Will Gay Identity Really Disappear Now That We Have Marriage Equality?

unlikely, but it will probably become more diverse

It will make a huge difference in politics. Most gays can now feel free to vote Republican.

We still aren't federally secured. We can still get fired for being gay.

Gradually, for a lot of people. I think guys who don't fit into traditional gay stereotypes will be more likely to come out and that their social groups will be primarily straight, but that there will be others who will still mostly identify with other gays.

Sort of like any immigrant ethnic group in the US, over time they assimilate.

Signorile's book 'It's Not Over' defines what we're up against: a major push back from the right. They'll continue to shout that by living our lives we're oppressing them, making shameful laws that protect their right to discriminate. As it is in many states, you can still be denied services and housing, or be thrown out of businesses for simply being LGBT.

Only by keeping the tribe together can we truly defeat them.

In coming years, advocacy organizations will fight numerous situations where we marry on Sunday and get fired on Monday. That, and a continued push on transgender equality, which I support.

Oh Lord, r2. Many of us vote Republican AND freely express our gay identity and have been doing so lib before this issue was shoved down the country's throat.

Any gay person who votes republican is a piece of shit.

R7 has stated her boundaries.

[quote] before this issue was shoved down the country's throat.

Yeah, that kind of attitude pretty much says it all. So equal rights were shoved down people's throats?? Really? Typical of gay Rethugs.

Do you think we'll ever get federal protection? Are the trannys going to be our biggest obstacle there? It's really the last piece of legislation we need, right? We can openly serve in the military, get married, have hate crime status.

Gay Republicans are such damaged individuals. Let me vote for a party that hates me and openly uses hatred against gays to rile up their voter base.

So nice to have you here on DL, Mr. Weiderpass @R6. Thank goodness this little ban thingie over there ensures I'll never have to see you again.

No. Hopefully, it increases.

R10, don't you get sick and tired of dropping your little bizarre nuggets of anti-trans bigotry in every discussion about gay rights?

We'll find acceptance as soon as we drop the T from LGBT...they aren't gay or lesbian...

Just FF them R14 and ignore them.

Death to the Heterosexist Patriarchy!

Gay identity isn't a monolith, and it never has been. More than anything, gay identities have been malleable in rainbow arcs toward usefulness and equality. Modern (also known as equal or egalitarian) love was invented by the prevailing gay identity. Future love likely will be ours to define too.

Don't get gay GOPers either. I tend to agree with a lot of the GOPs economic policies but would rather support Democratic candidates who lean that way (e.g. Obama, Hillary) than throw support to a party that uses homophobia as a weapon

Dumbass R19. The GOP has repeatedly led us to economic disaster. Their policies have governed Latin America for hundreds of years with poor results. Their policies doomed Victorian Britain to industrial decline. And still ignorant people like you are pushing it.

Republicans are horrible for the economy. Not hating, just fact.

Gay GOPer?

That is like a black man wanting to join the KKK.

You'd be surprised R22 -- some of the hardest workers for gay acceptance have been white male gay people -- the gay part is the only thing keeping them from getting their full, historical, social and financial entitlements.

[quote]Their policies have governed Latin America for hundreds of years

Uh, no.

Yes.

It is one step forward, two big steps back -the T is going to be used very much against gay rights - this is the big anti-gay attack going on right now. It is amazing how many people are blind to it. Yes, there may be gay marriage now - but the trans movement is destroying a lot of young people that would have been gay - homophobic parents and homophobic media and doctors are promoting it. Why is the gay movement not fighting against the biggest, most outrageous attack ever? The sellout clowns are even promoting it. Idiots. LGBT will be blamed later when the extent of the ruined lives are known. A lot of people will be angry.

The whole marriage thing actually should be critiqued. Yes, have it if people want it. But really, it is a big endorsement of hetero orthodoxy and the status quo. Not really what critical thinking is about.

Gay marriage is making gay people fit into a narrow role, as straights are supposed to - it is like people fell for some trick. (And no, I do not mean hedonism 24/7 either which is just a lot of plastic marketing). The trans stuff is an even uglier trick - talk about really adapting to the heteronormative roles. Iran knows about that.

IDENTITY, Social Justice!, groupthink, why is it whenever someone brings-up any conversation about "identity", my mind goes to this:

R23 Try explaining to these space cadets how in a Democratic Republic, with a 73% White Majority (and previously higher), White people probably had something to do with any gains that minorities have made in America, over the past, 50 years. The Fairness Fairy just visited us, waved her magic wand and bam! Fairness ruled the land.

No. What a stupid question, OP.

Seriously, what kind of moron even thinks up questions that stupid?

r29, it's not a stupid question. In fact, the answer is yes. All at one? No. But it's going to change dramatically. We all said this ages ago. The Right is eventually going to stop talking about us after they see that there's no point in it. Our rights are secure. There's nothing more that can be done. Their silence will attract at least half of the gay community. Gays love money. They don't want to pay for breeders and their tykes.

It IS a stupid question. And the answer is no. What the FUCK are you going on about?

God, the idiots in here... Jesus.

In what POSSIBLE way does legal marriage dissolve the concept of being gay?

I think r26 really captures some of the nuance that I have struggled to express on this issue. Thanks for that, r26.