Should I report homophobic posts or do I sound too butthurt?

You could report it. Facebook tries to fight off racism, homophobia, sexism, etc. so you would actually help facebook achieving that by reporting this picture and any homophobic or degrading content you come accross. Plus, no one will know you reported it.

 

Haha thank you!

And it takes a while before they treat your demand but they usually let you know what's the result

 

Try not to be like the inquisition.

I've learned that it's just whatever. People on Facebook are going to have their own opinions on certain matters. The problem is when you start unfriending for people having different views than you do. I had a few people like that in the past and I'm better off without them. It's fine to disagree but don't create a wall of confirmation bias.

 

Chip, so well put! DAX, you too.

Patrick

 

Just a thought: to be truly tolerant, don't we also have to be tolerant of intolerance?

You could add '...as long as it doesn't harm anyone' I guess.

It's really difficult to decode what to do though, especially when strong emotions are involved- appreciate your honesty

 

That's exactly the reason why I suggested him to report it. I reported an anti-muslim photo once because even thought everyone has the right to express their opinions, I think heinous messages are not welcome on the public space. You never know what damages such a thing can make on the web...

 

This is a tough, thin line kind of situation. Because there's a difference between simple ignorance (which itself can hurt, and in this day and age with internet and tv/movies, people have less of an excuse) and possible harmful intentions. Everyone, no matter how educated, ope, and tolerant you are, is ignorant about something until they learn it because no one's born knowing all knowledge. But the difference is people being open to learning or wearing their ignorance as a badge of pride and pretending to know everything. And no one can count all the people who've been killed by simple ignorance/intolerance or people scared of what they don't know and therefore destroy it. The witch trials?

So, more back to the topic, yes people are entitled to their own opinions, and I agree with everyone here, but it is a struggle when it hits such a nerve, and is scary when alot of those intolerant people resort to violence easily. And again, I'm not saying everyone who has different opinions can become violent or are bad, it's a thin line between someone who means no harm at all/simply has a different view, and a neonazi who incites pure violence. Stuff like that needs to be taken down.

Sorry, I struggle with that as well (obviously, seeing how worked up that got me lol)because both hurt, and I'm trying to find my peace with things like this as well and learning to pick my battles. It can't be a matter of fight Everything intolerant, but it also can't be a matter of let All intolerance and violence slide.

 

People have the right to their own opinions, even if I don't agree with it. As long as they're not sending me violent threats or forcing me to change my sexuality, I couldn't care less about their opinion on traditional matters.

 

I think these situations can be tricky and each one needs to be looked at individually.

I had an experience once where someone sent a homophobic cartoon to someone I am friends with on Facebook and it showed up on my page. The gist of it was that if you cheered for a certain team it meant you were gay, gay being a negative.

My first reaction was that I should get on my high horse (often my first reaction, lol) and send them a snarky comment but I managed to step away from the computer for a day and just think about it and whether it was something that I needed to respond to or not.

I finally decided that because it showed up on my page, that yes I needed to respond, as the sentiment expressed was unacceptable to me, but instead of engaging in some kind of confrontation I posted a rainbow flag in the comments. This felt right to me as it made it clear that I didn't share their opinion but at the same time I wasn't telling them what they could post on their page.

Another time someone posted an anti-immigration article and I posted why I didn't agree in the comments. My opinion was based on my experience of working with immigrants and hopefully gave the person another perspective to think about, but again my initial reaction was to get pretty hot under the collar about it. I think when I can spend some time thinking about how what I have to say might expand somebody's point of view then I'm closer to being useful in the situation even though it's not usually my first inclination.

My two cents.

 

That's a really good approach. I think if you just report people (and they website takes action on the report) then thsee people may just get their strongly-held belief that "[liberal] society is against them" validated. Taking a step back then engaging in sensible debate or small but powerful actions (like your posting a rainbow flag to say "At least one person here doesn't agree with you") is better.

Some things are probably still worth reporting though (I'm thinking obvious threats maybe?).

Then again, I'm not on Facebook, Twitter or anything, so what do I know?!

 

In the example of an anti-Muslim post yeah, I would definitely say report. That's very interesting to me that I think that (maybe I've been 'conditioned' by straight society lol!). Posts that make obvious threats I would report. But I'm not on social media, so..

 

Freedom of speech. Just unfollow the sucker.

 

Freedom of speech isnt absolute. There isnt such 'freedom of speech' on this forum, as far as I am aware. I find it very frustrating when Americans, on the internet, impose their own 'freedom of speech' values, on any given subject, as if they are universal or the standard. This 'free speech' is actually hate speech, this pseudo-religious obsession with free speech leads to LGBT peoples funerals being picketed by fanatical bigots and ultimately leads to outright violent hate crimes being comitted against LGBT people. If this is free speech, you can keep it.

Polite and subtle homophobia is still homophobia. Facebook wont do anything about it though as its not overt.

Stay safe.

 

In order to have free speech for all u can't shut down speech u feel may hurt your feelings. That is the reason for free speech on both sides to form none violate ideas or life. If u actively shut down ones speech because u dont like what they say then my FREINDS be on the look out because some time later yours will be shut down as well. Don't listen to what people say watch what they do. Truth is in the action behind the words not the words . Free speech is the main idea behind the freedoms most of us enjoy. In order to keep that freedom all speech must be heard even if u dont like it.

 

Ignore it