“When I was a freshman I dated a senior and trust me, it's no fairy tale.”
—Whitney, 16, GA
Can you tell if someone is LGBTQ or heterosexual?
No, not for sure, unless that person tells you.
Lots of times, we judge people based on stereotypes. So, we assume, for example, that a gay man is going to walk and talk like a woman and a lesbian is going to act like a guy. But that’s not always true.
A guy who hates sports, but loves to cook can be heterosexual. And, a big, burly football quarterback could be homosexual. You just don’t know.
Sure, stereotypes are rooted in truth. Some gay men do act feminine. And plenty of football quarterbacks are heterosexual. But, there’s a danger in applying stereotypes to everyone in a particular group because many people don’t fit the stereotype. Everyone is an individual. And we’d all be better off if people treated each other with respect, deciding whether they like someone based on who they are, not whether they fit into a stereotype.
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Both ways
Posted by: VirginOnTheVerge on Sep 2nd, 2007 11:10pm
It really goes both ways. You may pick up on someone's
tendencies or mannerisms and think they're gay, but they're
not. Or, they may strike you as being straight, but end up
being gay. It also depends on whether or not they know, and
if they are 'out' yet. Some people are more open about
their sexuality than others, so it can be hard to tell. :)