Let’s Get Real: There Are No Risks To Traveling The U.S. While Queer

[corbe]

Let’s Get Real: There Are No Risks To Traveling The U.S. While Queer
 
‘When my [transgender] girlfriend, Lara, and I travel on the road, we have to take precautions,’ Joanne Spataro writes. ‘We’re constantly on guard against strangers.’

By Chad Felix Greene   
January 17, 2018
 
I recently took a road trip with my boyfriend from West Virginia to the Gulf Coast of Florida, traveling through Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia, then back up through Tennessee and Kentucky. I discovered many inconvenient truths about the people I encountered. First, let’s consider the perspective of another LGBT couple in a similar situation. Joanne Spataro wrote a New York Times article titled “The Risks of Traveling While Queer.”

“When my girlfriend, Lara, and I travel on the road, we have to take precautions,” Spataro writes. “We’re constantly on guard against strangers. Lara is a transgender woman of color, and at rest stops I’m never far from her side…Lara doesn’t want to stop at gas stations, and she’ll have me pump gas so that no one can see her and try to size her up.”

Joanne writes of an emotionally disturbing experience when stopping at a gas station felt extraordinarily unsafe: “As I filled the tank and Lara sat in the car, I saw a group of people who could have been extras on ‘Duck Dynasty’ gathered by two pickup trucks. I could feel them glaring at us.”

<..snip..>

http://thefederalist.com/2018/01/17/lets-get-real-no-risks-traveling-u-s-queer/

[WingNot]

Maybe they should reroute their trip.
 I wonder if anybody would think they'd flipped If they went to L.A. via Omaha ...

[Cripplecreek]

Here in the real world most people may not love the whole gay/lesbian/transgendered thing but it doesn't translate to explosive violence lurking just beneath the surface.

When I go to work in a few hours I'll stop at the next town over for gas. Its a typical midwestern farm town where pickup trucks outnumber passenger cars by a 4 to 1 ratio. When I pay for gas the usual kid will be at the counter. He's a very feminine and very obviously gay and he's doing just fine. He seems to have plenty of friends among the local far boys. All I care about is that he can give me correct change.

[libertybele]

Here in the real world most people may not love the whole gay/lesbian/transgendered thing but it doesn't translate to explosive violence lurking just beneath the surface.

When I go to work in a few hours I'll stop at the next town over for gas. Its a typical midwestern farm town where pickup trucks outnumber passenger cars by a 4 to 1 ratio. When I pay for gas the usual kid will be at the counter. He's a very feminine and very obviously gay and he's doing just fine. He seems to have plenty of friends among the local far boys. All I care about is that he can give me correct change.

Nope, don't love them at all.  The population admitting to being LGBT has increased to just over 4%.  The problem is arising though where they are expecting more rights than equal rights and to be given 'sexual preference' and privileges in the workplace ... and no, you cannot fire them, even if they can't do their job or sit around and do absolutely nothing as they will scream discrimination.  If you suddenly find yourself with a boss who is LGBT and in turns hires LGBT co-workers and gives preference to them over straight workers, there's not a darn thing you can do.

[Jazzhead]

Nope, don't love them at all.  The population admitting to being LGBT has increased to just over 4%.  The problem is arising though where they are expecting more rights than equal rights and to be given 'sexual preference' and privileges in the workplace ... and no, you cannot fire them, even if they can't do their job or sit around and do absolutely nothing as they will scream discrimination.  If you suddenly find yourself with a boss who is LGBT and in turns hires LGBT co-workers and gives preference to them over straight workers, there's not a darn thing you can do.

Folks having the right to pursue happiness isn't a problem.   Funny, if I recall it was one of the things the Founders fought for.   

[libertybele]

Folks having the right to pursue happiness isn't a problem.   Funny, if I recall it was one of the things the Founders fought for.

Nobody is saying to deny anyone the right to happiness; nor is it a problem.  The problem is that the LGBT community expects more rights because of their sexual preferences and those that refuse to keep their new found 'superiority' in check scream discrimination.

[Jazzhead]

Nobody is saying to deny anyone the right to happiness; nor is it a problem.  The problem is that the LGBT community expects more rights because of their sexual preferences and those that refuse to keep their new found 'superiority' in check scream discrimination.

Then don't discriminate.   Keep a lid on your religion.   

[INVAR]

Then don't discriminate.   Keep a lid on your religion.

How about your queer pals keeps faggotry to itself instead of shoving it in our face?

[Jazzhead]

How about your queer pals keeps faggotry to itself instead of shoving it in our face?

Well, you certainly claim the right to shove your damn religion in everyone's face.     

[INVAR]

Well, you certainly claim the right to shove your damn religion in everyone's face.     

That's what hedonists like yourself claim anytime you get a whiff of someone disapproving of your behavior and advocacy.

No Christian is 'shoving their religion in everyone's face'.  People like you just work overtime to get biblical morality removed, silenced, buried and outlawed, because you get all offended that people consider your behaviors to be sinful and aberrant.

[Jazzhead]

No Christian is 'shoving their religion in everyone's face'. 

