Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, wrote “I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”
Could it be that the positive business press coverage is proof that straights and gays are treated differently in the business world?
Imagine if Rex Tillerson, the CEO of Exxon, had written “I’m proud to be straight, and I consider being straight among the greatest gifts God has given me.”
Of course it’s not the same. As a mid aged, caucasic, heterosexual male living in a first world country, I’ve never felt discrimination. Some of my gay friends have been harassed, misstreated and insulted by people like me just because the sexual orientation they were born with.
When we are part of a majority, taking pride on being a part of it only serves to isolate the minorities even more, and both you and me, as straight people, are in that majority.
On top of that, if some day my daughter -she’s five now- tells me she’s gay, until now I had very few role models I could show her outside of show business. The CEO of one of the largest/coolest companies in the world deciding to became a model for gay young people is big news. Rex Tillerson declaring himself proud to be straigh wouldn’t.
Of course not. Don’t be silly. White men are not allowed to have “pride”. Only those who were oppressed in the (ever receding) past are now allowed to have “pride” to make up for their former inferior status. Having “white pride” makes you a member of the KKK. For “gay” you could safely substitute “a woman” or “black” or “Asian” or “Jewish” or “transgender” or ANYTHING but straight white male (or “a Nazi” which is the same thing, apparently).
In my area, southern Virgnia, three local newspapers all ran color, front page, above the fold photos with lengthy stories regarding gay couples being married. Save Lady Di marrying Prince Charles, I cannot recall such adulation for straight guys or gals.
So no, straight folks seem to be most definitely second rate citizens now.
You guys are missing the point of my original posting. It was not intended to be a serious commentary on a social issue. I was just trying to get people to imagine the media reception if the former Eagle Scout with four kids had written “I’m proud to be straight, and I consider being straight among the greatest gifts God has given me.”
Phil,
I got your point and realize what an uproar a straight person saying “being straight is a great gift from God” would cause.
I was simply being tongue in cheek with my comments.
The whole subject is asinine, imo.