Jedi and Sexual Orientation

This is something I remember talking with a couple of other people (on this site) a while ago

It has been my observation (no I will not name anyone) that on this site in particular there seem to be far more people who would be considered non-heterosexual than most other places i.e. in your town or at work or just people you generally know etc

According to my reading on wikipedia *shudder* it seems that you could expect up to 5 - 10% (obviously can be higher and lower) of people who would be regarded as having a homosexual orientation and the numbers are typically about the same, maybe lower or so for those that are bisexual

It just dawned on me (again these last few days) how there are, at the very least, above average numbers of non-hetero people at TOTJO

My thoughts range along the lines of: We're a very open and free minded community that is very accepting (perhaps we just attract more) or that maybe when you live in a free minded and largely bias free environment then perhaps you realise that you might be bisexual (or other) and are no longer suppressing it from fear or your environment etc (innate bisexuality - Freud)

I'm just giving out ideas, mainly as conversation starters. I have my own views but what are yours?

When I first mentioned it one person said that people might take offence, I hope that does not happen here so if you're uncomfortable with this subject then just ignore it. I am not asking what people's orientations are, just curious about the topic in general

Just in case people were wondering I'm bisexual

I bet there are more “non-heterosexuals” than most realize. I would think that the real accomplishment is that here people feel secure enough to admit their own desires without fear of retribution!

Face it, if you call yourself jedi, you probably were not always the most popular kid in school. Chances are we all know what its like to be on the outside for one reason or another. We have experience.

Besides, a jedi who would ridicule someone for something as trivial as who they decide to love is missing the point entirely.

As for numbers being higher, I don't know that I see that as a good or bad thing. It simply is a thing. My rule of sexuality is generally so long as it isn't hurting anyone I'm good with whatever you decide to do in your free time.

This reminds me of the posts we use to get in the old days of the community "Can Jedi be Homosexual" it would circulate every month or two and the administration of whatever site would either have to stomp it down to put the fire out or just delete the thread.

I'll quote myself as best I can remember on this.

"Yes, Jedi take a stance, we stand off to the side of this subject neither saying one path of sexuality is right over the other or that one view is superior. Instead we have better things to discuss and better ways to help the world around us."

Which is not meant to slight your post in the least, I'm getting old I think and reminiscing of the old days again.

All that being said. So long as the community is producing quality, capable, fully trained Jedi I have no problems. When it fails in that it is THOSE times you will see me start putting my foot down in various ways. Where it fails in that, and all things have some degree of failure built into them, you will see me striving to correct it. If your sexuality hinders that then I'd be genuinely surprised. Further if your sexuality helps that I'd be even MORE surprised no matter your orientation.

I'd say that since the Order is pointedly open and accepting of people it makes it easier for people to relax and explore their sexuality or openly reveal their sexuality without fear of reprisal. Honestly I think that people feel shame on so many layers when it comes to this issue, to the point where even the act of 'revealing' their preference becomes a source of shame. Here all those tensions are relaxed because of the very nature of the Order and the inherent safety provided by the internet barrier.

I also believe that people attracted to something like this are generally going to be more open-minded and willing to accept people from a widely varied background. When the focus moves to the intellectual and the metaphysical, the minor issues that stem from physical, emotional, or any other differences begin to lose their shape and substance.

As for Freud's innate bisexual theory... It's not so much a repression in that case as a molding. You start off innately bisexual and as you accumulate experiences you slide into one perception or another, though the potential for realization of interests from the other end of the spectrum will always exist (and then you get into issues of fear and repression). Alfred Kinsey has many interesting things to say on this subject. Honestly I'd say that simple from the point of view that bisexuality is prevalent throughout the rest of the animal kingdom, it makes sense that it's an inherent part of human beings as well.

Andy Spalding wrote: Face it, if you call yourself jedi, you probably were not always the most popular kid in school. Chances are we all know what its like to be on the outside for one reason or another. We have experience.

Besides, a jedi who would ridicule someone for something as trivial as who they decide to love is missing the point entirely.

I must admit that, while I understand that discrimination against non-heterosexuals is wrong + we should all accept people based on their character, I personally find non-heterosexual love very "strange" (for lack of a more appropriate term...)

Before you jump to the conclusion that I'm a piggish bigot, please, here me out!

I know, logically speaking, that it is overall healthier to free myself from biases and accept people based on their character. I understand that non-heterosexual people, like all other types discriminated groups of people, are born that way and, therefore, excluding and harassing those types of people wouldn't be fair. Period.
My logical mind tells me: a) nothings "wrong" about non-heterosexuals, and b) discrimination against these types of people is wrong.


With that being said, when I see guys and guys or girls and girls in romance, I truthfully have a hard time looking. My mind tells me that there's nothing wrong. But my personal feelings make me feel uneasy.


What are my main points here?
- Obviously, discrimination against people for things they can't control is wrong.
However...
- Just because you know something isn't wrong doesn't mean it feels right.
- The mind can know something is right even though the emotional heart feels disgusted.
- Just because you accept all types of people does not make you a firm supporter of these types of people.

- It is very hard to let go of your own feelings, those with even subtle traces of bias, even though you logically see no problem with it..

It has come to my attention that there are those here that have NO idea of my sexual preference. Just in case anyone is “uncertain” or curious… I am Bi!

For the record!

It is very hard to relieve yourself of the misconceptions and prejudices gathered throughout life. Often in my dealings with people who have these feelings, I find that their dislike or mistrust of those who are different started when they were younger and never resolved itself. There is no 'innate disgust' of people who behave differently from yourself, all such reactions are learned through your surroundings, interactions and experiences, and these feelings often manifest at a young age. Fortunately, given rational thought and introspection, coupled with honest attempts to interacts and understand that which is different, such learned behavior can usually be rewritten and discarded.

And then there's the question of whether or not people really are born as one or the other. Research on this subject points to the answer 'no', however there is no conclusive and final point on whether people are born with an inclination in any one direction. Genetic, hormonal and environmental aspects must be taken into account, and even if a person was born 'straight' it does not mean that at some point later in life he can't become bisexual or gay (or vice-versa).

'Gut reactions' to things like this are generally uneducated and based solely off of uninformed prejudice caused by peer pressure, home life values, media portrayals or even simple lack of exposure to the situation first hand.

As I pointed out in my last post - homo and bi-sexuality are highly prevalent within numerous animal species, suggesting on one level that this is perfectly natural and that it is solely learned social prejudice that has created an atmosphere of disgust or fear regarding non-heterosexual couplings.

Arent females of the dark side and men the light side, or is it vice versa!!? Just kidding, I think the Force is without gender, and we are all made of the Force. I see the physical body proverbially like the Jedi robe, where true expression transcends (or seems to transcend) the physical body. So when I see two people in love its just two expressions of a genderless Force finding a relationship with a high harmonious nature, the body shapes/types don't matter.

Johnny Galecki on gay rumors: 'Why defend yourself against something that's not offensive?"