Mixed up 18 year old in my Guestbook
I held a sign at Gay Pride that said:
“same sex messed me up the Truth set me free blockquote>
An 18 year old went to my website and posted this comment. I can see him/her struggling and pray for them.
I saw you at Ottawa’s Capital Pride yesterday. If your not gay or “used” to be or whatever you wanna call it, you dont have to protest at us. Unlike you, we’re celebrating who we are and as my first time going to pride and after several years of termoil, Im happy with who I am today and we dont need people telling us how to become the majority. Dont you have anything better to do with your time like pray to god to make you straight or something?
Wow, your a lost cause…Live, Ottawa, age 18
Here is my response:
Hi Live
I can appreciate your struggle with same sex attraction … I had it myself. I used to march in pride and get involved in politics. I was on TV with Svend Robinson at his coming out.
There are a few things to consider. The Captial Pride parade was not primarily a celebration, but rather a political event that stormed the supreme court and the Parliament buildings. In a political environment like a march on Parliament Hill it is improtant to have true diversity of opinions. Just like the Queer community showed up at the March for Life to share their different opinions. And the truth is that the queer community messed me up, and there are many people in the community who feel the same way and it’s important to let them know that others feel the same way.
Last week I did not show up at the parties with my sign during pride week because those were internal community events, not events crafted to shape public opinion like the Pride March… I left everybody to drink, drug and cruise.
Live, you are a precious and special person and you will never be “like the majority”, whether you identify as queer, or bi or even just admitting that sexuality is very complex. None of us are “like the majority”. We are all unique individuals. And it is disappointing to me that you are suggesting that I become “like the majority” and keep my mouth shut when I know that people are hurting and are desparately looking for answers. On Sunday, you were sharing your experience of the gay community by dancing in the parade and I shared my experience of the gay community by holding my sign at the parade … actually I’d say that I was the one who was most unlike the majority.
Please feel free to contact me any time you feel that you’ve had enough of the abuse that goes on in the gay community. My life is 10 times better now, and I’m not at all like the majority, even though you would like me to be.
David MacDonald