Life of a gay

What’s it like to be queer and religious? Do Ask, Do Tell is your guide to the dazzling spectrum of queer life, answering the questions you’ve always wanted to ask, but maybe didn’t know how. As iconic British Drag King Adam All tells us in our book, 'masculinity is very often completely misunderstood as being a neutral ground and people think of it as, oh, that’s just people being people, but as drag kings naturally prove – masculinity is just as performative as femininity.'

What does 'intersex' mean?

This is a big one and I’d urge you to read Do Ask, Do Tell for the full picture.

Some also suggest it relates to the Twinkie – a cream-filled sweet treat that was created in the US in 1930. A twink is also a very body-specific term, which many consider to be a problematic element of gay male culture. They often claim the following:

1.  The study is fundamentally flawed as it does not include “closeted” gays.

   Maybe I’m not strictly lesbian or gay or bi; maybe I’m still evolving, still learning who I am. Did these individuals experience mental illnesses before or independent of identifying as LGBT? That said, it’s important to know that for some, especially older LGBTQ+ folks, 'queer' still carries the sting of insult, a word spat in the playground.

   Both describe attraction to multiple genders, but where bisexuality can refer to an attraction to male and female-identified people, pansexuality explicitly emphasises attraction regardless of gender, so the gender of a person is not the defining factor. An intersex person might identify as male, female, non-binary, or trans, or none of these, some intersex people want to be part of the queer community and others don’t, so try not to make any assumptions.

   Historically, many intersex people have faced unnecessary medical interventions as children, often without their consent, to make their bodies conform to binary expectations.

   “Gay” activists will inevitably point to this as proof that the active homosexual lifestyle is safe and healthy.

   

   Despite enormous opposition from some political segments and the catastrophic effects of the AIDS crisis, the last five decades have witnessed improvement in the conditions of the lives of LGBTQ individuals in the United States. Thus, the review Dr. Clowes completed is focused solely on gay males. For example, in its comically misnamed Intelligence Report, the Southern Poverty Law Center claimed:

   MYTH #4: LGBT people don’t live nearly as long as heterosexuals.

   THE ARGUMENT: Anti-gay organizations want to promote heterosexuality as the healthier “choice.” Furthermore, the purportedly shorter life spans and poorer physical and mental health of gays and lesbians are often offered as reasons why they shouldn’t be allowed to adopt or foster children.

   Anyone who has done research in this area of public health knows that active homosexual behavior is not a healthy lifestyle, bringing tremendous deleterious physical and mental consequences.

   Unfortunately, the research showing these effects is condemned or ignored by homophiles.

   Perhaps, in the case of transgenderism, being chronically unhappy with one’s body and being told that surgery is the only way to feel like oneself contributes to body image issues and depression. According to what Dr. Clowes observed in his review of obituaries, the average age of death for male homosexuals hovered around a dismal 40 years until about 1995, and then began to rapidly improve.

   Perfect for LGBTQIA+ readers and allies alike, it’s a celebration of curiosity, understanding, and the richness of queer experiences.