Homophobia and Karma
Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 12:58PM Yesterday I was alerted to an interesting little blog post attempting to answer the question "Is Being Gay OK? from a Buddhist point of view. You can view it HERE.
Attached here is an image of the original post and my comment on it. As is often the case, gay and lesbian orientation was spoken of in terms of "what may have caused it" which subtly implies that some explanation is needed since there is something wrong with an LGBT orientation. I don't feel that the author harbors and blatant hatred or homophobia in his or her heart, but statements like the one from this article that I am repeating below belie a fundamental misunderstanding and bias with regard to sexual orientation:
".....However, the truth is, in the rounds of rebirth, everything is dynamic. People can change their preferences, although in the rounds of rebirth, everything is dynamic. People can change their preferences, although in the realm of sexuality, it is a slower long-drawn process. E.g. most are born gay/lesbian due to past life influences, and do not so much consciously choose to suddenly change their orientation in this life...."
My point here is a subtle but crucial one--why is a gay or lesbian orientation being viewed in terms of what may have "caused" it? Of course I am aware that all things are the product of previous causes and conditions, but one never hears about any possible reasons or explanations when it comes to why someone might have been born with a heterosexual orientation. That's taken as a given since it is more common in a statistical sense.
And speaking about the nature of an LGBT person in terms of "preference" trivializes and diminishes people. I prefer chocolate over vanilla--my orientation as a gay man is not a "preference".
Besides that, note the 'tag' below the post: SEX. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to use a tag like 'civil rights', 'minorities', or even just 'gay/lesbian'?
Gay and lesbian people are all too often viewed solely as sexual beings, and this wrong view is often used to justify those that argue we can simply change our sexual behavior to appease the moral views of some who decontextualize the scriptures of their respective spiritual traditions.
I realize that many will think I'm being overreactive and too in-your-face about this but my aspiration here is to help end the suffering that so many LGBT people experience in this world. I'm incredibly grateful to see how far societal opinions have evolved and matured with regard to this matter, but there is still much work to be done and I don't want any gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person to suffer any more due to any form of homophobia--no matter how large or small in degree.
Interestingly, the author edited the original posting so that it now reads:
"....E.g. most are born homosexual or heterosexual due to past life influences, and do not so much consciously choose to suddenly change their orientation in this life. If any form of sexuality is fixated upon as a form of attachment from life to life, it would be impossible to transcend sexuality altogether...."
Below is the original posting from yesterday, and below that is how it now appears. At least the author seems to have gotten the point and I appreciate that.
Reader Comments (3)
Why is sexual orientation even an issue? People are people. Buddhists are Buddhists. End of story.
I am Gay. I fought it for a good part of my life. Lived in agony and hell trying to be what others wanted me to be. Using others to be accepted. Finally in 1988 I accepted myself as the Gay man God created me to be. I have been blessed ever since!
Perhaps God created Gays to curb the world's overpopulation. Perhaps to find loving parents for children abandoned by straights. There are so many perspectives as to why something is. We could always choose the win-win ... the positive. Why not.
Steven Leong
Hawaii
I have never felt more alive accepting my sexuality as my norm. Being a gay man, I love myself more now, knowing who I am than what society says i should be. Pretending to be someone who you're not is mind damaging and soul destroying. Accept your truth. Its not what others think, its what you think that is important for you, your body, mind and spirit.
Since I have shifted that thought process and made it my reality, my life has changed only for my better. "I am as worthy as the thought I create myself in to be." I often say that as a reminder of how important I am to this life on earth.