The Big Book of Gay

The REAL Question to be asked: How do we deal with (Homo/Trans)phobes?

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure myself.

My mom is extremely  homophobic (Trans people have never come up conversation so I can't really say anything about that, meep) and sometimes, when I look at her I'm like:

Shoot

How do I make you think that I'm not the devil?

Here's the thing. 

I don't know about you, but I've noticed that people tend to become (something)phobes when they haven't encountered something.

So, for example, if someone hasn't encountered a Muslim or a foreigner much in their lives they become Xenophobic/Islamophobic as heck.

A lack ,of, well, seeing the world, of seeing other people and different things, makes people closed off to them. Scared of them. 

And what happens with that fear? That uncertainty?

Humans turn that object of fear and uncertainty into hatred. Phobia.

Need proof?

Most, but not all, transphobic people you'll ever meet are cis, and have most likely never been personally close to a Trans person.

Most, but not all, homophobic people you'll ever meet are straight, and barely interact with any queer people on their own. (That's why older generations are more homophobic than ours, as in our schools, or some of them, we tend to meet more queer people than an older person might in their lifetime)

Is that enough proof?

If you need more, go talk to  homophobic people and figure out what the heck their lives are like. You'll most likely see my trend.

Anyways, if you believe me, you might be thinking:

Well, if we wanna stop people from having this hatred of us, we just have to expose them to us, as lack of exposure is what's causing their homophobia, right?

Here's the thing.

1. They won't interact with people they hate/are phobic of on their own will that easily.

2. Even if they do, they'll insist that you're horrible, even if you aren't, because people don't give up their beliefs easily.

What do you do there then?

Honestly? That depends on you. The 'Phobe' themselves. How accepting they'll be and if they'll acceot the facts.

Sometimes, in a certain time of someone's life, you can't convince them that their phobia is horrible, as they haven't realized, or gone through the process that most people who've been victims of this phobia have.

The Realization. What Makes Us, Us. What causes some people to go over the edge because they can't handle it.

And if they haven't, they'll grip onto that fear, and never let it go till they go through it themselves. Until they look at themselves and think:

Wow. I'm a jackass.

So honestly, you can't do much with them. It's still worth it to try, you might just change them for the better.

But the people who will listen? At least a little? I can help you with that a little.

Think of this through metaphor of a tied up knot of string, your shoelaces are an arse and you're ,just,well, done.

Pulling randomly on the strings without realizing how it was formed doesn't solve the problem or makes it worse, right?

But if you take the time to understand it, you know how and where to pull, and if you're patient and calm enough, it works out and boom, your shoelaces are untied.

Congrats, you succeeded at life.

 *Hands you a cookie*

If you can tie (Ahahahaha, see what I did there?) this metaphor to the process of making some not a 'Phobe' anymore, then you know what to do.

If you don't I suggest asking someone in the side comments.

Buzzin a Kazoo,{ (\^ -~-)/   *Pwerp Pwerp* (What sound does a Kazoo make, help me \(;-;  \^) ) }

Mystic (They/them)

Made and Posted:5/5/18 (Saturday)