Gay Men's Challenges Support Group
This community is dedicated to the challenges that gay men face, both between the partners in a relationship and from other influences (family, society, etc.). Find support and talk to others who may be facing the same challenges, and share your experience.
I work at a martial arts dojo (training school) and I teach the kids class. The point is that I don't know what should be my attitude toward homophobic parents when they act inquisitive on me.
It is not a secret that I am gay but it is not a matter that should care to these parents because I am teaching self defense not sexual orientation.
I admit that most of them don't know that I am gay and it is probable that they would drop their kid's classes if they know, right?
Complications: I live in Latin America where gays are seen with distrust and I am not interested in moving to some other country at the moment. I have invested 4 years learning teaching and I plan to continue my whole life.
This situation makes me feel really worried because I fear rejection. I feel a strong pressure on my heart when I think about it.
It is not a secret that I am gay but it is not a matter that should care to these parents because I am teaching self defense not sexual orientation.
I admit that most of them don't know that I am gay and it is probable that they would drop their kid's classes if they know, right?
Complications: I live in Latin America where gays are seen with distrust and I am not interested in moving to some other country at the moment. I have invested 4 years learning teaching and I plan to continue my whole life.
This situation makes me feel really worried because I fear rejection. I feel a strong pressure on my heart when I think about it.
Unfortunately, many of us in homophobic environments HAVE to educate people about homophobia. Sometimes people are so used to it that trying to be understanding, they don;t realize they're in fact acting in a way that is degrading to people.
In homophobic environments one sometimes has to take some homophobia for fear to losing your job, or for lack of support.
When I was in such situations I was limiting my commenting and conversing with people I know are homophobic, and in one instance I found another reason to stop talking to that person and complain about her.
If you feel you're not going to lose your job, or the support of people, then complain. You can also find another reason to complain about those people so they leave you alone. You can make general comments like "Well, I don't say anything bad about gay people since I don't know if one day I'll have a gay son". That makes people more aware of their stupidity with heir homophobic comments.
Also, like many other minorities, we have to prove ourselves a lot more and make ourselves more indispensable, so our quality of work can probe that our sexual orientation has nothing to do with our ability to perform our jobs.
I hope this helps some.