Under the heading “The Default is No Longer Heterosexual”, the NZ Herald published another article by ‘activist’ Shaneel Lal yesterday. The Herald put it behind a paywall then posted it on social media and closed comments:
NZ Herald playing advocate? OK…
Despite knowing a number of people who prefer same-sex partners, I’ve not known one to ever “come out” publicly. They just turn up with their partners, just the same as heterosexuals turn up with theirs.
Many assume that people are heterosexual by default and gay by coming out. I often get asked when I came out and how my parents responded to the news. I do not have a coming-out story, and when I tell people that, my response usually underwhelms them. It is harder for them to understand that I do not believe that queer people should have to come out to be queer.
And they don’t. No one cares. So what has prompted this article? Perhaps Lal’s outspoken activism? Lal (they/their) puts themself out there and writes about their “queerness”, and “queer folk”, frequently, then gets upset when people read their content and ask about their experience? Poor Lal.
Yes, it’s a quiet time for media at the moment and some are obviously struggling to produce content, but this? And why did NZH paywall it?
Skipping past the massive assumption that “queer” people feel they “have to” come out, there is an interesting paragraph in Lal’s attention-seeking missive.
The queer population is younger than the general population, with more than 54.2 per cent under 35. Self-acceptance is drastically different for younger people. Approximately 12.3 per cent of 30-34-year-olds, 19.4 per cent of 25-29-year-olds and 22.5 per cent of 18-24-year-olds identify as queer. Almost a quarter of people in my age group identify as queer, and I expect that these percentages will only increase with every generation.
Hmm. Why might that be?
Somewhat related, enjoy this clip of commonsense.
Read more here. Discuss it on The BFD.