I have a question to the group.

At least here in the USA, there is a constant and tense barrage of attacks on gays. It's constant from all fronts. Whether it's the Pope, or the right wing militant Christian groups from Pat Robertson to Dobson, or the political debates regarding marriage or adoption or legal issues, to societal issues like claiming some pop singer is gay (Robbie Williams for example) down to our own personal family relationships.

Does anyone else feel completely overwhelmed and just alone by it all? I mean I can never remember a time in my life when I've felt so attacked from so many fronts!

If you do sense this shift, how do you deal with it? Be aware though, I don't have the comfort of a partner to share this with, to be comforted by.

Just wondering.

Jim

Hey Jim,

I agree that there seems to be a constant barrage of negativity from certain quarters. I read 365gay.com daily. It seems never-ending sometimes.

At least in the UK we're a little further down that road in societical terms. Our government, whilst not fully supportive, is at least taking some positive steps toward equality.

Celebrities going to great lengths to proclaim their straightness? Methinks the lady doth protest too much. Either way, RW's done us no favours by implying by his lawsuit that being gay is a dreadful thing.

It can be a lonely thing, contemplating all the ill feeling and even hate that's directed our way. But that's where solidarity in online groups as well as IRL groups comes into play. Here at GayFatherhood, and elsewhere we can take comfort in the fact that we're none of us alone in this.

Non illigitamus carborundum

I got an email yesterday advertising the first same sex civil partnership that will take place in Belfast on the 19th of December. Two women are taking the plunge and making a big tadoooo about it, looking for supporters to turn up and wish them well and act as a buffer to the press and anti gay marriage protesters. I will probably go, part of me is a tad annoyed, gay women here at home sit back with relatively little if any discrimination being directed towards them, don't get involved in any real meaningful way with the gay rights groups(we have a coalition) but then ride the wave on the back of the efforts of so many men!!!!

I get hitched legally to my guy David on the 31st of December...good way to see the old year out and 2006 in...well that and I love him blah blah blah lololol.

You would think that times have moved on and gay men and women would feel less isolated, but in the hierarchey of discrimination, homophobia is still at the top of the list and many are ambivalent about that. I have been talking online to a couple of gay kids at my son's school, they feel very isolated and vunerable at school from attitudes of staff and other pupils as well as angst re the reaction at home. Things have moved along but there is a hell of a long way to go.

I am blessed the way my life has changed, I have great friends, different to those I once had before, but I love being a happy open out gay man...hubby...father...friend. I think we talked about this issue a long tiome ago with reference to the Matthew Sheppard story and agreed , more and more of us needed to be a shoulder for others, to be open to listen and to get off our collective arses sometimes and do something...make a difference. I think the late dear Dennis said it much more aptly than that and Smokey too at that time. However that is it, we need to look out for each other, write those letters, attend meetings, be political even with a small 'p' when it comes to issues and elections. Activism is as important now as ever if we...all of us and the young vunerable generations of gay men and women are not to suffer this same sense of isolation and be overwhelmed by the greater straight society. They can shake their booty(eeek I actually said that!!! ) in clubs behind closed doors but still fear the walk home, reporting incidents to the police is a trial for many, fear the play ground and keep their head down at work etc etc.

GF.com and many hundreds of other groups with hundreds of thousands of members do have a voice, we just need to use it.

Cheerio for now...Vincent..x