don't know where to begin. Homosexuality in animals has only been studied since 2004 you say. Nonsense! I can recall Bruce Bagemihl's research into animal homosexuality (which examined no less than 15,000 species) being published over a decade ago, and if you think his research papers were anywhere near the first you're deluding yourself.

But anyway, getting back to your point which you obfuscate so brilliantly with meaningless walls of text: That many homosexuals are just "pretending to be gay" because they lack self-confidence and want to be accepted. What utter garbage. You have nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, to back up that view other than tinfoil-hat paranoia about the media, and I don't care if you're best chums with Danny La Rue's cat, it doesn't make you any less of a homophobe for posting some of the assumptive, illogical and downright offensive drivel you have here.

Like anybody lacking confidence would "become homosexual" just to be accepted! "Coming out" is neither easy nor for the faint-of-heart even today, and sadly for many it still results in the destruction of friendships with close relatives and friends, even though others are understanding. It is an extremely hard thing to do, undoubtedly one of the most traumatic events in a gay person's life and to see you trivialise it here makes me sick. Why would anybody "lacking confidence" make such a false, difficult choice if they are really straight and straight is by far the easiest option? They wouldn't, they don't, and you're living in cloud cuckoo land. It's as simple as that.”

“I don't want to get involved in the debate between yourself, Laura, and the other members who are posting on here. However, I feel that you really need to sit and read this so called 'evidence' before making your, quite frankly, confusing argument. You seem to think that the positive media attention is turning people gay, but have you actually looked at the article you are using in your defence? The positive media attention is simply making the homosexual community feel more accepted, and rightly so. In short; positive media attention to gay rights makes homosexuality more acceptable, not contagious. I sincerely think your gay friend must be as confused by your argument as most of the people reading your posts. Not to stoop so low as to insult you, but they do not make easy reading. Ever heard of punctuation? I digress...
The gay community have every right to this protest (although I'd prefer to use the word celebration myself). They are a minority, they have been persecuted for being born a certain way. Similarly, black people who were born black, persecuted simply because of that, didnt not chose to be black, and no media attention would be able to make me black, would it? There is no 'choice' in the matter! The only choice a homosexual would make is to be honest with themselves and those around them, to 'come out' and to have the freedom to do what they want with their own life. As far as I am aware, straight people have never had this issue? Although my own sexuality doesnt matter, I happen to be straight and I do not see the point in this Straight Pride you are suggesting. Have you ever been made ashamed to be straight Laura? Have you ever been bullied, beaten up or isolated because you are straight? I dont think so. We dont need a festival to celebrate what is accepted already. We do need a Gay Pride, because as Andy said, there are still 10,000 people (roughly) in Stoke who dont yet feel they can be proud of themselves, and that is wrong.”