No gay jokes please

The other day, a co-worker told a “joke” about physically hurting gay people. It was his third gay joke of the day, (he’d already cracked two about women), so I decided I ought to let him know it bothered me.

No one else in the room objected to his remarks.

I’ve found myself in this awkward position several times before, especially when working with my more conservative evangelical clients. It seems that among this group, gays are fair game.

Now, I understand that there is much debate within the Church on the issue of homosexuality, and I respect people on both sides of it. I know that a lot of Christians consider homosexuality to be a particularly offensive sin. But does that somehow make a homophobic joke more acceptable than, say, a racist or sexist one? 

Maybe I’m way too sensitive about these things. I hate to be the “politically correct” killjoy.  And yet I somehow feel that saying nothing condones the notion that belittling gays is acceptable…and for me, it’s just not.


Brooke Shorey
Comment
Re: No gay jokes please
Reply #1 on : Tue March 18, 2008, 17:52:30
you are so right about this! Fear not, I think it has nothing to do with being a politically correct killjoy as you say. I hate how many Christians have categorized sin. Homosexuality and murder are at the top of the list, but cussing when you're angry or yelling at your kids is considered way down on the list (after all, it's "provoked"). Sin is sin is sin--say that three times fast...
kristen
Comment
Re: No gay jokes please
Reply #2 on : Thu April 03, 2008, 18:55:05
several weeks later . . .i have found myself in similar positions, rachel. people seem to think that anti-women and anti-gay jokes, esp. flippant ones, are ok. and they just are not. i just cannot imagine that any sort of humor which degrades God's creations would be acceptable to him. i know that can get into a whole different issue about policing humor, and that is not my intent. i just know that i am not attracted to humor that uses other people--esp when they aren't around--as the punchline.

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