"Being Openly Conservative is Harder Than Being Gay", Is She Kidding?

Off Topic Politics & World Issues
21

I think we are dealing with exceptions, not the majority of examples. (That is not even considering the actual death sentence that being gay can get you in many parts of the World).

Of course it probably is more difficult to be Conservative in Metro San Francisco or Portlandia (but not intolerable, and certainly not impossible. I’m sure there are plenty of Conservatives in both); and I would imagine that a teen admitting they are gay to their Magnolia Springs Alabama Baptist congregation would border on impossible…but these are exceptions.

I think that as a whole…Ms. Zhu is way, WAY off…

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22

HERESY, @strongmangoals…!

Conservative…snowflakes???

(The World is certainly coming to an end, I tell 'ya…!)

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23

Ask that guy Todd Christley (sp?) how hard it is to come out.

24

Depends on where you are and who your family is. I think the 2 issues are somewhat entangled too. The only thing the left hates more than a white male conservative is a minority conservative that doesn’t toe the party line like they are supposed to. Part of her problems with being conservative may stem from being gay. There are voices in the Democratic party that are literally now saying that black, gays, ets. that step out of ideological orthodoxy need to shut up because they don’t have a place in politics.

25

I could absolutely see it harder to be a certain political ideology than being gay if it’s a Dem household. My grandma wrote me out of her will for being an atheist.

Fwiw, woulda been the same result if I was gay. Or started leaning lib before I left the Catholic Church.

26

I assumed she made the statement after visiting PWI over the last 3 years.

Should l put the smiley face, so l don’t get 12 in-depth replies?

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27

Is Meghan Mccain having a harder time on the view than rosey odonnel? …Or Whoopi? (She’s lesbian, right?)

Think about that one.

28

You watch the View? So maybe you can tell us which is harder, coming out of the closet or being conservative.

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I DVR every episode and watch when I get home…not sure what seems homosexual about watching a bunch of women talk…I mean, it’s just women, no dudes. Super Hetero

30

As far as which is harder, I’d agree it can go both ways on a personal level depending on the people in your family, social circle, and local community. On the average, though, homosexual is probably harder on that level.

However, I think Zhu is talking more about the effect it has a a national media profile. And while that can also go either way depending on the profile, I’d say she’s right that on the average being a conservative will damage a media profile more than being a homosexual.

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31

I don’t think anyone here believes it as a blanket statement. It will all come down to an individual’s experience in their own social and professional circles. My mother has no problems being openly conservative in her community, but certain members of the family treat her very badly for no reason besides her staunch conservative views. Being on national news twice for her work on the Trump campaign didn’t help, but that says more about the reactions of her daughter-in-law than anything my mother did.

Quite frankly, she could have gone to work campaigning for David Duke or Bernie Sanders and I would have still been just as thrilled. She needed a hobby and needed to get out of the house after taking care of my father when he was dying. It broke her out of a long funk, and it’s a real shame that other members of my family can’t see that aspect of her work and instead see her as a person of bad character.

If she suddenly came out as gay in her late 60’s, well I don’t think anyone would have anything bad to say about it. It would be strange an unexpected, but nobody’s excluding her from family functions. In fact, it might get her invited to more of my sister-in-law’s events.

So it might be a true statement for retirees in my mother’s situation, but who knows?

My city has a very active and vibrant gay community. I know a lot of these people and I’m friends with a couple of the guys I call the head queers. They do a lot of events and meet-ups, some of it political but more just fun stuff for these people to do together. They’d sometimes crash the bar I worked at in a big gay group and generally have a good time making it very obvious to the entire bar that they are gay and in a large gay group, and BY THE WAY GUY LOOKING AT THEM FUNNY, THEY LOVE TO MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE BY TALKING ABOUT COCKS.

Maybe they’ve had lots of struggle to get to this point, but it seems like someone in my town can be as gay as they want and nobody really cares all that much. Businesses love it when a bunch of people show up to spend money, as long as the conduct is appropriate for the venue. Talking about cock is fine where I work, so it’s all good.

This is purely anecdotal, but my town also has a very large Somali population. I imagine some of this population is homosexual, but for some reason I do not think I’ve ever seen a Somalian out being fabulous with the rest of the diverse and colorful gang. I don’t think it is a stretch to imagine that being openly gay might have dire consequences for someone in a Somalian family. You don’t see any MAGA hats in that crowd either, so I really have no idea what would be comparatively more difficult to cope with for a gay Somalian conservative.

He can come to our bar though. If anyone gives him a hard time I’ll bounce their ass.

32

What would she know about national media profile?

33

Bad example, because of the Left-Leaning nature of “The View”.

Rosey O’Donnell would have a much harder time on “Fox and Friends” than say Elisabeth Hasselbeck did on “The View”. (Meghan McCain would probably be a bad example because “Fox and Friends” tend to be Lap Dogs for Trump as much as Hannity is).

We’re getting off track. I’m sure you understand my point.

Yes…it does depend on individual circumstances to a degree…but I still contend that overall it is much, much harder to come out as Gay. You may get your feelings hurt by wearing a “MAGA” hat (and please don’t post some rare example of someone getting beat up); whereas in many places in this World, it will literally get you tortured and killed to be openly gay.

34

Maybe we should just refrain from making comparisons when we lack experience and knowledge as well as when we are just trying to play the whole I’m just as oppressed as that group game. A baker not wanting to make a gay wedding cake is not the same as slavery.

35

Do you mean on a personal level or a societal level? i.e. personal inner struggle vs being accepted by and large in ones community/society?

Sorry if this has been clarified and I missed it.

36

Are you talking about being gay in the entire world, or just the USA?

Obviously there are very significant differences in countries with different laws, religions and cultures. I imagine a libertarian stance might cause problems for you if you’re living in North Korea or Cuba. The conservative-leaning and very hungry protesters in Venezuela might warn you about the APC’s that will run you over if you come out publicly in favor of smaller government.

Do more gays get persecuted than conservatives worldwide? I’m not sure on the exact numbers, but it seems like either can be problematic to varying degrees.

It may very well be a true statement for that young lady. I imagine she’s in a better position to judge that experience than I am.

37

I don’t think it would be much better if you came out as gay.

She’s a child, you’re an adult who has been around. I’ve read a lot of your posts, you are a better judge than she.

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Of a person’s subjective experience? I don’t think so.

39

Do you agree that most media leans left? If so, then you’re helping prove my point. In the world of social media, and media in general, I’d agree it is “harder” to be a conservative.

In the real world, and out there in the rural parts of america (and some parts that aren’t rural), I’m guessing it would be much “harder” to come out as being gay etc.

The idea that we can objectively measure which is “harder” is dumb, making this whole conversation a waste of time. I’m guessing this girl said this to get people talking, so she succeeded in that.

40

Maybe I’m confused, did she come out as gay or was she commenting about coming out as gay in general?