Friend's Question Offensive?

[speaker]

Please help...I have a Dominican friend who is straight and in her 20's. She's very open about different things and not really a stubborn person.

Yesterday she asked me the following question via text, "If Morality is the one thing behind Beastiality being illegal, why should homosexuality be legal?"

I told her that the question is completely offensive and insulting and proceeded to explain to her why I felt that way. She insists it's not an offensive question and honestly wants to know the difference.

Am I missing something here? Am I just being too sensitive to her question? Thoughts...? Please.

[ceez]

it sounds offensive to me too, I hate it when people compare homosexuality to bestiality and pedophilia. I think it's apart of human nature, we fear the unknown, they do not understand homosexuality so they fear the worse will happen if same sex marriage is legalized.

[Sylph]

Sexuality in General is a very complicated thing and though we know it's wrong to have sex with Animals, people do it anyway.

For years men had sex with other men, both before and after it became taboo.

So in one hand, I can see why she would think that, but then here's the thing.

However wrong people may think Homosexuality is, it always occurs between two consenting adults[usually], notably of the same species.

But with Beastiality, the "sex" is not consenual and is therefore more or less along the lines of rape, and some don't even believe it to be sex at all. But rather animal abuse, as we are not the same species with other animals and therefore, not technically meant to have sex with them.

A Lion and a Giraffe don't have sex, but two Male Lions and Two Male Giraffes can have sex, because they're atleast the same species.

I mean, it could be possible I suppose, for two different species to have sex, but not apple and orange - Elephant and Moose. Dogs have different breeds for this reason, rather than different species and can cross breed, since they share most of their genetic make-up.

I suppose there is a reason why we are named; Homo-Sapien. :tongue:

You can tell her there is a difference, a notable one at that, but if she refuses to agree or understand, then there's nothing you can do. A person cannot or more realistically, should not be changed from who and what they are and what they believe in.

Hopefully she'll understand and that this doesn't cause a rift between the two of you

[Sylph]

it sounds offensive to me too, I hate it when people compare homosexuality to bestiality and pedophilia. I think it's apart of human nature, we fear the unknown, they do not understand homosexuality so they fear the worse will happen if same sex marriage is legalized.

I think the most offensive part people do in regards to what you said, is try to make Homosexuality something that it's not.

Gay Men cannot teach in class, because they're Pedophiles... That doesn't make any sense and even if it did, that's not every single gay person.

People have regressed back past the age when Homosexuality was revered and though not technically celebrated, but accepted, to the time of the discovery of Sodomy and Sodomites.

The men back then had no choice but to relieve their urges, however sickening, on children, as they were not attracted to women and no man would copulate with them, unless by chance they were gay as well. So Children, unfortunately, were the only one's they could get to, taking Orphans and run-aways, not to mention, children as we know are pliant and maleable.

This is why I believe people think the way they do, because that's how it may have happened at one point in time, but as advanced as we believe we are, we're really no different from our ancestors. We just know more now.

So I agree with you. It's not particularly offensive to me, this question, but the fact that society tends to blend two unrelatable things such as Homosexuality and Pedophilia, is not something I particularly like...

[pellaz]

... Morality is the one thing behind Beastiality being illegal ...

there is no universal definition of morality, one persons definition is just as useless as the next. immoral people are not doing anything illegal.

[dfiant]

I simply would not validate the question by responding to it and politely let the person know that it is time to pull their head out of their arse as men have being walking upright for thousands of years and have even invented the wheel and discovered fire

[East]

It is offensive. Ask HER to define morality and when/if she can then explain to her that her definition of morality is not THE TRUTH. It is HER definition of morality.

PS...Bestiality and Pedophilia involve partners that are NOT consenting which is the definition of rape. They have nothing to do with homosexuality.

[pellaz]

... I have a Dominican friend ...

i think she is a person of faith, maybe a literal bible type. Likely she has a moral definition derived from here faith and the bible. There are millions of religions, each one claiming to be the one true, there are thousands of versions of the bible.

[Pix]

Yesterday she asked me the following question via text, "If Morality is the one thing behind Beastiality being illegal, why should homosexuality be legal?"

I don't find it so much as offensive as stupid. Here's how I would answer (this being strictly off the top of my head, the first thing that comes to mind):

Morality is about treating people with respect. Gays who are adults can enter into any relationship or contract (including marriage) with others as pleasing to both sides because they're adults who are free to make the decisions that make them happy, just as if his partner was also a different race, nationality, or religion. It's no more immoral for 2 men to love each other than for someone black and white or Jewish and Catholic to love each other.

Animals, however, cannot give consent, and thus any sexual advances done against them is automatically done against their consent. Should reality change so that animals are legally capable of signing contracts with equal rights then, and only then, would it be time to revisit that question.

Likewise, children cannot be expected to have the understanding or equality to give consent and that rules out pedophilia.

To me morality isn't about mandating how others live their private sex lives with other consenting adults, it's about treating others with the same respect and dignity that you'd want them to treat you with (aka "the golden rule"). And there's nothing moral about prohibiting love between adults.

[warmpixels]

The key word being "consent" here. Your friend isn't being offensive, she's just well, to put it kindly, not very well-read