Furthering the word bit from the last page: Specifically, a taximeter is a fare measurement device, and a cabriolet is a kind of small carriage. Both are still in use, but relatively rare now for obvious reasons.
Japanese loan words are pretty funny sometimes, if only because of how strange (yet logical) the sonic distortions become.
Even though it'd be the same pronunciation as a loan of "biking", it's actually a loan of "Viking". The word is used in reference to the concept of a smorgasbord, which is the Scandinavian version of a buffet.
Remember back in the 50s when they'd record like Elvis singing YOU AIN'T NOTHIN BUT A HOUND DOG and then they'd turn the record over and reverse it and it was all NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP and people were all like, "That is actually the voice of Satan coming from that song."
It's more complicated out in the real world than it is on a relatively secluded internet forum like this. A lot more complicated.
Everyone's a minority in some sense, however you'd define the community.
Anyway, one neat thing about going to Japan was that I could have the experience of being a racial and cultural minority. Turns out it really wasn't so bad, but I guess it helps that Japanese are some of the least intimidating people in the world to me.
Is there anything wrong with conceiving of heterosexuality as the normal kind of sexuality? I always figured considering something "normal" means more that it's more common rather than that it's right or good or the only kind that exists in any significant way. Maybe it would still be wrong factually, but it's something that's hard to poll, right? I would think that leaves room for opinion.
On the other hand, a sizable society that does not contain any queers- even closeted ones- would be rare enough to be strange by my judgement.
Is there anything wrong with conceiving of heterosexuality as the normal kind of sexuality?
No. Heteronormativity is more where because heterosexual is considered default, everything an LGBT person does is judged relative to that. For example the idea that a gay couple would have a "Man" and a "Woman" would be heteronormative.
I don't think a person can really escape evaluating different situations by comparing them to what they're used to. People from different climates don't usually have the same judgements for what constitutes cold weather.
Thinking that a homosexual couple necessarily has a member perform the roles of a woman is kind of silly, but I guess that's the assumption one would have if you're only aware of relationships that involve playing strict and complementary gender roles.
It can take a while for me to feel like I really belong with people, so I don't think the experience of the fact of it is quite as strange to me as the nominal difference.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
My uncle was talking to my parents about my sister at the big family dinner, then this happened...
Uncle: Wow, you two have a teenage daughter now.
Dad: Actually, we had a teenage daughter a few years ago...we just didn't know it yet.
Some people go through a stage where they think they're gay/bi/whatever and they're not. It's hard to explain and I remember once being thoroughly convinced I was asexual.
Sexuality is really fluid, so I would not think it impossible to become un-attracted to someone, but I think it's more likely that either they were simply trying to get attention at one point, or they were in that really shallow "I'm totes ghey" stage.
Of course that is not to say that said stages are all that common, I don't really think they are, and I certainly don't think every gay person is like that (as some do).
Doctor Who reference in Pokemon B2W2? Headcanon accepted.
Considering it's a behavior (as is heterosexuality), yes, I think that it's possible for people to do so.
That said, you'll notice that in my statement (this one right right above this sentence) did I not state or even imply that coercing or forcing this sort of thing is acceptable. I have to make this condescending disclaimer because there is always at least one person who will fly off the handle at such a suggestion.
While the expression of sexuality is a behavior, orientation is not.
Like, for example, I could totally sleep with a chick hypothetically, just as a heterosexual man could sleep with a dude. But I would not enjoy it, nor could I feel any romantic feelings towards said hypothetical woman that I am sleeping with for some bizarre contrived hypothetical reason.
Ex-gay implies that a person has erased any attraction, physical or romantic, towards other men via some form of treatment, which as far as i am aware, has never really successfully been pulled off.
Comments
But yeah, loan words are funny things.
It's weird being a minority. I don't see the big deal.
I remember the first time it hit me "I'm in a minority group."
It was indeed weird.
Social pressures can't be fun to deal with.
/special snowflake
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
☭
B̤̺͍̰͕̺̠̕u҉̖͙̝̮͕̲ͅm̟̼̦̠̹̙p͡s̹͖ ̻T́h̗̫͈̙̩r̮e̴̩̺̖̠̭̜ͅa̛̪̟͍̣͎͖̺d͉̦͠s͕̞͚̲͍ ̲̬̹̤Y̻̤̱o̭͠u̥͉̥̜͡ ̴̥̪D̳̲̳̤o̴͙̘͓̤̟̗͇n̰̗̞̼̳͙͖͢'҉͖t̳͓̣͍̗̰ ͉W̝̳͓̼͜a̗͉̳͖̘̮n͕ͅt͚̟͚ ̸̺T̜̖̖̺͎̱ͅo̭̪̰̼̥̜ ̼͍̟̝R̝̹̮̭ͅͅe̡̗͇a͍̘̤͉͘d̼̜ 
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Some people go through a stage where they think they're gay/bi/whatever and they're not. It's hard to explain and I remember once being thoroughly convinced I was asexual.
Sexuality is really fluid, so I would not think it impossible to become un-attracted to someone, but I think it's more likely that either they were simply trying to get attention at one point, or they were in that really shallow "I'm totes ghey" stage.
Of course that is not to say that said stages are all that common, I don't really think they are, and I certainly don't think every gay person is like that (as some do).
Considering it's a behavior (as is heterosexuality), yes, I think that it's possible for people to do so.
That said, you'll notice that in my statement (this one right right above this sentence) did I not state or even imply that coercing or forcing this sort of thing is acceptable. I have to make this condescending disclaimer because there is always at least one person who will fly off the handle at such a suggestion.