I'm rather surprised how many people don't know any gays

[memphis]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/118931/Knowing-Someone-Gay-Lesbian-Affects-Views-Gay-Issues.aspx

[King]

Wow, I can't believe that many people cut their own hair.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I used to know (and work with) 2 gay people, one lesbian and one gay.  We never brought up the issue of sexual orientation for we were in the work place and it was not the appropriate venue.  They were both really nice and really hard workers, which I admired.  They helped me, unwittingly, become more accepting of homosexuals as people which later started brewing my slow warming to civil unions (which is now full-blown) and now gay marriage.  Even though we don't have gay marriage in Oklahoma and probably will never have it until a federal law is passed, it did get me more open to it, along with the people on this forum and my best friend on the forum, Jamespol, who is (or was) also gay.  Just talking to him, he really softened my fire-breathing hatred of gays that I had all the way up until about 4 or 5 years ago.  It started abating with those co-workers in 2005, and then James really helped alleviate the majority of the rest of it and then the rest of the forum helped pretty much squash it.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

My hair stylist is a real flamer, but he's a nice guy all the same. It's probably true that he has changed my views on gay issues.

[MK]

As sick as homosexuality may be most people don't have a problem with a gay person when in pubic. At least not like blacks received or still currently receives in this country.

Theres a lot of DL gays to so that might explain the poll.

[The Mikado]

40% don't know ANY gay people?  I can't see how that's even possible.

[Ronnie]

I personally am against gay marriage from a religious standpoint, but I am apathetic as well.  It doesn't affect me.

I have known gay people in the past, but now I honestly don't know of any.

[Smash255]

Pretty sad actually.  Not surprising that people who know gay people are more accepting.

[Lunar]

Wow, you'd think Gallup would be a little more cautious with its headline, you know the whole correlation causation thing. 

40% don't know ANY gay people?  I can't see how that's even possible.

Not everyone is aware of the dating life of that friendly bachelor coworker.

Or if you're an evangelical, your cousin may not tell you what's up either

[Tender Branson]

Nobody I know directly or have to do on a daily basis (friends, family, work colleagues) is gay. I have met a salesman in a clothing shop once who seemed to be gay and when I go to bars maybe, or a few customers that came into my workplace, but that's it.

But maybe that's because I´m from a more rural piece of Austria ...

Still, I wouldn't mind having gay friends (especially good-looking lesbians)

[Lunar]

I thought Bruno was Austrian

[Gustaf]

Wow, you'd think Gallup would be a little more cautious with its headline, you know the whole correlation causation thing. 

40% don't know ANY gay people?  I can't see how that's even possible.

Not everyone is aware of the dating life of that friendly bachelor coworker.

Or if you're an evangelical, your cousin may not tell you what's up either

"Views of gay marriage are strongly related to ideology. But the increase in support among those who personally know someone who is gay or lesbian is not merely a reflection of the fact that liberals are more likely to know someone of same-sex orientation. Further analysis reveals that, when controlling for ideology, those who know someone who is gay or lesbian are significantly more supportive of gay marriage than are those of the same political persuasion who do not personally know someone who is gay or lesbian."

Makes it a little better, I guess. But still, I can easily imagine that people who approve of gay marriage are more likely to be told by gay people they know that the latter are gay.

I have one close friend who is gay. But I've met a ton of gay people who have been friends of friends, etc. I've even been to a gay party once. /: (Not officially a gay party, just that all of them who were there happened to be gay. Except for the women, I think)

[Lunar]

Ah, I missed that part. 

Well, all they controlled for was ideology - "liberal" "moderate" "conservative" right? 

[Gustaf]

Ah, I missed that part. 

Well, all they controlled for was ideology - "liberal" "moderate" "conservative" right? 

As far as I know, yes.

[opebo]

As sick as homosexuality may be most people don't have a problem with a gay person when in pubic. At least not like blacks received or still currently receives in this country.

Haha, Freudian slip there?

[Vepres]

I'm really not surprised by the results. I have never personally known a gay person (I had a teacher once that we were pretty sure he was gay, but never confirmed it).

Really, are you going to walk up to a coworker or friend and just go, "Hey many, what's up... Are you gay?"

[Rowan]

I'd rather not know if people I know are gay.

[opebo]

I always want to know if gays I know are 'bottom' or 'top'. 

[Torie]

I guess the nation is not the same in general as my neck of the woods. "Everybody" knows gay folks as it were. It is just part of the landscape.

[tik 🪀✨]

I am skeptical of this poll as it doesn't account for the closeted/hateful people who took the question "do you personally know any gays?" the wrong way and/or thought they were being prank called by the local morning radio prank phone call guy.

[Holmes]

I personally do.

[afleitch]

I always want to know if gays I know are 'bottom' or 'top'. 

Yes I've noticed that...:/

[opebo]

I always want to know if gays I know are 'bottom' or 'top'. 

Yes I've noticed that...:/

No offense meant.. its just interesting.

[tik 🪀✨]

I always want to know if gays I know are 'bottom' or 'top'. 

Yes I've noticed that...:/

No offense meant.. its just interesting.

To me as well, actually. Extremely invasive question, though, but sometimes you can get some very surprising results. One interesting find I've noticed is the number of male homosexuals who find the idea of anything up their ass utterly disgusting. The other is those you'd assume to be a bottom preferring the top. Really though I'm sure there's plenty of versatility within.. christ I can't believe I'm talking at length about this. I'd better go to bed now.

[afleitch]

I always want to know if gays I know are 'bottom' or 'top'. 

Yes I've noticed that...:/

No offense meant.. its just interesting.

To me as well, actually. Extremely invasive question, though, but sometimes you can get some very surprising results. One interesting find I've noticed is the number of male homosexuals who find the idea of anything up their ass utterly disgusting. The other is those you'd assume to be a bottom preferring the top. Really though I'm sure there's plenty of versatility within.. christ I can't believe I'm talking at length about this. I'd better go to bed now.

Some gays don't do anal sex at all As Stephen Fry said it isn't the 'Holy Grail' of homosexuality and homosexual sex.