<#311 Howdy, CNUians?>
If Your Friend Says, “I am Gay”.
By Lee Ji-song, Tribune Reporter
Sexual minorities have had a high profile in recent months. New York State has signed a bill allowing same sex marriages, and the United Nations passed a historic resolution calling for gay rights protection. In this issue, the Chonnam Tribune asked CNUians, “If you have a family member or a friend is from a sexual minority (eg: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender - LGBT), do you agree or disagree with their coming out to society?” Rodalyn Apple Ariola (Sophomore, Dept. of Sociology)
I agree. In my opinion, LGBT should be accepted in every society. It is just a discourse that society is divided into only two sexes, male and female. And this discourse is favoring the heterosexist bias of society. That is why we favor too much the differences between men and women;homosexuals are usually left behind and are seen as strange and abnormal by society. This mindset can be very exploitative in nature so it is important to be aware of this. We should have a more rational approach when thinking about the LGBT issue. People should not be afraid to come out. I argue that we must question all existing discourses, especially if it steps on the rights of human beings. This issue is about LGBTs not being able to come out of their cocoon. It is something that we must consider and discuss.
Go Eun-sol (Sophomore, Dept. of English Language & Literature)
Actually, I believe that Protestants prohibited homosexuality. Except for religious position, I just disagree with LGBT’s coming out to society. In a society, people still take for granted that it is difficult for homosexuals to fit in to society, so most people see homosexuals like strangers. In addition, the public might not be generous enough to completely accept them. If some of my friends or family members believe they have fallen in love with somebody of the same sex, there is no way to prevent this. I do not have the right to neglect those who are in love with people of the same sex. However, I am very sad for my acquaintances who have suffered.
Lee Da-in (Sophomore, School of Business Administration)
To be honest, I have not thought about this seriously before. However, I totally respect and agree with their choice because it is the most important thing in their lives. Nobody is qualified to criticize or argue against their choice. Everyone has a right to decide what they want personally in life. However, in my opinion, one should be careful when coming out because his or her choice could jeopardize their job, fame etc. So I advise that they should be cautious in coming out to the public and their family.
Marina Grecco (Sophomore, Dept. of English Language & Literature)
I think no one has to "agree" or "disagree" with that because there is prejudice. I don’t really care what they do in their lives. It is none of my business so everyone should choose the best way of life for themselves regardless of other people`s opinion. No matter what decision my friends or family make, I will support them. If someone comes out of the closet, I do not really think that their sexuality has to define them. Therefore, it is wrong for people to "agree" or "disagree" because it is none of our business.
