Nature, nurture or neither?

Over the years I have spent a lot of time discussing with people the importance of proving that being gay was not a choice and that looking for the genetic 'cause' was key to achieving equality.  Surely if it were proven that we had no choice in the matter the bigotry and discrimination would have to cease.  Just like the colour of our hair, eyes and skin; if we didn't choose, how can we be considered bad, wrong, disordered, ungodly or any of the other terms used to describe people in the LGB community and how could people continue to suggest that we need to be 'cured' or change our 'lifestyle choice'. 

I strongly argued the value of finding the 'gay gene' and the genetic answer to this seemingly essential question. I debated and discussed with people who had a different opinion and didn't feel a need to find a cause so to speak.  I was always unsure how they could feel this way, surely they understood how helpful this would be?  Groundbreaking? The key to everything?  Utopia.

I am now less convinced about how important this actually is and whether it would be beneficial or potentially harmful to find an elusive gene.  Let's consider if it were medically proven that being gay was actually genetic.  Where would that leave us?  Potentially it would leave us in a position where it could be considered a defect and therefore something to be medicated, treated and cured.

What are my thoughts now?  Is it a choice?  Does it matter?  I don't believe it does.  Should we be hunting for a genetic answer - I don't know.  I actually believe sexuality is on a spectrum and just like so many variants in life people are spread along a broad range of possibilities and the possibilities are endless and unique to each individual - as unique as our fingerprint.  Just as a straight person is unable to pin point the moment they chose to be straight and why they are attracted to a certain person, I believe it is the same across the spectrum of sexuality.  When you fall in love it is indeed with a person not a gender. 

What do we know?  Painting a boy's toenails or fingernails will not make him gay.  A young girl who prefers to play with trucks will not be a lesbian as a result of this.  You cannot turn someone gay.  Allowing a child, youth or adult to be themselves and love who they love will help them have a strong sense of self and will directly reduce the amount of self harm and suicide. 

This is something we can all do to make a difference and that should be where our efforts as a society are going.  Stop discrimination and fight homophobia.  Acknowledging that some people are same-sex attracted, others attracted to their opposite sex and every possible gender and sexuality variation in between is the ideal approach we can take.  Why?  It will save lives.  We are not seeking the straight gene and therefore there is no reason to seek the gay one. 

Thoughts? 

A

Adele Fisher Copyright 2014

Gay Parents Australia

I'd suggest you all join and check out this great Australian initiative. Parents

Dykes on Bikes Queensland - The story so far and a must buy Calendar

This is the original draft of an article I wrote for  LOTL magazine earlier this year.  LOTL are great supporters of Dykes On Bikes.  Here is the complete article not fully published before.  It's a story that I think shows the true spirit of the Dykes on Bikes Queensland Chapter and should be heard.

The mention of Dykes on Bikes (DOB) has become synonymous with leading Pride parades around the world.  I am sure most of us, when we hear Dykes on Bikes mentioned, can either recall seeing the highly polished chrome and black leather supplemented by the rainbow colours roaring ahead to champion Pride at Sydney Mardi Gras or at countless Pride marches across Australia or around the world.  When I sat down with Julz Raven, President of the Queensland Chapter of Dykes on Bikes I found out so much more.   As I listened Julz took me on a journey of understanding the history and the evolution of DOB across the world and in Queensland. 

History

The first group of the Women’s Motorcycle Contingent (WMC) – later to become Dykes on Bikes, started in San Francisco at the head of the Pride Parade in 1976 with the motto “Ride with Pride”.  Those 20 – 25 women surely had no idea what their group was to start around the globe.  They and others attended for about 10 years until it became necessary to formalise their group and they became the WMC.  In the early days the term Dykes on Bikes came internally from the group and as years went on the press and LGBT culture embraced the term.  Interestingly though it took until 2003 until DOB was added to the name and then a further three years of trademark wars to progress before the trademark of Dykes on Bikes was officially granted to the San Francisco group and there is an appeal ongoing.     

The Queensland Chapter

Once the DOB movement came to Australia, the mid-nineties saw the establishment of a Queensland chapter overseen by the mother club, the "San Francisco Dykes on Bikes Women's Motorcycle Contingent". The past 3 years has been a period of change for the Queensland chapter.  The membership has increased dramatically; an extra line has been added to the motto – “Respect One Another” and the group have added social events and are now embarking on adopting an annual charity, in addition to their existing monthly rides. 

The Queensland Chapter is the only state-wide chapter of Dykes on Bikes in the world. The members are fiercely committed to supporting one and another and promote a positive, healthy, family friendly community of belonging.  The members range from their 20’s to their 60’s and all bring a wide range of personal history to their shared interest of riding motorbikes. 

