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Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Great post Shmooj.

Happy Easter to you and everyone else too.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

SueH

Thaks for this useful tactic in debating. I will remember that I can label someone a "bigot" and then disregard everything they say !

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

Happy Easter to you too Shmooj.

Mind you, I do think you are being a little disingenuous in linking minority sexualities with terrorist groups, and if you have been the victim of prejudice yourself I'd have expected a slightly better choice of words.

Anyway, I'd have no problems with debating with you; and might even prefer it to debating with Scot since he seems able to disregard what other people say without labelling them bigots. (Don't worry guys, Scot dishes it out, we know he can take it too!)

Seriously Scot, the difference between the real bigots and the label is the hate that comes from former. I can quite accept the strong beliefs that Shmooj has and I don't use the bigot label lightly, but what I see in, for example, the evangelical right is a hate which seems to be posited in a selective view of the Old Testament.

I'm not a Christian but was brought up in the Methodist tradition (and still love my singing!) and my understanding is that Christianity is based on the New Testament and the love of Christ. In some of the opinions directed against certain minority groups of which I am part there is a hate which extends to action, and the very act of debating with some of these people would put me at risk.

Shmooj, I hope that, like the Methodist minister in Rome when I was young, you like wine and we'll argue our cases over a bottle some time.

Yours in peace
Sue

daily chai · Joined: 16 Nov 2003 Posts: 150 Location: Brussels

Let me go back to the original question. I lived in Korea for a year, vacationed in Japan, and have lived in Taiwan for several years. My rich British (Caucasian) Hong Kong friend hopped one weekend a month to Seoul to be in the gay scene there. It is MUCH better than in Tokyo or HK, he said. Seoul's gay scene is incredibly friendly and approachable. I wandered through the gay area (no shocker, near the US military post) one night and was promptly invited to a catered birthday party (free), and later to the Saturday night drag show. I couldn't stay awake for the show, but I met the girls there (they blushed when I called them Older Sister). I've never been in such a friendly, nice gay community. Kudos. Taipei has a great gay community focused on one bar and lots of bath houses. My first roommate here was (is) gay, and he plugged me into the nightlife. Great people. I can't speak for Japan; anyone else?

Korea, my friend, is a tough place to live and not eat beef. I am vegetarian, and had a tough time. Taiwan is a paradise for vegetarians and has many more choices for non-dairy people than Korea. I had to hunt down convenience stores for soymilk there (and it wasn't that tasty either)--here every store sells that, plus rice milk, plus rice and peanut milk, plus a plethora of tropical fruit juices. You might want to consider Taiwan for the mixture of diet and community. Jobs here are high paying but in most cases you have to get your own apartment. On the other hand, that makes you less dependent on your employer should you have a fallout and want to quit. HTH!

mr.bojangles · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 58

Taipei has a gay bar called, 'the Body Pub', I highly recommend it.

rogerejones · Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 23 Location: Los Angeles

Dear articulate_ink:

This discussion seems to be getting quite catty (funny, I just started wondering how I'd explain that word in an ESL class). I'll put in my 2 cents worth.

I just posted a message today asking for others' opinions on what my experience may be as a gay man teaching in Japan. I enjoyed reading some of the responses to yours. I have given careful consideration to this when considering where I would like to teach; for instance, Saudi Ariabia would be out, to coin a term.

I do not want information on any gay "scene;" rather, just an idea on the climate of acceptance. Personally, I am offended when others speak of being gay as something that you "do" or a way you "act." Rather, it is a facet of who I am, and one that I do not attempt to hide. If asked in class, I will be honest and help them with some important terms. "Pride" comes to mind.

Thanks in advance for any comments the others may have for me.

Roger Jones

mlomker · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 378

mlomker · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 378

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 5:30 pm Post subject:

Grow up Guys!

The topic of homosexuality brings a lot of stuff out of the woodwork. People who think they shouldn't marry, people who think they're child molesters, people who think they're cuddly and funny as long as they only do the "best friend" role in films...

These people have right to their opinions- but it wasn't the topic of the thread. I figure the OP has seen a thread or two hijacked, and just wanted to avoid hearing irrelevant proselytizing. (sic?)

Justin

PS I've never been sure how to spell that word...