National Coming Out Day

[Grief]

hey folks,

just dropping a line to let everyone know October 11th is National Coming Out Day. this is aimed at promoting discussion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender awareness and of course to support coming out.

so basically i made this thread as a haven for opening discussion and encouraging support for gay/lesbian/bisexual individuals.
if anyone wants to come out, awesome, or if you just want to pop in and voice some support, go for it.

additional information about the event, or in general awareness about gay and lesbian rights and equality can be found on the Human Rights Campaign website

Human Rights Campaign
Wikipedia various info

have pride fellow CA artists and respectfully support our gay community.

-joe

[Earendil]

Some videos that helped me. Thanks Grief!





Also, an idea that helped me. Whatever stereotypes that are out there for gay people, they're just that, stereotypes. You don't have to swish, lisp, or listen to Cher, or anything else. You don't have to conform yourself to whatever strange concept you or anyone else has about "being gay."

Being gay is just another part of who you are, so be yourself, keep drawing, and if you meet a special someone...

Some really good books:
"Gay Spirit"
"Gay Soul" both by Mark Thompson.

Some funny/good quotes:

"If homosexuality is a disease, let's all call in queer to work: "Hello. Can't work today, still queer." ~Robin Tyler

"War. Rape. Murder. Poverty. Equal rights for gays. Guess which one the Southern Baptist Convention is protesting?" ~The Value of Families

"I'm a supporter of gay rights. And not a closet supporter either. From the time I was a kid, I have never been able to understand attacks upon the gay community. There are so many qualities that make up a human being... by the time I get through with all the things that I really admire about people, what they do with their private parts is probably so low on the list that it is irrelevant." ~Paul Newman(RIP)

"The world is not divided into sheeps and goats. Not all things are black nor all things white. It is a fundamental of taxonomy that nature rarely deals with discrete categories. Only the human mind invents categories and tries to force facts into separated pigeon-holes. The living world is a continuum in each and every one of its aspects. The sooner we learn this concerning sexual behavior the sooner we shall reach a sound understanding of the realities of sex." ~Alfred Kinsey, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, 1948

The diagnosis of homosexuality as a "disorder" is a contributing factor to the pathology of those homosexuals who do become mentally ill.... Nothing is more likely to make you sick than being constantly told that you are sick. ~Ronald Gold

Come out, come out, where ever you are... ~ Glinda the Good Witch of the South.

GLBT Artists:
Well, there's just too many, so here's the link:
Famous GLBT folks

If anybody would like an "Ear", just give me a PM.

[Costau D]

I always support equal rights. The negative focus on this subject can be rediculous, especially since there are more important things in the world to worry about. I also wanted to post these funny Hard Gay videos...

[daestwen]

Pretty sure most people are aware of me, so.

Obviously my support goes to this thread.

I've been pretty lucky on the whole acceptance thing, never had to deal with a lot of negativity, though possibly some bafflement.

Almost all my woes come from myself beating myself up, rather than from other people.

I'll second Earendil on this one and say that if anyone wants to talk, you're very welcome to send me a PM as well.

[tomwaits4noman]

The Paul Newmen quote says it well.

I suppose people will always fear what they don't understand or have no knowledge of....

its the 21st century as a species we really need to evolve out of alot of our prejudices

[Psypomp]

The Paul Newmen quote says it well.

I suppose people will always fear what they don't understand or have no knowledge of....

its the 21st century as a species we really need to evolve out of alot of our prejudices

Right on. It's so silly that we continue to harbor this mindset. I thought we were past this..
Our society seems to have accepted different types of people for who they are. However, both the media and our peers show us that it's something we should still think is unnatural, that it's something to be laughed at. A lot of the kids I go to school with are afraid of homosexuals. Really, they are just afraid of themselves.

[Ilaekae]

On the down side, every time someone comes out of my closet, my wife fills it with more shit she bought.

I was taught that if I demanded respect for my beliefs and actions, I damn well better respect others. The only thing I can't forgive is intolerance based on "god told me to do it..." And I've always accepted the fact that there are five genders, and they're all legitimate and equal--hetero male and female, gay male and female, and Guggenmanuever...

[DeadlyFreeze]

I always wonder how in the future we will perceive how we portrayed gays in popular culture. They tend to be the comedic joke, I wonder if we will look back and see it as the next blackface.

[Ilaekae]

Good probability...

I'm happy with the way people are. The last thing I need in my world is more boring people all doing the same thing at the same time the same way all the time...otherwise, why get out of bed in the morning?

[Rist]

Do we really need this on a concept art forum though?

Just wondering...

[Aly Fell]

Do we really need this on a concept art forum though?

Just wondering...

Yes!

[Nopig]

I went to gay pride a few months ago with a friend (i'm not). And I only got hit on by really big girls...

[Psypomp]

I'm going to speak really generally here, but I think that everybody has a natural inclination to give and gain acceptance. We all want to be loved. As children, we probably didn't care what a person looked like or what language they spoke, because all people were the same to us. As we grew older, the people around us began to have influence on us. Watching television, we might have seen predominantly white families with a mother and a father, with nothing in between. African Americans were portrayed as loud-mouth urban city-dwellers. Hispanics and Asians had their stereotypes as well. Our parents pushed their beliefs on us, gave us religion and maybe political opinions.
We are not naturally xenophobic, but the influences around us have made us afraid in some way. We are curious about things that are different from us, but we are not inclined to hate; hatred only comes from within us. It is the hatred that we feel that destroys us as individuals, an when it's strong enough, destroys other people as well.
It's sad when shows or books that portray homosexuals or people with disabilities or people of a different race are seen as "new" and "ground-breaking". Why should these things be so unusual to us? These individuals are as normal and as abnormal as we are, why should they be treated so differently? When we do things like this, we end up turning these people into a spectacle, thus making them feel even more alienated.
Normalcy is just an illusion. As artists, we should know better than anyone what it feels to be "different". And yet we know that there are people with more problems than us, people who are more interesting. We are all strange in some way, and should love each other all the more for it.

