Is the skydiving community gay friendly?

[LisaH 0]

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Hate to tell you this Lisa, but your avatar is broken: There is no cow in it.

My udders needed air.

Be yourself!
MooOOooOoo

[Bolas 5]

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But at least you didn't have to put up with comments about how you and your ilk should be killed.

Are you sure they were not joking, I mean c'mon is not like you're a lawyer or something...

Everyone gets bashed. We're equal opportunity offenders.

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Here's how it sits with me. I'll jump with you Friday afternoon and have a blast and then at the end of the day, go and grab a beer and sit around the fire with you.

20 minutes later, you're telling gay jokes and saying shit like you think all gays should be bashed.

The next morning, you're asking me to do a gear check.

Think about it.

Some people just haven't met any gay people and all they can go by is what they see on TV.

Mess with their heads some. Give them the gear check and say, "Yep, this homo thinks you're safe."

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[porpoishead 5]

they should move this thread to bonfire so we can spin the hell out of it!!

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

[ryoder 1,384]

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Some people just think they haven't met any gay people and all they can go by is what they see on TV.

Fixed it for you.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[ChickenSandwich 0]

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they should move this thread to bonfire so we can spin the hell out of it!!

I've been banned from the bonfire for calling out a moderator on her homophobic bullshit.

[ChickenSandwich 0]

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But at least you didn't have to put up with comments about how you and your ilk should be killed.

Are you sure they were not joking, I mean c'mon is not like you're a lawyer or something...

Everyone gets bashed. We're equal opportunity offenders.

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Here's how it sits with me. I'll jump with you Friday afternoon and have a blast and then at the end of the day, go and grab a beer and sit around the fire with you.

20 minutes later, you're telling gay jokes and saying shit like you think all gays should be bashed.

The next morning, you're asking me to do a gear check.

Think about it.

Some people just haven't met any gay people and all they can go by is what they see on TV.

Mess with their heads some. Give them the gear check and say, "Yep, this homo thinks you're safe."

See, this is the kind of shit that gets the homophobes all frothy.



Here's the gay agenda:


Give us the same rights that straight people and couples have, including all governmental and societal rights that heterosexual people have.


There it is. In all its glory. No wanting to molest your kids, no promotion of homosexuality, none of that.

We just want to have the same rights that all of you have.


Is that really that hard to swallow?

[Andy9o8 0]

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Is that really that hard to swallow?

[ChickenSandwich 0]

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Is that really that hard to swallow?

Apparently you have a problem with that.

Why?

[shropshire 0]

Skydiving isn't gay friendly or hostile.. Individuals are.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Skyrad 0]

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I ask this because, as a gay man, I have always felt welcome but I've not felt a part of the family.

The reason for that is that its not a family. Its a common for new jumpers to feel that it is because you are sharing some of the most intense experiences of your life with new friends. But the skydiving community is simply a microcosim of society and as such has great people in it as well as scumbags who you wouldn't want as your 'brother'.
If you feel accepted then thats great. The only way you get to have family is if your born into one. Sometimes you have friends that are closer than family but the bottom line is you only get one of those and apart from your life partner or adopted children you don't get to choose them.
Good luck with the jumping, if you're accepted then that is all you can ask for.
As for the Gay jokes, well you only notice them because you are Gay (I think there is at least one other in this thread who maybe Gay also!) But that aside, if you were a Muslim you'd notice all the Muslim jokes, the same if you were black or Jewish. Look on the bright side at least you're not black jewish and Gay! People will always make jokes about everyone they can put in a catagory. As someone who cops jokes about being English, being a Paki, being Muslim, being an Arab all I can say is don't take it personally.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[Skyrad 0]

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oh snap!!!!


well unless it's really cold outside it's more or less like a gripper

Umm...Dude?

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[diablopilot 2]

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thanks but, like i said . there are very few people in this sport who know i'm gay. they don't make gay jokes and they don't tolerate them, either.


i'm talking about the general 'around the fire' bullshit. gays get thrown under the bus constantly. women don't because there are women skydivers. jews don't because there are jewish skydivers.

but for whatever reason, it's still ok to to throw gays under the bus, even though there are gay skydivers.


is this community really that exclusive?

