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AIBU?

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Original poster

is it the new trend for so many young people to say they're gay/bi etc?

112 replies

mrsfuzzy · 05/07/2016 12:30

now, i'm very liberal i don't care if someone is white, black, green, straight, bi, trans [you get the picture], and i think it's great that we are more tolerant as a society [for the best part] toward alternative life styles, but....according to my dd majority of her friends are bi/gay/trans etc, not that's a problem, but i'm curious is this a trend thing in recent times ? a few years ago more people were saying they were depressed, bi polar became the 'fashionable' condition to have, not always diagnosed, which was annoying to me personally as i have the condition and it's no picnic, so why do so many people like to wear 'badges' of what 'defines them ? is it attention seeking or something else ?

OP posts:
LindaLooky · 05/10/2021 07:57

*wasnt entirely sure

Spiindoctor · 05/10/2021 08:00

When I was that age I had the most extreme crushes on boys, pop singers there was no questioning my sexuality - they were a dam nuisance as took over my whole mind.

ThinWomansBrain · 05/10/2021 08:07

YABU for implying it's a trend - it's simply a more open environment for young prople to be open about sexuality - and be aware of different sexualities.
I was at school in the 60's - so when homosexuality was being legalised - there simply wasn't the awareness; I didn't know anyone that was openly gay until I was about 16.
Kind of similar that there wasn't the awareness/openness at that time (or for many years later) to report that I was being sexually abused - the recent #metoo "everyone's invited" have brought massive awareness - or do you think that's just being trendy too?

BatshitBanshee · 05/10/2021 08:09

This is from 2016....

Custarddreaming · 05/10/2021 08:14

ZOMBIE thread 🧟‍♂️ 🧟‍♂️ 🧟‍♂️

Ironically though its being discussed as a tend and fashionable now, 5 years ago and 15 years ago when I was a teen

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 05/10/2021 09:33

@mummymalta

YANBU for the sentiment but YABVU for the actual statement.

Careful of wording.

I know what you mean, but careful of words like "trend" which denotes a lack of sincerity. This is nasty territory considering our historical treatment of marginalised communities.

It probably is just that as we become more tolerant, people can come out more. It's like anything really. I've always found it hard to believe that the LGBT community is some tiny minority.

There will always be a small minority of attention seekers. But it's a small minority TBH. Most people who say they are gay.....are gay.....etc...

Mainly your last paragraph... this is generally true amongst adults. But amongst children, it's very different. They often fall in line with what is the 'in thing' ..and at the moment, it's a bit cooler to have an edge...to be bi or whatever. It definitely is a trend amongst school kids. That's not to say that there aren't kids at school who are gay/bi etc, of course there are. But certainly not to the extent that you would think should you listen and take at face value every teenager who proclaims that they are bi/gay/non binary etc.
Dreamstate · 05/10/2021 09:48

Well I'd like to declare that I'm a woman, thank you. Thats the label I'm happy to apply to myself, im sure you'll all be 100% understanding in that

mustlovegin · 05/10/2021 20:12

one girl says she's gay but wouldn't kiss a girl ???

I wonder about this too and I hope I can explain this respectfully.

If somebody thinks they are gay, aren't they supposed to be able to act on their feelings?

I remember when I was a teenager many years ago. I didn't like girly things, pink colour, etc. If I had gone through that same phase today, with all the influence from peers and social media, perhaps I would have believed I wasn't straight? I feel there's a bit of confusion nowadays.

Although I do agree that if it helps some to be able to be true to themselves it's a good think for them specifically.

slashlover · 05/10/2021 21:15

@mustlovegin

one girl says she's gay but wouldn't kiss a girl ???

I wonder about this too and I hope I can explain this respectfully.

If somebody thinks they are gay, aren't they supposed to be able to act on their feelings?

I remember when I was a teenager many years ago. I didn't like girly things, pink colour, etc. If I had gone through that same phase today, with all the influence from peers and social media, perhaps I would have believed I wasn't straight? I feel there's a bit of confusion nowadays.

Although I do agree that if it helps some to be able to be true to themselves it's a good think for them specifically.

In my opinion, there is romantic attraction and sexual attraction which are different. So you can want to be sexual with someone you don't love (one night stand etc.) and you can also love someone you don't want to be sexual with. So she might be attracted to a woman but not want to be sexual with them.

Why bump an old thread @ThinBlueLine08

Pythonista · 05/10/2021 21:20

ZOMBIE THREAD

ThinBlueLine08 · 06/10/2021 09:31

I dunno lol. Didn't know anyone was going to reply.

Pythonista · 06/10/2021 10:44

Then why post on a ZOMBIE Confused

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