I believe I have explained in detail before how I work with some of the most unenlightened people on earth. This week has been particularly trying. Receptionist #1, who apparently has been living under a rock for several months, just found out that Brokeback Mountain is about gay people.
She is horrified. She seems to be taking it as a personal affront. How it personally affects her I’m not sure but she wants the world to know that the movie is about gay people. So her standard question to people now is, “Did you know that Brokeback Mountain movie is about (insert perjorative term of your choice because she has quite an imagination)?” This is asked in an accusing and loud voice. She doesn’t just ask people she knows. She asks total strangers who come into the clinic. Total strangers who could be gay. I’m waiting for that to happen. I hope they give it right back to her.
Anyway, it is known that I not only saw the movie but liked it. That is seen as further proof that I’m just not quite right. Combine that with my defense of legal immigration (another post) and I’m the closest thing to a radical that they know.
Here’s a sample conversation from yesterday.
Receptionist 1 : They kiss!!!!
Receptionist 2: I saw that the one guy has a baby on the way (wrong fact 1) and that he said he just imagined that he was with his girlfriend when he was kissing the other guy.
R 1: He must have given it to him good then.
R2: Yep.
R 1: I can’t believe that they found guys who are willing to play gay. They must have paid them lots of money is all I know. (wrong fact 2) That is just so gross!!!!!
And on and on and on and on….. For days now.
How should this be handled? Skip the obvious that they should be doing their jobs. Not going to happen. I just keep interjecting when appropriate that I liked it but they don’t care. They are so totally grossed out by even the idea of homosexuality.
Is it even worth talking to people this set in their ways about the topic? They are exactly the type of people who would benefit from seeing the movie but another part of the rant is, “I wouldn’t pay 2 cents to see that movie. Someone would have to pay for me to see it. No, I wouldn’t even see it then.” Is Brokeback Mountain preaching the choir? Are the only people who will see it people who aren’t totally offended by homosexuality?
Wait….do we work at the same place? The other day one of the ladies at my work said, “And I hear they leave nothing to the imagination….you can see everything!” and I said…(I’m quite proud of this by the way!), “Well that’s good, cuz I always wondered how that worked anyway.”
hehe. I don’t get how people can be so ignorant. Don’t worrry, karma will give them gay children!
LOL…they’d really freak out if they worked at our clinic as we employ a gay guy. If I worked with them I’d have to tell them their conversation is inappropriate at work. Also explain that if every gay/bi person turned green one day they’d be quite shocked to see exactly what gay “looked like”. God forbid they ever come to visit NYC and head down to the village!!! =)
The practice I work at would really frown upon them questioning clients and expressing those types of views (like you said, how do they know the person they’re bad mouthing gays about isn’t gay). Aren’t ignorant people a pain in the ass?!?!?!?!
When I hear people talking trash, I say “My mother’s a lesbian” or “my mother’s Muslim” or whatever. It usually shuts them up pretty quick. And often they mutter an apology.
People say crap like this because they don’t know anyone it affects persynally. When you put a face onto their homophobia, racism, whatever, you make it real to them.
There’s no talking to people like that. They are simply too closed minded. Which is ironic when you think about it because these are the same folks who are told what to think from day one. It would be humourous if someone who was gay gave them a piece of their mind, but it sounds like they’d just laugh it off and keep right on saying moronic things. If a higher-up took them down a peg or two, that would not be amiss. I suppose it would totally flip their wigs to point out that a lot of animals are bisexual, not to mention downright omnisexual?
I’ve a feeling that Brokeback is probably preaching to the choir only these days the choir is rather large.