1st time ever, majority of U.S. says Gay/Lesbian 'relations' are morally ok, AND...

[Divine Discontent]

for the 1st time, it's more so men who say it's fine. Great article/op-ed in NYT


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/05/opinion/05blow.html?src=tp <----- snip of longer article here
Gay? Whatever, Dude
By Charles Blow

...

1. For the first time, the percentage of Americans who perceive “gay and lesbian relations” as morally acceptable has crossed the 50 percent mark. (You have to love the fact that they still use the word “relations.” So quaint.)

2. Also for the first time, the percentage of men who hold that view is greater than the percentage of women who do.

3. This new alignment is being led by a dramatic change in attitudes among younger men, but older men’s perceptions also have eclipsed older women’s. While women’s views have stayed about the same over the past four years, the percentage of men ages 18 to 49 who perceived these “relations” as morally acceptable rose by 48 percent, and among men over 50, it rose by 26 percent.

I warned you: stunning.

There is no way to know for sure what’s driving such a radical change in men’s views on this issue because Gallup didn’t ask, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t speculate. To help me do so, I called Dr. Michael Kimmel, a professor of sociology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the author or editor of more than 20 books on men and masculinity, and Professor Ritch Savin-Williams, the chairman of human development at Cornell University and the author of seven books, most of which deal with adolescent development and same-sex attraction.

<snip>




I totally agree with the final statement (at the link) about more guys answering the one question as, 'mostly straight' being something you wouldn't have seen decades ago. This was great to see.
I was at Disney a couple days ago, and told a young guy that I spent a couple of hours with at a function (who was there with his buddies), that he was a little young for me but I thought he was wonderfully funny and intelligent and would make a great catch for someone, and he smiled and said he had a girlfriend but was flattered and said 'thank you very much for the compliment', and none of the other 20-somethings he was with acted odd about it. I hope the times keep-a-changin'.

[DesertFlower]

1. great news. nt

[bluestateguy]

2. We're getting there

Every day more crusty old bigots croak, giving way to what will soon be a majority in favor of gay marriage.

[Divine Discontent]

5. that certainly plays a part in all of this, although it was nice to see older males approval rise.

[chill_wind]

3. K & R. n/t

[opihimoimoi]

4. KnR....glad to see Reason emerge once in awhile

[Scuba]

6. Finally.

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. "antigay is becoming the old gay."

>>>>>In fact, there is a growing body of research that supports the notion that homophobia in some men could be a reaction to their own homosexual impulses. Many heterosexual men see this, and they don’t want to be associated with it. It’s like being antigay is becoming the old gay. Not cool.>>>>

Shucks. Just when I was getting .... or starting to get.... my head wrapped around "gay is the new black."

Seriously, for those straight men in the above category, the existence of homosexuality... even ( especially?) *other* people's homosexuality... in the world seems to pose a real, enduring, even life-long dilemma. One can never be sure where that ever-elusive "line in the sands of coolness" lies.

And then sometimes it moves around!

But more good news here than bad. K and R.

[SocialistLez]

8. Just don't expect to get married.....

With my generation we're ready for marriage equality.

Those 40+...I worry about them the most.
65+.....once they die off we'll make some progress.

[beyurslf]

9. "mostly straight" :)

I have 4 teenage boys. I can actually say that among boys their age, few of them seem to have any problem with gay or lesbian kids. Many self identify as "bi" or as "whatever seems right".
Along those same lines, they use "gay" as an adjective to say "That's so gay" without ever thinking it is wrong. They say "no homo" to many things, even things no one would ever consider "homo." In an argument, the big F word (and not the 4 letter one) may get thrown out.
And yet each of them would still say they accept gay people and don't care what someone else does--even their gay friends may use that derogatory language. It is a different generation.

[Divine Discontent]

10. your kids seems like a riot fest! ha! my dear mother had

many boys to care for too, and for the most part, they are all open-minded also.

kudos to you for raising open-minded young men. the no-homo thing annoys me because like you said, it's sometimes so obscurely spoken that you realize they're just saying it because teens say things just to fit in, but I believe with many, they would stand up for others rights.

[Imagevision]

11. This is really rich, the gay?lesbian thing has only been going on from...day one?!!! Americans are

so funny.