Mike Airhart was the founding editor of Ex-Gay Watch, until he left in 2007. He has returned as a contributing writer. He is a project manager and data scientist for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and an interfaith advocate, living near Phoenix, Arizona.
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Dear Duke,
Gay bashing and homophobia can sometimes seem to the heterosexual mind as being “a normal reaction” or just “boys will be boys”.
Often, however, it is indicative of a mindset that distinguishes between people based on groups. It says that heterosexuals are more valuable than gays.
The type of mind that sees gays as less-than can also see women as less-than or black people as less-than. So a rape of a black woman may not be that big of a deal to the type of guy who would (with two friends helping) beat up some gay man. Bigots, especially violent bigots, tend not to be so very exclusive about whom they hate or attack.
That is a lesson that has been demonstrated on your campus recently. If, indeed, the accused are guilty, you can’t exactly say you shouldn’t have seen it coming. Or that these were all “really good guys”.
No, at least one of them has a history of attacking a person because of his sexual orientation and that should have been a warning sign to you.
That is, if you don’t think of gay bashing as “a natural reaction” or just “boys will be boys”.