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What do you think of the term "straight acting" in reference to a gay person?

Asked by DominicX (28808points) March 2nd, 2010

Yes, I know the whole spiel about how labels don’t matter and all that, but this label in particular bugs the hell out of me.

I recently came across something from a gay guy who insisted on calling himself “straight acting” because he matches “societal expectations of straight people.”

Whenever I hear this term, I want to punch somebody. First of all, it implies that are universal personality traits common to all straight people and all gay people and that is just false. What most people mean when they say “straight acting” is “masculine”, correct? So why can’t people just use that term?

Secondly, it makes it seem as if what you are doing is an act rather than your true nature and that you are deliberately avoiding being “gay acting”. Also, it seems that even within the gay community, being “straight acting” is something to praise because you’re not one of those “Oh my God, here they come floatin around” gay guys, more the fix up your house gay guys.

Would you ever describe someone that way?

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