Orientation as a Stereotype

[Brittany]

Since Ditch the Label is all about combating the use of stereotypes and labeling, do you think it's hypocritical to place a label on one's sexual orientation?

If yes, how so?

If no, why would this be an exception?

[lil_nikki45]

i do understand what u mean, its hard to answer in a sense. But also its like me saying im not white because i don't want to label myself. when clearly i am because i am very pale lol. i think it just depends on ur view that is y it says i don't label myself as an oppsion which is more than myspace does

[Brittany]

*HaHa* Your 'white example' made me giggle a bit =P

But I see what you mean. For me, in a way I don't want to label it, but then I think well... it's true. I'm just trying to get other people's views, y'know?

Thanks for your post!

[lil_nikki45]

o yeh i completely understand, and that white comment was the only thing i could think of lol

[Vampi]

I think that if something can be proven, it deserves a title, but if something is a generalization, it should not.

say you live in england, and were born/raised there. everyone knows it. that would means you are English/British/whichever term is correct here.

but sexuality is not something to be PROVEN, so it should not be labeled.


I hope that made SOME sense.

[AleksandraStar]

i have to agree with you guys but at the same time
i see DTL to be more of the place against labels like "emo,prep,jock"you know what i mena
things that could be offensive to others,but really i wouldnt label my sexuality,and i would have to i would say that i am a pomosexual

[Jack]

If you are sure of your sexuality, there's no need to not label yourself. I don't think being gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight is label. I'm gay, I didn't just label myself, because that's what I am...

I'm not going to go around saying "Oh yeah, I'm a peoplesexual, I don't like men or women, I like people" because it's not true. I like guys, not women, not dogs, but guys.

However, whilst growing up and while you're in a confused state, putting a name to your sexuality can be quite daunting so I recommend not doing it until you're convinced of your orientation.

[Brittany]

I think that if something can be proven, it deserves a title, but if something is a generalization, it should not.

say you live in england, and were born/raised there. everyone knows it. that would means you are English/British/whichever term is correct here.

but sexuality is not something to be PROVEN, so it should not be labeled.


I hope that made SOME sense.

I really like this way of approaching the subject.
Thanks for sharing :)

[Lou.Lou]

Since Ditch the Label is all about combating the use of stereotypes and labeling, do you think it's hypocritical to place a label on one's sexual orientation?

If yes, how so?

If no, why would this be an exception?



hmmm i dont know.
i dont label my sexuality.
i just say not sure
x

[Morbid_Mandi]

I really dont want to label my sexuality but I live with/near homophobes
so I just say straight even though I'm bi
:|

[ReneeRevoltion]

I don't label it.
I don't think anyone should.
It's who we are and we know that, so it's part of us.
So I don't see it as a label at all.

[DiscretelyPsychotic]

I do label myself straight.
I haven't found myself attracted to girls =/.
If I do find myself falling for someone of the same sex I'm okay with that ^-^
I just label myself straight because I had a bad expierience where one of my friends started to like me and she held the fact that I hadn't said anything about my orientation against me.
=[ I'd rather not lose a friend that way again.

[Amy]

Theres a huge misconception going on here that "labels" and "stereotypes" are the same thing.

Take a read of the first thing you see on the actual DTL site.



Do all under-weight people crave attention?
Do all obese people spend their time eating infront of the television?
How about guys, are they all insensitive and do they all follow sports?
How about girls? Are they all over-sensitive and vain?
Do all gay men have HIV and are they all effeminate?
Are all lesbians masculine with shaven heads and facial piercings?
How about black people, are they all illegal immegrants and are they all 'low down' in the social hierarchy?
Are all white people racist? Are they all 'high up' in the social hierarchy?
Are all unemployed people lazy and uneducated?

We're not trying to get RID of the labels as such,
We're trying to ditch the stigmatised ideas that go with them.

Labelling a homosexual person as "gay" isn't wrong.. it's when you start treating them differently, BADLY, using their sexuality as an insult...this takes it to a point where something needs to be done to stop it.
Or being called fat, for example. Some people ARE fat or obese. It's part of them. But when you start using that to offend them.. again, thats where it becomes a problem.

Labelling your sexuality isn't a required asset to this forum. It's just always an interesting thing to know about someone, and is also a good conversation starter.
It's even marked as not essential when you fill out the profile!!
If you don't want to label it, dont. :)

[DiscretelyPsychotic]

Wonderfully put Amy ^-^

[Amy]

Thanks...It just needs to be clarified. ^^

NOW GIMMIE REP PLS.
Hahaa... joking. :) (*ahem*)

[Brittany]

Thanks for all the opinions, guys ;)