Thank you for the recent excellent series of articles profiling gay and lesbian residents of Fargo-Moorhead. I hope they will help the public understand that those of us who are lesbian and gay are as multi-faceted and diverse in our interests and our lives as many other members of our community.
Ironically, the flood of letters from outraged Forum readers that appeared in the June 16 edition only serves to demonstrate the need for such profiles. I look forward to a time when articles such as these will not be necessary and when lesbian and gay people no longer have to devote so much time and energy to educating our fellow citizens about our lives.
Letter writers Keith and Jennifer Silverman ask, "Why would anyone want to have their sexuality broadcasted for the whole world to see?" Would the Silverman's object equally as strongly to all of the announcements for engagements, weddings and wedding anniversaries that routinely appear in The Forum that do nothing but "broadcast the sexuality" of the couples involved? Of course not. Why? Because those announcements in fact have no more to do with sex and sexuality than do profiles of gay and lesbian individuals and couples. These profiles speak to who we are, not what we do.
Some letter writers tried to assure us that they are not homophobic or anti-gay, but their hateful words say otherwise. These people feel free to call us sick, equate us with pedophiles and express revulsions at having to read about us in "their" newspaper and then are offended when we find their opinions bigotted, intolerant and uninformed. The answer is simple: If being called a bigot offends you, then stop being a bigot. We are not to blame for your intolerance.
Uebel is with the Pride Collective and Community Center, Moorhead.
