A great day for minorities

[Steffen]

I know that here on IIS we are (mostly) in enlightened company, so this may be akin to taking owls to Athens, but I thought I share this anyway:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles...roud-to-be-gay

If the CEO of the biggest company on earth says "I'm proud to be gay" then I hope that this will be shifting attitudes and eventually make a difference to people who suffer merely because they belong to some minority or other. I don't pretend to have any great insight into their plight, not being a member of any minority I'm aware of, but I do feel that this has got to be a strong signal for anybody rallying against bigotry.

Just saying,
Steffen.

[AstralTraveller (David)]

[Nikolas (Nik)]

As much as I applaud him I just want to know why it is so important to tell everyone. I mean how will this affect his running of the company? The same can be said for Thorpie. You'd think we would be past this stage of caring who is banging who regardless of gender and just live life, why broadcast it?

[Steffen]

Originally Posted by Nikolas

You'd think we would be past this stage of caring who is banging who regardless of gender and just live life, why broadcast it?

Yes, you and I would totally think so. The reality for gay people is, sadly, different. I just hope that this will change soon.

EDIT Just adding to this: Life's easier if you're not a member of any minority group and don't have to cope with persistent (if unlawful) discrimination in daily life.

Cheers
Steffen.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Nikolas

As much as I applaud him I just want to know why it is so important to tell everyone. I mean how will this affect his running of the company? The same can be said for Thorpie. You'd think we would be past this stage of caring who is banging who regardless of gender and just live life, why broadcast it?

"I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’ve benefited from the sacrifice of others. So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth the trade-off with my own privacy."

That's why

and it's not just about "banging" as you so eloquently put it its about being able to be proud of a loving and caring relationship and be open about it, without fear of retribution and ridicule so the more people speak about it and tell everyone the more accepted and normalised it becomes = simple concept really.

[OzStarGazer]

!!!

[PCH (Paul)]

To any and all who promote this concept, all I can say is that when a pair of guys or a pair gals get together and want to raise kids, any support I may have had for their rights stops right there.

Society does everything it can to protect kids' interests, which is right of course, but for some obscure reason it does a complete backflip when it allows gays to have kids, whether through adoption or otherwise.

It will never be normal or ok for a kid to grow up in that environment IMO.

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

"I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’ve benefited from the sacrifice of others. So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth the trade-off with my own privacy."

That's why

and it's not just about "banging" as you so eloquently put it its about being able to be proud of a loving and caring relationship and be open about it, without fear of retribution and ridicule so the more people speak about it and tell everyone the more accepted and normalised it becomes = simple concept really.

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

I fully agree & well said PCH. But I feel this thread needs to be closed before we go any further.

[koputai (Jason)]

Originally Posted by Kunama

I think this minority group is the most discriminated one ....

Hehehe, yes sometimes it seems that way Matt, but we white Anglo males do have it pretty good. I for one am thankful that in this country, and at this time, I am the 'standard' member of society, and I feel empathy for those that are treated differently the further they deviate from the 'norm'.

Imagine walking along at your local shops, having people look at you differently because you are black. Or being scared of being bashed because you're gay, or being subject to domestic violence because you're a woman. Imagine living in fear. There should simply be no need for another human being to feel this way.

Wow, that went a bit longer than planned. Back to normal programming.....

Cheers,
Jason.

[blink138 (Pat)]

Originally Posted by Kunama

I sometimes feel that I am a member of a minority group ....

" a heterosexual married male who loves his children, has never been on the dole, always paid my taxes and now a self funded retiree since my 55th birthday a few years ago ......"

I think this minority group is the most discriminated one ....


As for CEOs making announcements about their sexuality................. why do they feel it necessary to do so? I care not what they do in their own time nor with whom they do it.

bravo matt!
and chris i am not so sure about what you said................. there are (too) many abusive hetero marriages that do not deserve to have children, i think a loving and caring environment is OBVIOUSLY the most important thing regardless of sexual preference
do you think that a child brought up with homosexual parents are going to grow up being homosexual themselves?
they should be vetted exactly the same as an adopting hetero couple in my opinion
regards
pat

[blink138 (Pat)]

................. oh and as for the title of this thread...... so what?
does he somehow want special recognition for being brave and telling the world? get over yourself i say.......... bad dog........... no biscuit!
he is certainly not the only gay in the village!
pat

[Octane (Humayun)]

His homosexuality has been known about since he took over the Apple helm from Steve Jobs.

H

[rat156]

Originally Posted by PCH

To any and all who promote this concept, all I can say is that when a pair of guys or a pair gals get together and want to raise kids, any support I may have had for their rights stops right there.

Society does everything it can to protect kids' interests, which is right of course, but for some obscure reason it does a complete backflip when it allows gays to have kids, whether through adoption or otherwise.

It will never be normal or ok for a kid to grow up in that environment IMO.