I really struggle to see how your sexuality affects how you fall through the air. It doesn't make a hill of beans difference to me, I'll skydive with ya.
As to the "around the fire' bullshit", I'd suggest you're hearing it the way you want, as I've heard EVERYONE get thrown under the bus.

Welcome to LIFE. I'm not saying it's right, but if you're thinking skydivers are going to any different than what you might find at the average bar, I think you're in for a surprise.

Look at mass media, movies, comics, etc. Women get bagged on, men get bagged on, blacks get bagged on, gays get bagged on, and white guys who wear glasses get bagged on.

FWIW I hate the term "gay" to describe a person's sexuality.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[mirage62 0]

At our dz, people give people shit, everyone get's "kicked" from time to time. Some take it better than others, some are more sensitive. Fat people, black people, Bush lovers......and save us all....gays. My point is EVERYONE. My advise give it as good as you take it. In other words if it really bugs you HIT back -hell it migt be good for you, OTOH if no one knows your gay they aren't attacking you - they are just actting borish. And I bet being human we ALL do that from time to time!

Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

[peregrinerose 0]

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I ask this because, as a gay man, I have always felt welcome but I've not felt a part of the family.


Perhaps this is from my own experiences in life and I'm bringing them with me, or it's from my own experiences in life and I'm seeing them once again.


I've never been targeted personally, but then again I've always had to tolerate gay jokes around the fire at night. I never spoke up because, growing up in the 70s, you learn not to show your hand. My guess is that with the exception of very, very few people in this sport, nobody would guess that I'm gay.


In my low-numbers experience, I've jumped at 6 dropzones in 3 states on both east and west coast. I have had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Yet this attitude that jokes can be made at the expense of gays is prevalent at all of them.


One thing that I am very happy to see is that the upcoming generation is, overall, so much more tolerant of alternative lifestyles than the past generations have ever been. They could care less if you are gay or straight. It's all about the person.


But that being said, as a gay man why should I continue to surround myself with people that think that my life is a joke?


Seriously, if I were to out myself at your dropzone, would you automatically not want to jump in the same plane I was in?


Perhaps I picked the wrong sport. And that makes me really sad.

Seriously... you need a much thicker skin. Skydivers bash everyone, women, gays, drunks, skydivers, republicans, democrats, people in general. We tend to dish it out, but we can take it well.

For a cabana boy contest one year, my husband was a gay cabana boy, it was hysterically funny, he was involved in all the other guys acts. Does that mean we hate gays? Not by a long shot. We make fun of and mock ourselves as much as the rest of the world. Learn to laugh at yourself, not just your orientation, but yourself in general. Learn that poking fun at the world does not mean hatred of the world. Relax. My husband and I would jump with you in a heartbeat and buy you a beer at the end of the day, just like we would any other friend. Nobody cares who you sleep with or who you find attractive, we all just want fun people to jump with.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[Andy9o8 0]

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Is that really that hard to swallow?

Apparently you have a problem with that.
Why?

Whoa. Problem with humor, there?

[shropshire 0]

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Is that really that hard to swallow?

Apparently you have a problem with that.
Why?

Whoa. Problem with humor, there?

That sort of humour just leaves a nasty taste

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Andy9o8 0]

Seriously, though, people need to feel comfortable in their own skin.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28527841/

[shropshire 0]

Indeed ... so you got/getting a pair?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Andrewwhyte 1]

I really think it depends where you are. I jumped for years close to Vancouver where gays tend to be more accepted than other parts of the country. We had a gay pilot, as well as at least one gay jumper that I know of. I am sure some people cared about that, but most of us didn't.
Now I live in Alberta which is, um, a little more conservative. No, an openly gay man would not be accepted here. The gay jokes around here are outright vicious. I doubt our competitor down the road would be any more accommodating.
You can expect to be accepted the same way you are accepted throughout the rest of society. Relatively few people will refuse to jump with you or be openly hostile, but a larger percentage will decline to invite you for dinner.

