On the one hand, I'm always in favor of considering Random Person A as part of my community. "God is the father of us all, and all are brethren" and all that. All people are my brothers and sisters and I have a responsibility to work for justice on their behalf and also to treat them with respect and compassion.
On the other, not everyone who shares a trait with me is part of my community, nor do I want them to be. I understand that from the outside, those superficial (or even deep) qualities may cause others to put me in the same box in their heads, but just because Mary Sue and I are both bi doesn't mean we have anything else in common, and doesn't mean that we're part of the same community.
Which means that a closeted homophobic politician isn't necessarily a part of the queer community. Yes, we have an obligation as moral and compassionate people to see the pain they must be in and try to ease it if we can. But we don't have to invite them to our parties. And a straight ally is a more valuable member of the community than someone who happens to like members of the same sex but is opposed to the political/social equality of queers. And a person can be an out homosexual without identifying as part of the queer community.
Also, "queer community" is a complicated term in and of itself, but that's another post.
Hypocrisy like this is basically the only time I think a politician's private life is public business, so I'm not opposed to outing in that circumstance. But it does break my heart that people live with so much self-loathing.
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On the other, not everyone who shares a trait with me is part of my community, nor do I want them to be. I understand that from the outside, those superficial (or even deep) qualities may cause others to put me in the same box in their heads, but just because Mary Sue and I are both bi doesn't mean we have anything else in common, and doesn't mean that we're part of the same community.
Which means that a closeted homophobic politician isn't necessarily a part of the queer community. Yes, we have an obligation as moral and compassionate people to see the pain they must be in and try to ease it if we can. But we don't have to invite them to our parties. And a straight ally is a more valuable member of the community than someone who happens to like members of the same sex but is opposed to the political/social equality of queers. And a person can be an out homosexual without identifying as part of the queer community.
Also, "queer community" is a complicated term in and of itself, but that's another post.
Hypocrisy like this is basically the only time I think a politician's private life is public business, so I'm not opposed to outing in that circumstance. But it does break my heart that people live with so much self-loathing.