Why is the gay marriage debate so polarized??

Link

This paper highlights the higher risk of suicidal behavior among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth. This higher risk may well extend to transgender (T) youth. Additionally, the paper provides recommendations to reduce this risk by addressing stigma and prejudice at the institutional and individual level; by forming partnerships across youth-serving, suicide prevention, and LGBT youth agencies; by building on recent advances in research; and by responding to the issues of LGBT youth. To write the paper, the authors reviewed relevant up-to-date literature and researched current services for LGBT youth. Youth, for the purposes of this paper, is defined as between ages 15 and 24. Drafts of the paper were reviewed by LGBT youth and experts with relevant interests.

Overview of the Data on Suicide Attempts Among LGB Youth

• Remafedi and colleagues (Remafedi, French, Story, Resnick, & Blum, 1998) found that 28.1 percent of gay or bisexual males in grades 7 through 12 had attempted suicide at least once during their lives, while only 4.2 percent of heterosexual males in those grades had attempted suicide. The corresponding percentages for females were 20.5 percent for lesbian or bisexual females and 14.5 percent for heterosexual females.

Social Environment

Although the social environment itself has not been defined as a risk factor for suicide, widespread discrimination against LGBT people, heterosexist attitudes, and gender bias can lead to risk factors such as isolation, family rejection, and lack of access to care providers. Risk factors may interact in unhealthy ways—for example, internalized homophobia or victimization may lead to stress, which is associated with depression and substance abuse, which can contribute to suicide risk. This risk may be compounded by a lack of protective factors that normally provide resilience, such as strong family connections, peer support, and access to effective health and mental health providers.
In the United States prejudice and discrimination against LGB people are widespread among individuals, and in fact, supported by many religious, social, and government institutions. Homophobia and heterosexism are terms that refer to prejudice against LGB people and reflect prevalent social attitudes that most people have internalized (McDaniel et al., 2001).

/considers this remark for a few moments

Seems about right...

OOOHHHH..

ELEVEN.

AH said "countless children".

Self hatred is regrettable. Perhaps through counseling they can channel it into a desire to change and live normal lives.

We can hope.

Forgot some much needed quote tags on this.

Now fixed.

Truthfully the real reason I oppose same-sex marriage besides the fluff mentioned above (which to be honest I don't care about) is that its against my religious beliefs, and as a Christian I can't support such a sinful practice no matter what the world believes. Lord of Hosts already went over this in pretty good detail so no need to explain any further and I give my full support on the things he has explained regarding the Bible and homosexuality, and sorry Anchovy I see no reason to support gay marriage coming from the Bible, and trying to adapt the Bible or put a more PC spin on it, truly destroys the faith as you put more faith in yourself than God which Lord of Hosts already explained as well.

Then my second reason is that no one is truly born gay as there haven't been any conclusive evidence to support this, now it might be possible that some people are a bit more susceptible to homosexual behavior than others though I doubt this, but that's the same as arguing that marriage should be banned and adultery okay because humans truly aren't built for monogamy, which we aren't but since we have a brain that is capable of critical thinking we make our choices based on reasoning and fight our urges to succumb to our animal nature, or at least some people do this. Also since there are cases of homosexuals changing their orientation that points to it being a choice since if the choice to not be homosexual exists then the choice to be homosexual exists as well so its not like race or gender where people are clearly born into it and to change it would require extensive genetic manipulation. Now does this having any bearing on if its good or bad, nope, but I believe that the lie that homosexuals are born this way and cannot change has confused some people into thinking its okay since homosexuals can't help themselves anyway, which is false.

Now as for a solution to this in America at least, I think having a democratic vote would be a good idea if the American people decide that gay marriage should be banned then it should be so, if the American people decide that gay marriage should be accepted and is a right then it should be so even though I personally will still continue to keep to my convictions.

Just to be clear dayton, I had a similar debate with someone in RL and they made a similar comparison, me and another had to be fucking restrained because we were so enraged and the sheer inhuman asshatery of what he said.

You're willing to use violence against someone for opposing homosexuality?

Talk about loose cannons.......

It is clear that homosexuality is an innately destructive lifestyle.....

Being that you are unwilling to watch interviews of LGBT who tried indicates that you don't actually care.

That right there is the most completely BS statement I've seen outside of dayton. WHO THE BLUE FUCK WOULD CHOOSE to deal with all the crap gets, which includes getting KILLED in some countries, WHO WOULD CHOOSE THAT if their brain wasn't in part wired to say "I like people of the same gender." ?!

I have a short temper, that does not change that what you said was pretty freaking horrible.

I personally believe you and others here are WAAAAYYYY overstating the alleged wave of conflicted homosexuals who you claim will commit suicide if shame and social stigma return.

How many homosexuals were killing themselves in the last few centuries (basically before the 1980s)?

We aren't, we really aren't. Gays are the most likely group to commit suicide or end up homeless.

oh ffs I've lived next door to gay couples they have been no more happy or unhappy than me.

chrisitanity is a death cult that can fuck off.

the idea that a modern countrys policy can be based on the 4th hand writing about a zombie carpenter is insane.

I and the other pro-gay rights are not with this troll just to be clear. I honestly have no issues with Christianity (heck, the most religious person I know is a lesbian in a commit relationship)

How would we know. . .We (from listening to gays who lived then) believe that during the fifties and sixties it was a problem then.

I posted a US Government report on gay suicides and you still will not accept it.

:wtf:


Why the hell would that even need to be discussed? What's next, going to argue bullets can't kill people?

I believe there is no data because it was, you know, criminal to love another man? Not exactly the kind of thing you want to own up to, although I can believe many have killed themselves as the result of being found out.

I can't believe that you think the best way to help homosexuals is to "help" them to not be homosexual - has it occurred to you at all that the best you can do for them is accept them as they are? That if people weren't so judgemental and cruel, they would simply lead normal, happy lives like everyone else?

So not only are homosexuals weak willed but they're lazy as well?

Or more likely to use drugs?

You're not great on advocacy are you?

Oh yeah.

That is a great way to change hearts and minds.

During the fascist government of Portugal (wich btw I´m sure -Dayton would love), being gay was a one way ticket to a mental institution.

Does anyone else need to manually close their mouth when they read Dayton's posts?

Then if banning your religion was put to a vote and the population voted to ban it, you would be fine with that?

For a self-proclaimed Christian you sure lack compassion.

But don't worry, you make up for it in insults.

I.. I think I love you.

Wait...you permabanned him?

...Ok, I was expecting those sacrifices to prevent anymore server shenanigans, but I'll taketh what the Reaperman giveths.

This calls for a new sig.

This is the end of an era. It'll be different without him, but hey, no more rage.

So it goes