I joined EC less than a week ago and already I've been welcomed with open arms. I feel I belong here. If I am on other forums (none LGBT, without my sexuality being known) I feel invisible and scared to say anything because people are rude. Whereas I can be myself here without people trying to start an argument. Overall, do you think gays are nicer than the average person?
gays are average people. everyone is unique in their own ways. some gays are really friendly, just like some straights are really friendly. i don't think sexuality really identifies with the friendliness trait.
Not necessarily, I think how nice a person is doesn't correlate with their sexual attraction. That being said, I think LGBT people tend to be a lot more open to other ideas and lifestyles, compared to other people. That is largely, I believe, due to the world we grow up in, and are assumed to fit into until we tell others differently. But anyways, the website. I think it's more that this site is meant to be a welcoming place, and succeeds at that. It's hard to be welcoming when you are rude to others. I think that's why you can be your self here. Plus, a lot of people have gone through similar crap and can relate.
It's been a very welcoming place for me. What's interesting is that when I ask around, among other gay people, I haven't found anyone who's heard of EC. I'm puzzled by that. I'm looking for a therapist now, a gay one, and I've met a few and not one has heard of this great website.
One thing I learned very quickly from this website (from what people told me rather than how they've acted, I have to stress) is that gay people show as wide a spectrum of personalities and interests as straight people, so to say they're nicer can never be completely accurate. In general though, we are all very supportive of each other because we know how many struggles people in the LGBTQ community have to suffer through, and because we know what it's like to be in a minority so we have strong opinions about equality. Those are just my thoughts anyway!
gays are people just like straights are people and people are people. But angles aren't people and neither are ovals or squares. The label you apply doesn't change the personality ^,^
Not that i have a lot of experience meeting a variety of gay guys/women but the ones that I have come across in my life have all been nice. But like others said it not sexuality that makes you a nice person it is the personality. It the same as some straight people are nice others aren't.
I agree there is diversity in personality among gays, as there is for straights. But, as part of a maligned minority, there is more of an awareness of potential suffering in others, due to isolation, rejection. I think suffering and awareness of suffering in others, makes people more sensitive and maybe more open to others. So maybe we are friendlier, less likely to reject someone for who they are, less likely to judge, etc.
I don't think it's the fact that we're gay. I think it's the fact that being gay often means there are a lot of very deep emotional repercussions which, in time, develops emotional intelligence. I think it's that which makes us more tolerating, understanding and open to welcoming others in need into our lives. But I also think that "average people" who have been through a lot are also more in tune to others feelings and more compassionate and empathetic. That's my personal view anyways
The point of this forum though is to be friendly. It's a support website; support usually comes hand in hand with compassion. It's difficult to compare this website with say, a gaming website, because they have two different motivations. Like I said, Empty Closet's foremost purpose is support and advice. A gaming website though is about discussion and even on some level competition, so people are going to be more hostile. So no, I don't think LGBT people in average are friendlier. We are all unique, and LGBT obviously have personality quirks too just like straight people. There's nothing about being LGBT that inherently makes you nicer when compared to the straight public. It's just the nature of all support forums; it's very rare to get dickheads on them, and they're usually a lovely place to hang around (either straight or LGBT support forums. ) For example, one of the gay guys I know in real life is horrible. Like, verging on the psychopathic side of horrible, lol. Him being gay has done nothing to contribute to him being a nicer person, it's just his personality that is a complete shitter xD
I think gay people have a more understanding nature and tend to be more friendly then a non gay person.
Thank you all for your responses . All of this information is good to know, I have never met anyone in person who was gay.
You have certainly met many gay people now, and although not in person our feelings are shared together.
+1 ---------- Post added 12th Jul 2013 at 05:19 PM ---------- +1 This is something I've thought about every now and then. Sure, at the end of the day, people are people. My comment is limited to men, since I haven't known many lesbians personally. However, like the first quote says, there is a type of gay guy found in urban areas that is sort of an A-list, party circuit, very good looking type who everyone wants as a friend, and sometimes they have a trust fund to go with it, and the attitude that goes along with that. They can be bad news. I've also known gay guys who say things that are more mean-spirited than funny, and they can be pretty angry. And they can be bad news. But who isn't somewhat angry to some degree? However, like the second quote says, my experience is that gay guys, overall, are generally more receptive (no, not that way) and easier to get along with than most straight guys, overall. That's my perception.
I actually haven't noticed this throughout my lifetime. Every group of people has the potential to be hostile, you just have to bring their attention to the right issues and the right "enemies". A support forum with strong, active moderation is obviously going to develop a less argumentative atmosphere than many other places online.