“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.”

“You mistake me "saffron" I never proposed that homosexuality was "beneath victorian standards" My point was simply that ideals have changed greatly in all areas of life since this time.Market research and extensive physcological studies have proven that over exposure to anything desensitizes or creates an aspirational relationship.(soldiers long at war have trouble joining society after witnessing horrors which have become so common place to their lives) (advertising campaigns rely on reppitition to increase sales,) (both of these statements have evidence to support them) Like most historiographical accounts of Ancient Greece and Rome details are speculated rather than confirmed,however common place to Athenian life was homosexuality. (only in the case of a dominant older and subservient younger,never of two the same age,and as a progressive step to reproduction rather than an affirmative lifestyle.(pedagogical) (Reproduction was the main aim) However to use standards of ancient greece and Rome to support an arguement is fair for neither of the arguable partries. (undisputedly Life varies so greatly between the ages..colleseum anyone?) As for the claim the animal world has been studied since time immemorial,.. the animal kingdom adopts a survival of the fittest attitude,it always has and it always will. leave the weakest, injured,different. Its our homosapien capacity to aid. If you propose that the majority of the animal kingdom accepts homosexuality then it would seem you are under a misconception. though if you insinnuate that human law should follow that of nature/animal kingdom then all disadvantaged,injured,and homosexual people would be targeted.Only now and from the past decade (somewhere in the region of 2004 I believe) has homosexuality in different species been analysed,with results stating that a few species,(the bonobo ape,male dolphins temporarily,beetles,sheep,fruitbats,oragutangs,and a handful of bird species including flamingo's all can have homosexual tendancies.) As in all of my previous wall posts Iam not disputing that homosexuality exists,i accept that there is a percentage,naturally that are Gay/lesbian from birth.So I accept that in the natural world there is also a minority percentage.My point is that our society today seems infatuated with sexuality,and that the youth of today lack such little self confidence that they feel the need to join a culture that proposes no judgement,hence they choose gay lifestyles. (The temple article is unfinnished and not due for publication till Dec 2010) As for the designer/inventor of the enigma machine,which indeed saved hundreds/thousands maybe plus more, I believe your refferal is to Alan Turning. (He was not the primary inventor however,Arthur Scherbius was the first to invent the prototype machine,though I do not dispute Turing's involvment in advancing the project.I,like the world should be, is greatly thankful for his efforts. (I also believe that his death was suicidal,something about cyanide and apples-therefore people of my "sexual persuasion" cannot be helf responsible,though I dont profess to know the details.In consideration of the clarification that throughout history stratights are default and faced no opression because of their sexual orientation (despite your initial contradiction -you drew the comparrisson between life in ancient Greece/Rome and now." throughout history"refers also to this very era where homosexuality was to a point accepted.)As for blaming christianity for the negative attitudes to homosexuality, the roots stem much deeper, to judaism, centuries before christianity made any such claims.
My point which i shall clarify now,at the end of this post is not to be homophobic, as I have reiterated time and time again,I accept that there is a naturally homosexual population! My concern is for those that choose to be gay, conforming to the proposed ideas of society displayed via media,advertisement,literature ect. the peopl”

“Despite the rant on his blog about this, Pondo came along with me, Terry and Sam, and we had a really good day out.”

“Also, there's absolutely no evidence that the media is "turning people gay". I have never read such idiocy in my entire life. And no, the paper from Temple University doesn't even hint that that is going on.”

“What is stopping Laura (or anybody) having a straight celebration day anyway? Has she (or anybody) actually tried to organize an annual carnival surrounding that idea, or does she know of one that was denied permission by the authorities?

Does she also need reminding that "straights" are the default, and that "straights" have not been stigmatized or oppressed on the basis of their sexuality throughout history? As for the Victorian "standards" that homosexuals are so beneath, is she really so ignorant of the fact that standards and conditions for everybody but the rich were absolutely abhorrent during those times, whatever their sexuality?

Homosexuality has been observed throughout the animal kingdom since time immemorial but other species don't seem to have a problem with it. Homosexuality was acceptable in ancient Rome and Greece long before various authors penned those malicious fictions known as the Old and New Testaments. If it wasn't for a homosexual, the Enigma machine would never have been invented, World War 2 would have been extended by another three or four years, and hundreds of thousands if not millions more "straight" lives would have been lost. Hey, perhaps at your "straight" day you can "celebrate" what people of your sexual persuasion did to the guy who invented that machine and millions more like him, and you can dance on the graves they put him in?

And then perhaps, just then, you can get a clue about why the hell so many LGBT people remain in the closet to this day, despite people at these events trying to get the message out to them that it's OK, and that they don't have to psychologically damage themselves by denying a huge part of their being. You only need read some of the reactions to gay stories in this very newspaper to realise why closet cases still exist.”

“My point is that which I have made from the beginning, that there is a percentage of young gay culture that choose to be gay simply because they crave attention and seek a community to belong to. (based on two generalities.number 1-the media, and number 2 promotion)(perhaps 3- being Gay connotes a level of freedom,and a carefree attitude.
The article, explains how the media controls public oppinion. baisicly if the media proposes an idea, if it is promoted enough,then a vast majority of people will choose to follow it. This constant bobardement is what eventually moulds individuals into thinking a certain way about certain topics. (extensive research in this area has been carried out with results stating this to be true.topics involving LGBT's circulate the media on a constant level,be it film,T.V litererature ect. this constant subjection in turn changes into approval/infatuation. with a gullable,and immpressionable collective youth witnessing,some who have lower self esteem,or who need constant reassurance end up seeking a community for this exact reason.

True as you say all individuals are influenced to some extent by their surroundings,and surrounding people, So a carnival,full of feathers and glitter and promoting fun is bound to attract people. .individuals that need a sense of belonging..that choose to be a part of the gay community for approval. (precisely my arguement is that there are so many people cavalier with their sexuality,in order to be a part of the 'exuberent gay culture'.

If pride was simply a protest against prejudice,then why is all the flamboyance needed. surely that just covers up, and maybe even reduces the importance of its original claim? It might be fun to parade,but the true message of acceptance (for those whom are naturally gay,yet dont promote the fact, dont dress to obtain attention,dont advertise,glorify or want prefferential treatment,)is lost under all the fluff.”