LGBT: Fostering Understanding

As a child, I hardly ever heard anyone talk about homosexuality.  Now hardly a day goes by when I don't hear about it.  So many issues are now constantly front and center that many of us rarely had to think about years ago.  But we can't ignore them.  Individuals at opposite ends of gay rights issues cannot afford to go on not understanding--let alone hating--each other.

I've been meaning to talk about my own feelings about homosexuality and LGBT individuals, but haven't been sure where to start.  This is by far the hardest topic I've ever tried to write about because of its sensitive nature.  I finally decided that there's no way I'll get all my thoughts into one post.  There are so many things to talk about.  But as usual, the best place to start is on common ground.  I will not be delving too deeply into the issue in this post, but wanted to start by setting the tone.  Please note that while I've had gay and lesbian friends, I'm not gay myself, so what I say here is according to my best understanding.  If I say something that is not right, I hope that you will kindly correct me.



Understanding Terms
LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender.  Sometimes there's a Q on the end (LGBTQ) which stands for Questioning, or those who are unsure of or experimenting with their sexuality.  However, those of us who are straight do not always understand what these words mean.  For example, a man who identifies as gay may not even be sexually active; he may be attracted to other men while choosing not to act on those feelings.  The same goes for lesbian and bisexual individuals, and transgender doesn't always mean someone who has undergone a sex-change, but can simply mean someone who identifies as a gender other than his or her biological one.  I've heard the terms "practicing gay" or "open and avowed gay" used to describe those who actually participate in homosexual activity, but I've also heard others who disagree with or take offense at these terms.  In short, if somebody tells you they're gay, lesbian, etc. it's important to find out what they mean before passing judgement.

Understanding Attitudes
Members or supporters of the LGBT community need to understand that not everyone who is religious or who disagrees with homosexual activity is a homophobe (someone who fears or hates anyone or anything having to do with homosexuality), and saying that they are is just as discriminatory as homophobia is.  While homophobes do exist, there are plenty of people (myself included) who try to be accepting of others and their differences, even if we disapprove of the things they do.  For example, I disagree with smoking because it is unhealthy and addicting.  But that doesn't mean I hate smokers.  I'll ask them not to smoke around me and may even try to convince them to stop smoking altogether, but I wouldn't sever a friendship with someone just because they smoked.

What To Talk About Next
In future posts, I'd like to discuss the following:

• My beliefs about homosexuality as well as what the LDS Church teaches.
• How religious individuals ought to treat members of the LGBT community.
• How we can discuss these sensitive issues with others and remain friends even when we disagree.
• Some thoughts on specific issues, such as gay marriage, gays in the military and Boy Scouts, etc.

As a brief prelude, I believe that any sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman is wrong and that gender is an essential and eternal characteristic (see The Family: A Proclamation To The World).  However, I also strongly disagree with violent or hateful words or actions towards anyone, including LGBT individuals.  Christ would never use the poisonous rhetoric towards gays that I hear today, and neither should His disciples.