A Lesson On Tolerance

[lupestripe]

You may remember that a few months ago, I told you about a friend of mine who lost his wife through a muscular disorder back in November. Today was his birthday and I spent the day with him, visiting a few pubs and museums in the area. After all the help he had given me to beat depression a few years ago, I felt honoured that he chose me to spend his birthday with this year.

Of course, today was a sad day for him, as well as  a day of celebration, as it was the first time in 32 years that he had celebrated his birthday away from his wife. Still, I think he had a good time and he told me one interesting fact - that because I am gay and was open about it, I had taught him humility towards homosexuals and those who deviate from the norm. Equally, he told me that my closest colleague had also learned a great deal from tolerating my homosexuality.

I have never been a big exponent over my sexuality yet I have never hidden from it either. Yet it is humbling to hear that I have changed the opinions of two of my closest friends simply by being who I am. I don't think I am all that special but it is clearly a confidence boost to be thought of in such ways. Meanwhile, I am proud that my friend decided to spend his birthday with me and to also have a good time with me, despite the mixed emotions that he was feeling.

P.S. Jacqui Smith has quit as Home Secretary. The most pernicious influence in this Government has now gone. Hopefully, this is the signal of good times to come, coupled with social freedoms that she fought so hard to stifle.

Comments

[neudlucario.livejournal.com]

There's a wiki dedicated to the Mario franchise that I hang out at a lot, where I like to think I have a lot of friends; There are a few people there I would talk to about anything, maybe not a smart decision but I feel like I trust a lot of the people I hang out with. :)

You're right with the 'camp' thing - I know quite a few people (mainly the fellow furs I meet) who might seem like normal people - if not for their furriness and homo/bisexuality. I can honestly say I don't show very many signs of it in RL (if only because there's nobody I know to show it to xD) - I guess I'm trying to get across that it's just a thing I am, like you said, it's not something I make a fuss about.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I have a trusting side to me as well - probably true trusting - and I find this hard to marry up with the fact that I find it very difficult to truly trust people. It's an awkward paradox - I want to trust but find it tough to. It's odd.

I think the camp thing distinguishes people apart from others and this is where the problem is. Everyone is individual but if a cross-section of the gay community was portrayed - people would see that gays are nothing to be feared and are indeed "normal" people.