UoDEdushare

A powerful and well written post. As Derek has written, your statement about having to come out every day is good for thought for all of us.

This is very powerful post. You should be proud. Very engaging and well written. Your comment about being vegan made me laugh – is that the new edge of acceptability?

Kara this is an excellent post. You have raised such an important issue here. The idea that some people have to reveal their difference, or worse feel they can’t be themselves, shows we are not as enlightened as we think. I encountered a difficult situation sometime ago, someone (who was gay) talked to me about activities more suitable for them, i.e. going for a coffee rather than playing football. I didn’t know what to do or say. I knew this was a stereotypical view, but didn’t feel, as a straight man (I don’t think I’m gay), I could challenge this. I realise now we should have discussed this, as I would racial stereotypes. The issue here isn’t the stereotype but is the fear of talking or discussing sexuality. The more it is talked about the faster it will not need to be talked about at all. Over the last few decades we’ve stopped talking about race and racism, assuming it was no longer an issue. That’s clearly rubbish. In all issues of prejudice we need to be open, transparent, stop making assumptions and all this should start with children. They understand and embrace individuality better than any adult. Time we learnt from them.

You are never really “out”. There is always a new person you need to break the news to, whether that be friends, family or colleagues.

The experience that you describe above is one that I have never really appreciated until you explicitly outlined it in your post. Thank you for helping me open my eyes a little further Kara.