I'm taking an Arabic language course at college, and my professor is from Egypt (but has lived in the US for more than 25 years). My professor is a really nice guy, and I know he doesn't mean 'harm', but as often will happen in a language course, discussion turns to culture and I've heard on more than 2 occasions his aversion to homosexuals. I don't think he even notices his own homophobia. Yesterday in class though he was talking about how an American friend of his got an Afghani immigrant a job, and how the American went to the Afghani man's house to see how he was doing, and the Afghani man was hugging and kissing him on the cheek (in a public place), and his friend was afraid he might be taken for "one of them," and then my professor raises his wrist and makes it go limp.
One guy in the class (who people apparently assumed to be gay), stopped attending classes presumably because of the professor's previous anti-homosexual diatribe. Again, he's a NICE guy, but I don't think he knows how he is coming across.
I'm usually not the type defend my homosexuality, but I almost felt like saying something.
Eh, I still want to learn Arabic more than I dislike my professor's homophobia, so I guess I'll stay the course (pun intended!)
![[-]](https://gayspeak.com/images/duende_v3_local/collapse.png)
•
•
yea u already told me about him, it's disgusting. but if he doesn't miss your respect directly, all you can do is ignore him, you know there are always a lot of people like that, very often influenced by cultural/religious roots. Then if he sees any 'manner' in your behaviour and he starts with you... that would be a problem. also wud be nice to dare to discuss with him about the matter to see what funnily stupid things he has to tell you.:biggrin:
take it easy ryan!
•
Originally Posted by Personal ![[Image: viewpost.gif]](http://www.gayspeak.com/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif)
. I want the challenge of convincing someone who doesn’t understand what I feel.
•
drocko17 Wrote:all you can do is ignore him, you know there are always a lot of people like that, very often influenced by cultural/religious roots.
It's true, from experience, it's usually the case that he won't change his thinking if you said anything (though it might make him realize his attitude). The only people that could truly change him would be his children (hoping he has any), and they would need to be gay, and come out to him as so. It's usually the case that children of a new generation change their parents.
A lil' less on the situation of your prof... You want to learn arabic...really? That's kinda' cool, may I ask why?
•
no - he won't change his opinion in front of you - none of us would either
but you're planting that seed in his mind that maybe he's being inappropriate
and next time - he might think twice
•
Personal Wrote:It's true, from experience, it's usually the case that he won't change his thinking if you said anything (though it might make him realize his attitude). The only people that could truly change him would be his children (hoping he has any), and they would need to be gay, and come out to him as so. It's usually the case that children of a new generation change their parents.
A lil' less on the situation of your prof... You want to learn arabic...really? That's kinda' cool, may I ask why?
I'm a language nut, I've studied to some extent or another: *Spanish, *Italian, *French, *Portuguese, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Greek, Russian, German and now Arabic.
* = I can understand/read/write pretty well.
I love foreign languages, and I think it's something I do well. I'm going to major in either German or Russian and minor in Spanish or French. In the end, I want to work for the FBI or US Department of Defense as a language intelligence specialist.
Arabic on your resume will open doors. It's actually a very interesting language. Learning to read and write it is pretty fascinating. It takes a little getting used to, but after a while you just start 'recognizing' things. Pretty cool.
On your other note:
He's told the class a story about how American parents don't discipline their kids enough, he told us that when his kids are bad he hits them pretty hard and even grips them up before smacking them. I fear if one of his kids turned out gay, he'd most likely kill the child (no joke).
•
GayComputerDude Wrote:no - he won't change his opinion in front of you - none of us would either
but you're planting that seed in his mind that maybe he's being inappropriate
and next time - he might think twice
The really weird thing is that he constantly tells us how welcoming the Arabic people are. They will force you to come visit, and insist that you eat and drink even if you don't want to. They're happy when you drop by unannounced, etc. Then you hear this dark side. They consider homosexuality a vile sickness of the mind. He said that after being over here for 25 years, he can work with us, but interaction outside the office is strictly out of the question.
We're bad people!
•
hell most Italians feel the same way!
hahahaha
listen - you sound like you got a handle on the situation and that things aren't right
you can ignore it or face it
maybe there's someone else you can talk to about it that can make it change
•
GayComputerDude Wrote:hell most Italians feel the same way!
hahahaha
listen - you sound like you got a handle on the situation and that things aren't right
you can ignore it or face it
maybe there's someone else you can talk to about it that can make it change
Maybe next time I'll ask him how to say 'homophobe' in Arabic, and see if he gets the message.
You guys are the 'someone else' I can talk to about it 
My closet is as deep as the one in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe; and I'm at the very back!
•
|
