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The LGBT Community and Esperanto

by 12cavenderadam, February 2, 2016

Messages: 60

Language: English

Alkanadi (User's profile) February 10, 2016, 3:46:54 PM

How come there seems to be so many LGBT in the Esperanto community?

Is it because these people feel marginalized by society and Esperanto is kinda associated with acceptance?

johmue (User's profile) February 10, 2016, 5:07:28 PM

Alkanadi:How come there seems to be so many LGBT in the Esperanto community?

Is it because these people feel marginalized by society and Esperanto is kinda associated with acceptance?
I suppose there's two reasons:

* Esperanto is somehow attractive to all kinds of people who are off mainstream.

* Therefore in Esperantujo there's more acceptance for off mainstream ways of life and that's why LGBT-people not that much hiding their way of life. That's why you more likely to actually perceive an LGBT as LGBT in Esperantujo, and that's why there seem to be more of them in Esperantujo.

brulponeo (User's profile) February 10, 2016, 6:37:43 PM

Alkanadi:How come there seems to be so many LGBT in the Esperanto community?
There are many reasons I'm drawn to Esperantujo, and my Eo has very little to do with my other identities. However -

Alkanadi:Is it because these people feel marginalized by society and Esperanto is kinda associated with acceptance?
- that sums it up fairly well, at least for me.

se (User's profile) February 11, 2016, 1:32:48 AM

12cavenderadam:I was wondering how many LGBT people there are in the Esperanto community so I made this quick poll.
In fact, there are many, but the esperantujo discrimiates them though the former president of UEA, John WELlS created the homosexual esperanto group, the esperantists by their religion still discriminate homosexuals despite they are shouting esperanto is a peace language.

The Esperanto gay community has to come to a point to break away from the UEA, which rules many activities of the Esperanto.

In Asia, there is The Straits Games TSG going on, though not in a full report of the local papers, many countries in Asia still criminalise the homosexual, but they do it with part of the charity and games to connect the homosexual for a healthy living style.

Do not wait for the UEA to tell you want to do. Do it for the society. Homosexuals are able to give more love and care to the society, especially those countries already legalised the samesex marrigae, but the report in Vietnam, the homosexual is badly treated.

Vietnam esperantists also discriminate the homosexual community.

It is the internet era, know how you can do better.

erinja (User's profile) February 11, 2016, 1:14:31 PM

Why is it discriminatory to have a gay Esperanto group?

Also, John Wells is gay. Not sure whether you knew that.

Vestitor (User's profile) February 11, 2016, 11:33:22 PM

I don't know why people have to single themselves out by forming a separate group. It's true enough that dominant culture might not reflect all the needs of minority groups, but so long as there is not discrimination - and Esperanto with its basis in tolerance, peace and communication ought to foster this - splitting into separate groups is anti-unity.

Once you get separately identified from mainstream culture, through discrimination or by choice, you are an 'other'. Better to 'normalise' all needs rather than slicing everything into ever smaller pieces.

I see this as a collision between the very modern obsession with aggressive 'self-expression' and the principle of inclusive democracy.

brulponeo (User's profile) February 11, 2016, 11:40:25 PM

Vestitor:I don't know why people have to single themselves out by forming a separate group. It's true enough that dominant culture might not reflect all the needs of minority groups, but so long as there is not discrimination - and Esperanto with its basis in tolerance, peace and communication ought to foster this - splitting into separate groups is anti-unity.

Once you get separately identified from mainstream culture, through discrimination or by choice, you are an 'other'. Better to 'normalise' all needs rather than slicing everything into ever smaller pieces.

I see this as a collision between the very modern obsession with aggressive 'self-expression' and the principle of inclusive democracy.
There's a word for this - assimilation. Many of us wish to assimilate and "be just like the rest of you" and that is a valid choice - but many of us do not and this is also a valid choice. I have no desire to force myself to fit into spaces I don't fit into now, any more than I did when the world viewed me as female.

It's not at odds to want acceptance for who I am, not who mainstream society thinks I should be.

Vestitor (User's profile) February 12, 2016, 12:01:41 AM

brulponeo:

There's a word for this - assimilation. Many of us wish to assimilate and "be just like the rest of you" and that is a valid choice - but many of us do not and this is also a valid choice. I have no desire to force myself to fit into spaces I don't fit into now, any more than I did when the world viewed me as female.

It's not at odds to want acceptance for who I am, not who mainstream society thinks I should be.
I don't think it is if the issue is a desire for people (and a majority at that) to show acceptance for a choice and see it is 'not a problem'. I used the word 'normalise' for a good reason, because in 'normal' society there is a actually a great deal of difference, but it is validated by being common culture. Once it is cut off into a subculture 'owned' by its members, complaining about marginalisation or a constraints on freedom of expression within society is preposterous.

brulponeo (User's profile) February 12, 2016, 12:20:49 AM

In mine and my partners' household, "normal" is a dirty word. okulumo.gif

Vestitor (User's profile) February 12, 2016, 12:37:36 AM

brulponeo:In mine and my partners' household, "normal" is a dirty word. okulumo.gif
I know you are half-joking, and I understand the natural history of why people feel that way, but it really shouldn't have to be like that.

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