Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Neverending coming out
You know what I dislike about being gay in my field? Coming out. Endlessly.I never make a big deal out of it, of course. It is always done "implicitly," where I will refer to Corbett and obviously use male pronouns. Generally, the person listening files that away into their mind, and remembers it when it is necessary. Sometimes, though, there is a combination of a language barrier and a culture barrier, which makes the whole event more complicated.
Case in point: I talked about Corbett at lunch on Monday, and the professor here and I discussed the separation issue and all that. Wednesday however, it became clear that I was talking about a man and not a woman, causing me to be asked explicitly, "Are you a homosexual?" and then having a mildly odd conversation. (Just to note, Korea is not the place to live if you're gay, but then again, the US is one of the few places where it is most accepted to be openly gay.) The professor also said, "So I guess you're not Christian!"* He is, apparently, and while I don't think my lifestyle has made him think less of me, or anything, the rest of lunch felt a little odd. Of course, he still did continue to ask more details about Corbett, so I shouldn't complain. I imagine that whatever he thinks personally, he realizes that it is an unimportant aspect to my life as far as he is concerned. I say this because my physics work is independent of my personal life.
In the end though, I am constantly aware of these types of moments, and although I know that the majority of people are at most indifferent to it, I always wonder what will happen when I find that one hateful Prop-8 supporter, and whether or not I will snap.
-----
* - I take offense to this, actually, as one can be Christian and gay. Unfortunately, I am not a Christian, but that is not because I'm gay, it's in addition to being gay
by Topher at 7:51 PM |
10 Comments:
Do people actually say "Are you a homosexual?" Like, they don't just say "are you gay?" That's weird to me, somehow.
Also, on a completely unrelated note, I'll be making Corbett's mom's stuffing recipe (courtesy of Laurie) for the 8 members of Matt's family we're hosting for Thanksgiving. It had better be good. Or watch out, Corbett's mom.
Yes, it seemed weird to me too. No one has ever asked me if I was a homosexual. It almost has the same effect as asking, "Is he a negro?"
And lol, how does Laurie have my mom's stuffing recipe?!?!? I don't even have it myself: each year, Thanksgiving rolls around and in a moment of panic I call my mom and ask her how to make it again. I suppose writing the recipe down would solve the problem. It is DELICIOUS, though! I think the trick is in the green onions, the thyme, and in not using the crusts, even though it's wasteful. I may need to ask Laurie for the recipe myself...
Most people do not say that...I think it was said in this case because the person in question is Korean, so I don't normally hear that...Usually it's the "Are you gay?" question.
And Corbett, I remember you writing down the recipe for Laurie....you really need to write it down for yourself :)
(we have to get a turkey, btw)
Wow, I am a complete basketcase sometimes. I just searched my computer and found my own typed recipe, which gives all the ingredients and directions in great detail. Warning to Melinda! (and Laurie): After rereading this I feel that the spice measurements might be for a bigger batch. You may want to use half the amount of spices and add more to taste to make sure that it's not too overpowering.
Ok, so I'm making a double batch. Does that mean I should double everything EXCEPT the spices? How big of a casserole dish would you use for a single recipe, usually?
And am I really using 4 lbs of bread???
Melinda, you are asking someone who doesn't even remember WRITING the recipe. I suppose if you are using a 2 lb loaf, that's a pretty big batch.
Here's the deal: I always make this by putting a dollop of each spice (I use dry) on my palm, because my mother is ethically opposed to measuring anything, and that's how I learned it. Upon rereading the recipe, however, I realize that a "handful" of sage is not quite a Tablespoon, more like 2 teaspoons, and "a little sprinkling" of garlic powder is frustratingly imprecise. None of this is an exact science, so I couldn't really see you ruining it (although now that other people are making this I suddenly feel a great burden on my shoulders). Just season it until it tastes good and not too herby.
Needless to say, I probably shouldn't write any cookbooks any time soon.
Wait, you're a gay?
I think my new favorite word is "herby."
What is it about a Korean man saying "Are you a homosexual" that makes people think of stuffing?
Is that supposed to be a set up for a bad "kinky gay asian sex" joke?
Post a Comment
<< Home