Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Gay Spokesperson and...... Chuck Norris

Yesterday, I blogged about a dishonest and imbalanced Lifesite article regarding lesbian health.

Continuing to peruse the site, I found that Lifesite has also managed to pin down the spokesperson for all gay people. In case you haven't heard, his name is Gareth Kirby who in the article "Demand for Same-Sex Marriage Was Based on a Lie" supposedly "makes clear how the work for same-sex marriage was a total waste of time and money." You know, because according to Mr. Kirby, gay people don't really want marriage.

In Mr. Kirby, you see, Lifesite has conveniently found a gay person whose conceptions of marriage aligns almost precisely with what anti-gay advocates have been telling everyone that gay people really think about marriage. And because he's gay, he's speaking on behalf of all gay people. Logically.

For instance, referring to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada, Kirby says this:

"[A prominent marriage equality organization] claimed last October that 10,000 couples had married. It was a lie. Very few among us are eager to embrace marriage rights."


And a Lifesite headline was born!

In actuality, according to the Canada Census, about 7,500 married same-sex coupleslive in Canada. Note how the number of couples who "had married" in Canada is a different measure than "number of married same-sex couples living in Canada." Some couples who married in Canada, of course, may now be living in other countries, be deceased, or be divorced.

Now, I will concede that not all gay people want to "embrace" marriage. And that's fine. It's their choice. And, even if "very few" gay people wanted marriage, is that a reason for denying the legal benefits of marriage to those who do want it? Not knowing Mr. Kirby, I have no way of knowing if he is presuming to be Gay Spokesman or if this Lifesite article is merely painting him as such. But he and his group of gays who don't want marriage no more speak for all gay people than a gay person who wants to be married speaks for all gay people. And, Kirby definitely doesn't speak for all gay people when he says this:

"We have something better in our relationships, something that allows for a variety of friendships, f[uck] buddies, lovers, sisters and exes. We don't put all the pressures on one person …"


It's fine and dandy if Mr. Kirby wants his fuck buddies. Last I checked, anyway, having a fuck buddy wasn't a gay phenomenon. But he doesn't speak for gay people who want something other than a fuck buddy. I can agree that one of the great things about being non-heterosexual is that one is able to step out of the cookie-cutter coupled image that heterosexuals often follow. Bravo to all people who, despite the mass artificial idealization of the "sacred" hetero marital unit, form other types of relationships that are meaningful to them.

Yet that being said, many gay people do want legal recognition for their relationships that are the exact same as what the marital relationship has become: two equal romantic partners committed to being a family.

But apparently I am mistaken. Gay people don't want to give up fuck buddies for marriage. Thus spoke our gay spokesman.


Ah yes: Lifesite. Continuing to give "balance" and "accuracy" new meaning. Especially when referring to "the homosexual lifestyle" as a "physical and soul destroying sickness"and publishing this *glowing* review of Rent.


As an aside, and moving on, I noticed another article entitled "Most overlooked issue in presidential debates" by commentator Chuck Norris. (Yes, that Chuck Norris). Chuck Norris is, apparently all about promoting the use of the Bible in public schools, advocating prayer in public schools, and endorsing Mike Huckabee for President. Which only proves the truism that "the chief export of Chuck Norris is pain."

[insert new Chuck Norris jokes]

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