The world is full of a beautiful mix of people, but unfortunately our differences can sometimes mean we struggle to understand each other.
On Reddit, people from the LGBT+ community have been sharing the misconceptions straight and cisgender people sometimes have about them.
From the naive to the downright insulting, here are just a few of the examples.
“Just because you know another gay person does not mean we’re suited for each other romantically or even as friends.”
“Most of us are 100% indistinguishable from straight people, you just notice the ones that aren’t. The stereotypical gay person you see on TV is a small but very vocal minority in the gay community.”
“I’m a lesbian and I constantly have people (always straight people...) ask us who the guy is. We are lesbians. There is no guy. That is the whole point of lesbians.”
“Just because I like other men, doesn’t mean I like you.”
- RekNepZ
“Something my parents don’t want to understand: No, just because I’m bi I will not break up with my SO and find someone of the opposite sex to get married and make kids. Just no.”
- KaiSuki
“Coming out isn’t a one time thing, it happens forever, essentially with most new people we meet, often gauging whether it’s worth it or not.”
“I’ve had straight people ask me why gay people need gay bars. I’ve had straight people tell me that gay people like to flaunt their gayness. I wish straight people realised that they flaunt their straightness literally all the time. Almost every TV show, movie or song is about straight/heterosexual sex. The minute I’m publicly gay I get branded an activist. Hate that.”
“My bisexuality is not a phase. I knew I was attracted to the same gender before I did anything remotely sexual. I am not greedy or a slut because I like more than one gender. I don’t have to ‘pick one’ (some gay/lesbian people have problems seeing this, too). I’m bothered by erasure in the media. I hate feeling like my straight relationship delegitimises my sexuality.”
“For straight people who say ‘why isn’t there a straight pride parade?’ there is - it’s called every day of your life.”
“I hate it when I (a man) introduce myself and my male fiancé, and someone says something along the lines of ‘oh you’re... hey man that’s cool no judgment here’. I know you’re trying to be accepting and nice, but it’s awkward and to be honest, I don’t really care about your opinion on such things after I just met you. Just say ‘hello, nice to meet you’ like a normal person, since that’s all I am... just another person.”
“Not everyone carries a chip on their shoulder; I’m trans and just want to be left the hell alone - using the bathroom isn’t a political statement, I just have to go.”
“I don’t want to have a threesome with you and your boyfriend, and you’re not invited when my girlfriend and I are together. My life isn’t your weird porn fantasy.”
“My correcting you on my pronouns isn’t an attack, I don’t want special treatment, I’m not some crazy special snowflake. I’m just transgender, and I just want to be comfortable in my own body.”
“I’m transgender. We’re included in the lesbian/gay/bi acronym, but gender identity actually has nothing to do with sexual orientation. My identity isn’t sexually motivated.”