That is, of course, patently ridiculous.   You spout your loathsome hate and prejudice on a daily basis, and label it "biblical morality".    Gays are denied jobs, dignity and respect, and are even assaulted and killed,  by "Christians" and other bigots who see their religious texts as license to act abominably toward their fellow human beings. 

I pray for the day when we seek spiritual knowledge and inspiration outside the confines of man's religions.   

[INVAR]

That is, of course, patently ridiculous.   You spout your loathsome hate and prejudice on a daily basis, and label it "biblical morality". 

Thank you for confirming what I said earlier about the fact that hedonists like yourself make that charge claim anytime you read, see or hear that someone disapproves of your behavior and advocacy.

You have had scripture quoted to you ad nauseum that specifically addresses the sins you advocate be shoved down our throats by the courts and the government with a gun to our heads to force compliance, and you continue to declare God's Word - "hate". 

Because in truth you HATE the God of the bible in favor of the god you have created in your own imagination.

I pray for the day when we seek spiritual knowledge and inspiration outside the confines of man's religions.

You already do it on a daily basis, seeking your own knowledge and inspiration outside the confines of what God Himself says is His morality in His Word.  It's how you declare good to be an evil, and evil to be good while declaring God's word and those who obey His commandments and refuse to acquiesce acknowledging and supporting wickedness to be 'haters'.

[Jazzhead]

You have had scripture quoted to you ad nauseum that specifically addresses the sins you advocate be shoved down our throats by the courts and the government with a gun to our heads to force compliance, and you continue to declare God's Word - "hate". 

You seek the right to impose your loathsome "biblical morality" on others,  and the license to break the community's laws and harm others just to satisfy your hate.  You advance no cause of God on this earth.  You are a charlatan. 

[bolobaby]

The money quote:

"Joanne imposes the very judgement(sic) and prejudice she fears onto them based solely on how they look to her."

Bingo - liberals are constantly projecting their prejudice and hatred onto others.

[dfwgator]

Who faces more intolerance,  a gay coming out to a conservative, or a gay coming out as a conservative?

[INVAR]

You seek the right to impose your loathsome "biblical morality" on others, 

I am not the one going to court to force others to cater and serve my religious beliefs or lose their livelihoods.  You do and advocate for such. 

You crowed about being proud of using government to punish people you have declared to be 'bigots'.

Nothing more loathsome than what you do to impose your wicked morality on others.

and the license to break the community's laws and harm others just to satisfy your hate.

A government that passes laws that directly contravene the Laws of God and compel us to violate His Commandments are not laws we will obey, no matter how much you label us as haters.

You advance no cause of God on this earth.  You are a charlatan.

Coming from a willing pawn of Satan, I take your charge as the finest compliment a Christian can receive.

[libertybele]

How about your queer pals keeps faggotry to itself instead of shoving it in our face?

   Exactly.  Why is it that they are now given special preference for being gay and they discriminate against straights?

[Jazzhead]

  Exactly.  Why is it that they are now given special preference for being gay and they discriminate against straights?

Gays are not given special preferences, merely the same right to the equal protection of the law as anyone else.   

It is the religious zealots who seek special preferences, to allow them to indulge their bigotry and hate while ignoring the law.   

[INVAR]

Gays are not given special preferences, merely the same right to the equal protection of the law as anyone else.   

It is the religious zealots who seek special preferences, to allow them to indulge their bigotry and hate while ignoring the law.

Well, we all know that is utter and complete bullshit of the highest order.

It's your advocacy of homosexuals suing and using the courts and government to force everyone to serve homosexual celebrations and to acknowledge deviancy as good and normal that makes you the ultimate bigot while ignoring God's Laws and calling the bible and those who live by it, evil.

[Jazzhead]

Well, we all know that is utter and complete bullshit of the highest order.

Oh, no it's not.  Laws prohibiting discrimination in the conduct of a public business apply to all; you demand the right to ignore the law on the ground that your bigotry and prejudice is sanctioned by the Bible.

And THAT's what is complete bullshit - the Bible doesn't force you to hate and condemn your brother, and certainly not to act like an asshat when your customer enters your store to request the service you've advertised to provide.

Stop making a mockery of the Bible, you charlatan.  If you truly "lived by the Bible" you'd love your neighbor.   

   

[goodwithagun]

Folks having the right to pursue happiness isn't a problem.   Funny, if I recall it was one of the things the Founders fought for.

LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ aren't happy. They have the depression and suicide rates to prove it. The founders fought for pursuit of happiness, but not the requirement to do the bidding of the mentally ill.

[Jazzhead]

LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ aren't happy. They have the depression and suicide rates to prove it. The founders fought for pursuit of happiness, but not the requirement to do the bidding of the mentally ill.

No one is asking for anyone to do anyone's special "bidding".  What is demanded is merely the equal protection of the law, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
 

[goodwithagun]

No one is asking for anyone to do anyone's special "bidding".  What is demanded is merely the equal protection of the law, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
 

What equal protections aren't they provided?

[Restored]

Don't travel through Dearborn-istan.

[INVAR]

What equal protections aren't they provided?

The 'equal protection' of forcing others to celebrate and acknowledge as good and normal, their faggotry - under criminal penalty.