One of the long-standing challenges being experienced not only by the LGBT community but by society as a whole is acceptance. Gay acceptance. While it’s true that society now has become more accepting in a way, the struggle for equality and non-discrimination remains. In fact, there’s one more aspect of this very struggle that society has to pay attention to - the chance for straight people to not view gay people and their activities as “exclusionary.”
Take the case of gay country singer Kevin Thornton of Indiana Queen. Straight people, he says, still sees his music as a way for him to “isolate” himself from the rest of the world. He adds that straight people have the tendency to think that his type of music (and the fact that he openly calls himself a gay country singer) may already be setting aside a possible hetero audience. Thornton says that this was and should never be part of the plan. In any case, he just wants to be accepted as he is and allow him to sing his songs without being viewed as exclusionary, he explains.
Thornton’s struggle is real. As so the rest of the LGBT community’s. This is exactly why it is important to provide the members of the LGBT community the platform to share their views and sentiments so as to further educate others.
HIV Advocates which is a global initiative that aims to share news, experiences, strategies and new tools that aim to energize human rights movements and communities fighting HIV/AIDS, is the answer. Supported by Levi Strauss Foundation and powered by B-Change Foundation, HIV Advocates encourages existing and would-be activists to explore the power of social media and other Internet avenues to help spread the message across - that discrimination and stigma no longer have any place in society and that society should accept the LGBT community members as they are.
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