[bluefooted]

Do we really need this on a concept art forum though?

Just wondering...

In related news, Prop 8, which would repeal the same-sex marriage law, is gaining momentum in CA due to a massively funded ad campaign. Please do what you can to help organizations working against it: http://noonprop8.com/home

[Nopig]

We are all strange in some way, and should love each other all the more for it.

I agree with this statement very much. It's what makes society interesting.

[Ilaekae]

I like "strange." "Strange" is nice to wake up to...

Otherwise, I would have swallowed ground glass a long time ago...



...and Rist...

We really do need it here, and everywhere else, too. If there was ever any doubt, at least in the US, the last eight years have proved it.

[Matsign]

Hurray for Gays! Cheers to the Queers! Lei's for Lesbians! Uh...

.. balloons for Bi's!

'course this thread and day is important, silly.

[dcorc]

Do we really need this on a concept art forum though?

Just wondering...

Yes, we do.

[Steph Laberis]

In related news, Prop 8, which would repeal the same-sex marriage law, is gaining momentum in CA due to a massively funded ad campaign. Please do what you can to help organizations working against it: http://noonprop8.com/home

Here, here! A friend sent this to me last week; I had nothing to do with its production BUT I SHOULD HAVE!!



As for my own coming out, I think most people figured out that I enjoy both sexes for their own reasons - it varies over periods of my life and the people I am around, but I'm not always comfortable with labels. Like Daestwen, I've gotten more crap from myself about it than most of my partners, family or friends.

[Matsign]

Here, here! A friend sent this to me last week; I had nothing to do with its production BUT I SHOULD HAVE!!



As for my own coming out, I think most people figured out that I enjoy both sexes for their own reasons - it varies over periods of my life and the people I am around, but I'm not always comfortable with labels. Like Daestwen, I've gotten more crap from myself about it than most of my partners, family or friends.

That was awesome!

[Earendil]

As for my own coming out, I think most people figured out that I enjoy both sexes for their own reasons - it varies over periods of my life and the people I am around, but I'm not always comfortable with labels. Like Daestwen, I've gotten more crap from myself about it than most of my partners, family or friends.

Great video!

Yeah, labels really just don't work too well.

I think "Scrubs" had some funny commentary on it.

[aylap]

I told my best friend about this last night and he actually decided to come out to his parents today.

My support goes out to everyone, and especially to my friend. He really needs it right now. :/ (His parents aren't the most accepting and open-minded bunch...)

[Steph Laberis]

Nice clip, Earendil! I forgot how much I liked Scrubs

Anyhoo, I also wanted to share some comics by Erika Moen on the subject, she's easily one of my favorite web comic artists out there since her stuff is just so honest I think she's had this weekly comic going for the last 4 years...













Her whole comics archive can be found here! Not just queer stuff... there are bunnies too!

[0kelvin]

I may not be gay, but I would totally make an exception for you guys.



Eric

[Ilaekae]

"I went to gay pride a few months ago with a friend (i'm not). And I only got hit on by really big girls..."

Damn! I am soooOOOOOoooooooo jealous...

[Straight Edge Ryan]

IMHO the bedroom is where people need to leave politics out. I'm sick of people trying to "civilize" sex. It's not meant to be civilized, it's meant to be one of the most animalistic parts of human nature

Granted I don't plan on sleeping with a guy anytime soon, but you see my point

[alesoun]

I'm not concerned if people are gay, black, yellow, neon-green or pink or tartan. I don't much care if they're good natured or grouchy.

I don't gve a damn if they vote Democrat or Republican, if they're whatever religion.
I'll look at THEM, not a label.....

[Grief]

I'm not concerned if people are gay, black, yellow, neon-green or pink or tartan.

When it comes to racism, you hear people say, "I don't care if people are white, black, purple or green." Hold on, now, purple or green? Come on now, you gotta draw the line somewhere.

-Mitch Hedberg

if anyone has the chance, check out the documentary Tongues Untied by Marlon Riggs. it's really top notch.

I'm sick of people trying to "civilize" sex. It's not meant to be civilized, it's meant to be one of the most animalistic parts of human nature

i'm a bit confused about this comment. i personally feel humans have the ability to elevate their actions above animals because of things such as: reason, communication, compassion and a myriad of other emotions. i do not fully get the sense that the full manifestation of love can be properly expressed or equated to animals having sex.

...or are you saying 'civilized' as code for 'toys'?

Granted I don't plan on sleeping with a guy anytime soon, but you see my point

glad to hear that your options are potentially open.

kevin smith drops some advice about options:
(give it a minute, he gets off topic)

[Jason Rainville]

When it comes to racism, you hear people say, "I don't care if people are white, black, purple or green." Hold on, now, purple or green? Come on now, you gotta draw the line somewhere.

-Mitch Hedberg

Man am I ever sad that guy's gone

[GhostValkyrie]

I know this is about NCO Day, but I think you all shouldn't stop there. Things take time, but it seems ridiculous with the world we live in that people don't have the right to marry or engage in a civil union with another human because they're the same sex. Do your thing and have a good time, but you shouldn't stop at this.

Especially Americans. Our country is setting a terrible example for the world right now, perhaps this is one of the few things we can do to set a new direction for liberties.

It's idealistic, but that's what makes things a reality. Ideals.

There are many threats to our liberties as a people. Ones that have a greater impact on myself than this subject. While gay rights don't effect me personally, it angers me to see something so basic yet beautiful being denied to citizens of a country(or any country for that matter.) that still has a chance for the better.