Gay and Lesbian Equality

Madison Equality came to speak about being gay/lesbian in general and at JMU. It was very interesting to hear their point of view. From the readings and their personal stories I have become aware that much has changed and people have become more open, but being gay still isn’t widely accepted as normal. From their stories it seems that coming out in high school was a lot more difficult because their friend base was a lot smaller. They lost a few friends and in general had trouble finding friends like them. In college it seems that they are more comfortable with their sexuality and sexual identity.
Now at JMU I think students are more open to homosexual couples. I think its easier for people to come out as gay and be open with being gay in college settings because its much more liberal. Groups like Madison Equality are doing a great job at bridging the gap between stereotypes and reality. I hope that people are slowly over time becoming more open and accepting of gay people. So that when we are old folks gay couples will be as accepted as straight couples. Now much of the young it open, but the older folks are still stuck in their ways. I hope this changes and that we all don’t grow up and become ignorant to change and stuck in our ways.

Privilege

When I worked at a country club I got to see a lot of class-based privilege. As one of the workers I wasn’t in the same class level as the members. And I was made it realize it everyday when I had to cater to the member’s every wants. The high-income members run the show since they elect the management, and if there are enough complaints from them you are fired. But because of their superior class status to all the employees who worked there they took advantage of us all the time. I worked as a hostess and there was one couple with an elementary school aged girl. The couple would want to eat in the nicer part of the restaurant that was 18 and up and had a dress code. So they would and they would leave their daughter at the hostess stand with me while they ate. They acted like it was part of my job, never compensated me for babysitting and never said thank you. Stuff like this happens all the time at the country club because the members feel like it was their right to do so. They feel that they are paying to belong here so they can do as they please. I felt powerless. I could not complain to the management because they will not stand up to the members. It is a bad system that I don’t support. It’s almost as if the members are living in a mini-bubble when they come there. They can do as they please, act however they want and they aren’t punished. I guess that’s how it works when you have money.

Romance and Relationships

In relationships women are pushing more for equality. We are breaking the traditional relationship norm of the active male asking out the passive female. Now women are asking men out, not ordering salads, and splitting the bill. But as pro-active as women have become, we still aren’t there yet. Now it is normal to split the bill, but it is still normal for the guy to pay, and it would be abnormal for the woman to pay for it all.
Women ask men out, but it is usually more rare and a big deal. I’ve asked guys out or made the first move and whenever I tell my friends about it they are slightly shocked because apparently I’m suppose to sit back and wait for Prince Charming. This happened recently and a week later my friend said I inspired her to ask out her crush. But we shouldn’t need inspiration. We shouldn’t feel like asking a guy out is a crazy notion. It should be normal by now. Men should ask out women. Women should ask out men. No one needs to wait for the other to make the first move.
Maybe we are stuck in traditional relationships because we have grown up watching Disney princess movies. This idea of what relationships should be like has been taught to us at such a young age that we feel like this is how it has to be. I guess at some point everyone has to realize that real life isn’t a movie, but how long will it take us?