[rehmwa 2]

I think the whole idea of the "community" concept it pretty dumb, really. Some people expect skydivers to fit some personal stereotype they have about them. Look at all the outrage postings where people are actually surprised that not every skydiver is their brother and some of them, gasp, might even take advantage of them in selling gear, etc....

There are individuals in the activity. Each person has an outlook on all sorts of things. It can vary as much as the entire population and one needs to take people one at a time and appreciate them or not.

Tagging it as a community seems to expect a lot from any group.

Deal with the individuals and the 'groups' kinda take care of themselves.

edit: reading more of the thread, it sounds like you have a serious victim complex and would find issues in any group. Get over it.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[labrys 0]

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Perhaps I picked the wrong sport. And that makes me really sad.

It makes me sad that you wrote that.

You're going to hear gay jokes everywhere. Like it or not it's part of our culture. If bowling or golfing were your sport of choice you'd hear gay jokes and taunting at the lanes and on the course. As others have said, it isn't skydivers it's just people. And most of them are good people.

And most of the jokes are benign. I deal with them by dishing it right back. Most of the people making the jokes usually think twice if I raise an eyebrow and smile... but it took a while to get there.

If your primary focus at the DZ is just being a skydiver, then the other true "skydivers" at the DZ will come to see you as just that. This really isn't a sport for the thin-skinned though.

Owned by Remi #?

[freakyrat 1]

Steve

You DID NOT PICK THE WRONG SPORT. Yahoo has a sports group for gay and lesbian skydivers and here is it's url.

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/RainbowSkydivers/

No ones life is a joke. yours included Jokes are jokes so relax this is a fun lovin sport and I found that some of the best gay jokes are told by the gay skydivers themselves. Trust me I heard the funniest crap at the Boogie in Canada.

The Rainbow Boogie in Canada 2 years ago had a group of straight skydivers come up to jump with one of their fellow gay skydivers from their DZ. If that isn't gay friendly or friendly in general what is?

I've been around this sport for a long time and I can tell you the majority of the jumpers don't give a hoot about such a petty issue. Were all out to have fun and to do it safely. Frankly I'll jump with anybody as long as safety is first.

If you feel the need to talk futher PM me I can tell you some related jump stories.



Chris

[Amazon 7]

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But man-on-man sex?

You've got to be kidding me.

Hey I will take the video slot on that....

There is good money in that stuff man

[billvon 2,400]

>Seriously, if I were to out myself at your dropzone, would you
>automatically not want to jump in the same plane I was in?

I suspect there are people like that, but they are very much in the minority in skydiving. I also think you'd be surprised at how many gay skydivers there are. Many simply never come out to other people because there's no need to.

> Yet this attitude that jokes can be made at the expense of gays is
> prevalent at all of them.

I'd agree. But jokes are also made at the expense of blondes, women, freeflyers and DZO's. I don't think that indicates any systematic shunning of those groups.

[tigra 0]

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they should move this thread to bonfire so we can spin the hell out of it!!

I've been banned from the bonfire for calling out a moderator on her homophobic bullshit.

OK- 2 things. There are a**holes and intolerant people everywhere and skydiving is no different. I've heard some gay "jokes" told by guys who are trying to prove their own masculinity or something, but I have personally never heard comments about wanting all gay people dead around any bonfire. Although, I have to say some of the most offensive anti-gay comments I have seen or heard have been right here in this forum made by self proclaimed "Christians". Go figure.................

And regarding your bonfire thread- you started a thread with a definite negative slant against women, comparing all of us to money grabbing hos. You used an article on how the housing market is affecting divorce settlements to attempt to support that, but nothing in the article supported what you were trying to say. You were just ranting against women in general. I believe the moderator simply suggested that if you find women so distasteful and bad, that maybe men would be a better option for you. And apparently, they are.