Might it be time that we explored the intersections of masculinity and homosexuality, and the unique experiences of gay men worldwide?
Research has already told us that gay men are less accepted than gay women in all countries studied.
Whilst FBI statistics show that gay men are by far the biggest targets (62%) of sexuality based hate crimes – targeted six times more than lesbian women.
In Canada it’s even more shocking. Gay men are not only the primary target of sexuality based hate crimes (80%), but Canadian men are the main target of all hate crimes, be they based on race, religion, disability, occupation, political beliefs or language.
It’s an incredible fact, that goes against conventional wisdom to shift the very tectonics of gender politics itself.
So what is it about the rigidity of male gender norms, that makes gay men so widely vilified?
Why do we patronise and fetishise gay women, as a mere “phase”, or a naughty taboo, or a harmless sexual innuendo, whilst gay men are seen as abominations to humanity?
There are interesting questions, yet to be asked, and to explore them we should start by turning back time, to when gay men were uniquely persecuted by society, less than 100 years ago.
#pride
Sources –
‘Gay men disliked more than lesbian women in all countries’ tinyurl.com/yy47p7gc
Canadian Hate Crimes https://tinyurl.com/y7mmhpar
FBI Hate Crimes tinyurl.com/24g76t4t
Criminal Law Amendment Act https://tinyurl.com/un8nfa2t
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum tinyurl.com/58sgbo3j
[1] https://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/subjects/diversity/lgbt-history/qs/
[2] https://www.history.com/news/pink-triangle-nazi-concentration-camps