Lets talk about Sex…

Things have been interesting in the Citi lately.. Somehow I’ve become the gay poster boy in my department. (Mind you there are much cuter poster boys in other departments, but I digress…)

Lets back up quickly. I’m out at work. I always have been out, there never was any question or choice about not being out. That said, I don’t make a point of being out to everyone all the time, when the appropriate subject comes up, I’m out; If its nowhere near the subject at hand it doesn’t matter. (Really, if we’re discussing a new procedure does it really matter that I make a point of being out?)

I’ve had at least two experiences in the past week of young women at work wanting to know well anything and everything. The first was from someone who was in my training class and has been on my team as long as I’ve been on my team. For the most part this was your standard “I’ve never met a real live gay person, I’ve got tons of questions…” event. Lots of probing questions rooted in an honest sense of curiosity. For the most part I obliged and answered her questions, equality and understanding comes one person at a time, you’ve gotta work on it at that level, or ya might as well just bite your foot off.

The second experience happened yesterday. This has likely been one of the most uncomfortable “tell, and don’t shows” I’ve had. Her argumentative line included a few beliefs that I had a hard time responding to.

The first was a general underlying theme of “where did things go wrong with you?” Ultimately this took several forms within the argument: “God made man and woman to reproduce” (and when I informed her I would not have an argument on religious grounds) “Man and woman were made to reproduce.” I made generally unsuccessful arguments that well if man and woman’s only purpose was to reproduce after this purpose was fulfilled or not an option (i.e. Children are self supportive, or no children were had) we should just go and kill ourselves, because we’ve fulfilled the only purpose we were here for. (Mind you this would reduce taxes as well as a host of other benefits…) I couldn’t get this argument or anything similar to stick.

The second was the definition of sex, err of “normal sex.” She attempted to limit it just to coitus. (i.e. Penile->Vaginal Sex) I made multiple attempts at debunking the whole argument of “normal” but I failed again. (For the record every dictionary I checked (only two dictionaries, but they were so similar I felt any further searching would be futile.) included both coitus and other genital contact within their definitions.)

So what is the point here?

1. You can’t win em all
2. I need to develop some stronger arguments to replace my failed arguments above
3. Arguing with a brick wall isn’t something thats likely to be successful.