At risk of getting this thread locked, you, sir, are a homophobic bigot.

Clearly you don't know any homosexual couples. Why you would want to deny a child the chance of growing up in a loving caring relationship is beyond belief. Your version of "normal" has been shaped by your upbringing. Many children in many cultures other than our own grow up in mostly single sex relationships, usually maternal, usually because the father is away from home working.

If you feel threatened by a couple's homosexual relationship, perhaps that's your problem. Don't put your problems onto other people. Grow up, accept people as homosexual, that they fell it's normal and that they can be as good or better parents than most heterosexual couples.

They may not be physically capable of the actual act of breeding, but if you're going to stop couples from being parents because they can't have children then you're casting a wide net.

Please keep your homophobic opinions to yourself, they don't belong on a public forum.

Stuart

[PeterEde (Peter)]

Why can't people just live their life. Why do they feel their sexuality is something to share with the world? The only people this matters to are the individual and his immediate family and friends.
Gay fine I don't care.
Kids not via IVF, adoption or artificial insemination. Those options are for hetros who for medical reasons can't be parents. Not people who cant be parents because of their sexuality. The birth right of every child is to have a loving mother and father. Not 2 parents the same sex.
I don't care whether they would be loving or not. Simple fact is a child growing up in a gay environment is 100% not normal.
The rights of a child are violated when adopted or born into these environments without choice.

And I love how it's ok for some to speak their opinion but as soon as someone has an opposing one they are labeled a bigot.
Now close the thread. Like it should have been from the very first post

[caveastola]

Gay people need to get over their own insecurity, they are not any more special than anyone else.

[Chris85 (Chris)]

I am literally lost for words at the bigotry displayed here in this thread. Unbelievable

[blink138 (Pat)]

Originally Posted by rat156

At risk of getting this thread locked, you, sir, are a homophobic bigot.

Clearly you don't know any homosexual couples. Why you would want to deny a child the chance of growing up in a loving caring relationship is beyond belief. Your version of "normal" has been shaped by your upbringing. Many children in many cultures other than our own grow up in mostly single sex relationships, usually maternal, usually because the father is away from home working.

If you feel threatened by a couple's homosexual relationship, perhaps that's your problem. Don't put your problems onto other people. Grow up, accept people as homosexual, that they fell it's normal and that they can be as good or better parents than most heterosexual couples.

They may not be physically capable of the actual act of breeding, but if you're going to stop couples from being parents because they can't have children then you're casting a wide net.

Please keep your homophobic opinions to yourself, they don't belong on a public forum.

Stuart

i think i put it just a tad more sesitively than that!
keep it clean and there is no reason why itshould be locked......... simple!
oh and your "pro" version is more vitriolic!
pat
pat

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Words fail me.
GLBTI folks are treated like lepers from pre adolescence.
Bullied, dissed, taunted,reviled.
And even when they achieve great things, still people try to denigrate and belittle them..
The CEO of Apple was praising his company, not preening.

To deny anyone children is tantamount to fascism.
Better two loving parents than one lonely broken woman, left by an abusive
philanderer.

[blink138 (Pat)]

Originally Posted by PeterEde

Why can't people just live their life. Why do they feel their sexuality is something to share with the world? The only people this matters to are the individual and his immediate family and friends.
Gay fine I don't care.
Kids not via IVF, adoption or artificial insemination. Those options are for hetros who for medical reasons can't be parents. Not people who cant be parents because of their sexuality. The birth right of every child is to have a loving mother and father. Not 2 parents the same sex.
I don't care whether they would be loving or not. Simple fact is a child growing up in a gay environment is 100% not normal.
The rights of a child are violated when adopted or born into these environments without choice.

And I love how it's ok for some to speak their opinion but as soon as someone has an opposing one they are labeled a bigot.
Now close the thread. Like it should have been from the very first post

peter i hope you do see the irony in your last paragraph!?........... because you have yourself lambasted someone that has an opposing view ha ha!
the hypocrisy is monumental!!
i wonder what percentage of hetero adopted children have been abused over the years? do you know of an adopted person that has been unaffected by their adoption, i know a number............ that said i dont think your view of a "normal" hetero relationship have a good record either
what i said above is that a loving caring couple maketh a kind human being...... end of!!
pat

[blink138 (Pat)]

Originally Posted by blink138

peter i hope you do see the irony in your last paragraph!?........... because you have yourself lambasted someone that has an opposing view ha ha!
the hypocrisy is monumental!!
i wonder what percentage of hetero adopted children have been abused over the years? do you know of an adopted person that has been unaffected by their adoption, i know a number............ that said i dont think your view of a "normal" hetero relationship have a good record either
what i said above is that a loving caring couple maketh a kind human being...... end of!!
pat

ha ha oh dear, i did mean that i know a number of adopted people and all have been affected in some way............. and ALL have wanted to find out were they are from!........... but that is another story!!
pat