There is so much to say and the story doesn’t end here.  Listening to Julz showed me just how passionate she is about the club and how valued current members and future members are.  The group is flexible and responds to the voice of its members.  I couldn’t put the responsibility of the presidency better than Julz did herself, “It's not my club I just look after it for now".

This year charity funds raised by the Queensland DOB chapter will be going to Open Doors.  http://www.opendoors.net.au/?page_id=306

For more information on DOB Queensland and membership see http://www.dykesonbikesqld.org/

Calendar

It’s an international first.  With the OK given by the San Francisco DOB the Queensland chapter have embarked on the first ever DOB Calendar.  The girls and the bikes look amazing!  We have the calendar proudly displayed at our place; it's a July 2014 - June 2015 calendar so now is the time to buy. 

There is another story - about how each of the photos, in their unique and sometimes challenging settings, just fell into place for these amazing women and they are some excellent stories.  I'm hoping they might share some of these stories in the comments. Yes girls I'm talking to you and hoping you might feel like sharing.  ;-)

A 

 

(from the Queensland DOB website)

Its official – the first ever Dykes On Bikes calendar has arrived and is now for sale!!  This 12 month July 2014 to June 2015 calendar will keep you drooling all year and give you plenty of gay pages to write those special dates on.  International purchases welcome – just email us to make these arrangements via president@dykesonbikesqld.org

Great photos of some amazing bikes, hot dykes and a bit of leather!  $20 from our members at local events, or $25 online via Ebay – either way get yourself this amazing calendar and help us raise some funds for our deserving charity (Open Doors Youth Services).

Why the Special Occasions and Celebrations? Part 1

The first Pride Rally and March I attended was both life changing and life affirming.  I will never forget the overwhelming sense of inclusion and belonging.  To arrive at a park in central Brisbane surrounded by hundreds of LGBTI people and their straight allies was nearly impossible to comprehend.  For the first time ever I was part of the majority.  Everywhere I turned there were people simply being themselves and knowing they were part of the whole on that day.  There are no words to describe how freeing it feels when day in day out you are part of a minority.  The best part of celebrating Pride is that the feeling of inclusion doesn't go away in subsequent years.  It's a day of paradise.  I expect that may sound particularly over the top yet it's not, for me that is precisely how exciting the day is.  The camaraderie and kindness is palpable.

That's what Pride means to me but what is it and why is it held?

A quick online search reveals the following questions and I would expect the majority of LGBTI people have heard the question or been on the receiving end of a similar question.    

"Why do you have gay pride parades?  We don't have straight pride parades.  (And isn't pride a sin?)"

"You never see parades with people almost naked, wearing body glitter, on floats, celebrating how awesome it is being straight do you?" 


"So recently in Australia there was a Gay pride parade. And that made me think so they have a gay pride parade because they're proud to be gay, but if it's all about equality and everyone's the same then why not a straight pride parade also.

P.S I am not discriminating against anyone I think everyone is they same" 

What are these special occasions and celebrations all about?   On the surface they may appear to be celebrations of being gay and free which in part is true.  There is however a long and deeply painful history that has been experienced by the people of the LGBTI community who came before us.  It is this history and the way our forebears suffered and fought for the freedoms we have today that is recognised and celebrated during these events.  The final part of the celebration and protest is that we are not yet experiencing full equality and these events provide the community with channels to highlight where there remains discrimination and inequality.  

The most well known of these events internationally are Pride events.  These are generally held in June although there are some areas that alter the dates due to poor weather.  Why June?  In the early hours of June 28th 1969 there was a police raid of The Stonewall situated in New York City.  Previously police had raided this and other venues where gay people gathered, drank and socialised and usually the venues opened again quickly.  On this night however riots began and they continued for 6 days.  Remember this was a time when it was illegal to be homosexual and homosexuality was considered a mental illness.  There are stories of corruption within the police force and the mafia ownership of the venue.  More Info

What the people at Stonewall chose to do that night was to take a stand, to no longer be invisible and attempt to demonstrate that they were everyday people who should be free to enjoy the company of friends without risk of harassment and persecution for simply being who they were.   The following June a parade was held to commemorate 12 months since the Stonewall riots and that was the birth of Pride marches.  

In answer to why is there a gay pride event and not a straight pride event therefore the answer is both rational and simple.  Straight people do not share this history and are not continuing to this day to seek full equality to varying degrees throughout the globe.   

There is another day, for many a less known one and it's a day which is held to increase awareness and specifically target discrimination, hate crimes and human rights issues for LGBTI people.  This day is called
International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia or IDAHO for short and is celebrated on 17 May.  This year is the 10th year of IDAHO and it has continued to evolve since it started in 2004.  There is current consideration to expanding the name to something that relates to Gender Diversity.  Events for IDAHO are held in over 120 countries and take many shapes and forms.  With IDAHO being just around the corner you can show your support on 17th May by posting the below image to your social media sites.

A

Copyright Adele Fisher 2014