Political Correctness Runs Amok

I have never had the slightest problem with gay men. In fact, I usually prefer gay men to the other kind. Some of my best friends, not to mention closest relatives, are gay men. Since day one, gay men have been a part of my life. My parents were friends with many gay men and I grew up thinking they were just the same as any other men, only with better taste. I have dated gay men, fallen in love with a couple and tried, to no avail, to convert one. Got it?

So a friend of mine recently posted a video on Facebook of two men dancing the tango and I thought they looked stupid. Neither one of them was in a flouncy dress and high heels, which always makes the tango more appealing. They both wore suits; there was no flowing, flouncing anything. It was boring. If one of them had worn a red chiffon dress with those flouncy layers and big hoop earrings and had his hair in a bun, that would have worked for me.

I commented, speaking to my friend who posted the video, "wish I could enjoy watching two men dance together, but alas...I cannot." Someone I don't know wrote, "You really should see someone about that problem Andrea, it's kind of silly." I responded that it's not a problem for me, and she wrote back, "prejudice blinds."

Three things sprang to mind: First, it is neither silly nor a problem. It certainly does not impact my life in any way that could under any circumstances be construed as problematic. I suppose it would be a problem if I were abducted by terrorists who sat me down in front of a video and shouted, "You must enjoy watching these two men in plain suits dance together or we will kill you!" Now that would be a problem. Or if it happened more often, like if every morning when I went out to get the paper at the end of my driveway there were two men dancing the tango in the street right in front of my house and I did not enjoy seeing them, that would certainly present me with a problem. I would definitely work on it. But it is not problem as it stands right now, in and of itself. Second, what am I being blinded to--more men dancing together? Oy, that should be my only problem. And third, please don't call me Andrea if we have never met and you are insulting me.

The bottom line: What has happened to people having their own opinions? If someone doesn't like the idea of two men having sex, that's their business. People can dislike it in their own head without trying to prevent it from happening. Their private dislike of it does not necessarily mean it is wrong thinking. Whatever happened to the individual? Is it Group Think or nothing?

I like anchovy pizza and the color yellow. I prefer almond butter over peanut. I abhor German shepherd dogs but adore boxers and pugs. I still love George W. Bush and wish I could have him and Laura over for brunch. I think the actor (who I never heard of) recently chosen by People magazine as this year's "Sexiest Man Alive" is butt-ugly. And dammit, I don't enjoy watching two men dancing the tango.  Should I make an appointment with a psychiatrist, or even a psychologist or LCSW, about any of it? 

Now that would be silly.