If you have a chance to tell...

[Firefly101]

Hi guys,

I'm a 1st year degree student in Mass Communication from Malaysia and I'm doing a presentation this coming Wednesday for a subject called "Global Societies"...

I'll be presenting on gay rights: equality in workplace, marriage, etc. I'll be presenting this to a group of about 20 to 30 students and I wonder if you guys, representing the gay community, given a chance, what would you like to say to these group of people?

In our nation, homosexuality is still on the hush-hush & I look forward and value your opinions. I do hope to share or even use some of your responses if you don't mind. Thanks.

[marshlander]

Hello Firefly. I live in England much of the time although I spend as much time as possible in France with my partner. Your project sounds interesting and a good use of the web. While I don't claim to represent anyone or any group other than myself there are a few things I might want to say, including:

• I tend not to think in terms of "gay rights" these days, but more in terms of "fairness" and "equality of regard";
  
• I expect to be treated with fairness and I expect to treat others fairly;
  
• who I love and choose to be with has no effect on the quality of life of anyone else;
  
• my personal freedoms only need to be restricted when they restrict the freedoms of others;
  
• being gay is not a choice;
  
• don't presume to know my needs better than I know them;
  
• I cannot accept the authority of a supernatural being whose existence will probably never be proven, but I accept that many people find comfort in the continuity that religion and religious culture provide;
  
• I am not a threat until you find it convenient to make me one.

I daresay there may be other things I consider important, but very few, as you may notice, arise from a simple demand for gay rights. I am pleased to be living in a time and place where I have the right to be regarded as able to marry my partner should I choose, of having the law protect my expectation of being able to walk down the street in safety and of being able to work unhindered by the prejudices of others. It's not all perfect here by any means, but I think we are working towards a fairer society for glbt people.

[Firefly101]

Hey marshlander, thank you for your reply. I appreciate it and will try my best to carry the argument through my presentation. Take care.