I am traveling in tropical North Queensland and with the wet season in full swing my rainbow-colored umbrella is coming to life. I dislike rain with a passion and seemingly people are equally incensed, not by the rain, but by my umbrella.
Comments like ‘You had me worried there for a bit love’ by middle aged men. No response to my friendly ‘hello’ or simply giving me a disapproving look.
I find this kind of discrimination very intriguing. The last time I felt this way was when I had my lungs checked for tuberculosis, a prerequisite for migrants to enter Switzerland. No offense intended to the lovely Swiss people (hello Suzie 😊).
Using this rainbow-colored umbrella has become a social experiment for me. Not being gay gives me the luxury to put a humorous spin on it. Though it amplifies a real insight on how my gay friends and family must be feeling in a world that accepts men of all walks of life behaving badly but can’t tolerate ‘love between two people of the same gender’.
Research shows that being gay is a normal aspect of human sexuality. Still acceptance has a long way to go, and it is up to each of us to support your gay friends and gays in any social setting or otherwise, to stamp out discrimination, stress and negative effects on health.
I am doing my rain dance tonight so I can proudly display my rainbow-colored umbrella again tomorrow and challenge society to look beyond gender norms with an open heart.
