Homosexuality and training

[tshadowchaser]

I have taught people that where gay and others I suspected where and it really did not matter to me as long as it did not interfear with what was happening on the floor of my school. If the student worked out had and paid attention to what was being taught that was all I asked.
I may have a different out look of the people who walk onto my floor but I look on all of them as students and try not to judge them by their hairstyle ( and have i seen some wild one), their tatoos, their religion, or any thing else. they are students that it.
Now the point was brought up about hiv testing and my answere is if everyone in class is tested and only if everyone is tested. Just because someone looks stright and clean has no bearing on their ability to have any medical problem and it is not far to demand such testing of only one part of the class.

 

[Kacey]

BACK ON TOPIC..........
​

Wether or not anyone anywhere feels that homosexuality is right or wrong, sinful or not or feels it's inborn or chosen...it doesn't matter.

The Point is: Martial Arts training/study is good for EVERYONE.

IF one of my students opens up during class and says "HEY, I'm gay." I'd hope it'd do no more than raise a couple of eye-brows....simply for the fact that it has Nothing to do with the punches being thrown. ...and then I'd hope we'd just move on and I could ask them later to refrain from bringing up sexual, and all other non-martial arts related subjects, while in class.
IF anyone would quit because of a Gay martial artist in the class....then they are way too shallow for my class in the first place.

Pretty much it.

Your Brother
John

I agree - and as I said earlier, as an instructor, it is a non-issue for me, unless, somehow, it affects training - the way having both members of a couple sniping at each other in class can affect training, for instance, or friends having an argument that they bring into class, and so on. The genders of the people involved have nothing to do with it, only the disruption caused by them bringing a personal conflict into the dojang and allowing it to affect their training, at which point they would be asked to either leave it at the door, or exit through it.

 

[terryl965]

As I thought this would be a great topic, one that all of us no-matter what have a common ground in training in the Arts. I wish I have never ever brought this up.

Last thing If in any way some one gets offende by anybody I will apologies for them know, my thread my sorrow.
Terry

 

[Lisa]

As I thought this would be a great topic, one that all of us no-matter what have a common ground in training in the Arts. I wish I have never ever brought this up.

Last thing If in any way some one gets offende by anybody I will apologies for them know, my thread my sorrow.
Terry

No apology necessary, Terry. You are not responsible for others actions.

I think we should look at the person not their sexual orientation. Like you originally said, Martial Arts can be a way for every single person to find common ground.

 

[IcemanSK]

Having a gay instructor or student has as much bearing on their MA abilty (& therefore reason for being in the class) as their eye color. If someone is flaunting their sexuality in class (be it straight or gay) then THAT is the only issue that would need to be dealt with. If someone is coming onto someone in an unwelcome manner, THAT is the issue to deal with. The sexual preference of the person isn't the issue.

 

[Makalakumu]

If someone is flaunting their sexuality in class (be it straight or gay) then THAT is the only issue that would need to be dealt with. If someone is coming onto someone in an unwelcome manner, THAT is the issue to deal with.

Whether you are gay or straight, THAT is sexual harrassment. A well run dojo should have policies in place that objectively deal with this with all people.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Personally I think a good teacher can...and should...keep the class focused through nearly any kind of distraction.

I couldn't agree more.

Whether you are gay or straight, THAT is sexual harrassment. A well run dojo should have policies in place that objectively deal with this with all people.

Again I agree totally with that.

 

[IcemanSK]

Whether you are gay or straight, THAT is sexual harrassment. A well run dojo should have policies in place that objectively deal with this with all people.

Yes! Exactly.

 

[tkd_jen]

We have a gay guy that trains with us. The other not gay guys do not act any differently toward him, they don't shy away from him as a training partner. He shows up, works hard, that's it, enough for us.

 

[DeLamar.J]

In another post a member mention about being gay and if the training is any difference, well I have been training a gay guy for over a year and until today I had no ideal he was. Does this change our regular workout no, he is a tremendous addition to our school and is loved by all, he puts more time in training and has earned respect from me over the last year, weather or not he is or is not he has become a fine individual and a valiant student. He helps with the under belts and give so much back to the school that I could never return. I believe Martial Arts is a way for every single person to have a common ground and I personally hope he stays for a long time.
Terry

I feel that a persons sexual preference should not be impacting other peoples opinions of them, but unforntunately it does. Most people have this need to lable everything, which keeps them from enjoying variety, the spice of life.

 

[Edmund BlackAdder]

Being gay is not being human.

This has got to be the most bigoted, ignorant, and flat out insulting statement I have read on a forum in a while, and I have read some excellent examples of cranial-rectal inversion.

Please, change that to "Being black is not being human." or "Being jewish is not being human.", and see just how much grief you will take as a result.

Being "Gay" shouldn't matter, any more than race, creed, or the number of toes one has when training. I have no problems training with any of them. A shame more schools and instructors aren't as accepting as an opinionated jackass such as myself, and instead continue to promote antiquated dogma founded on disinformation, miseducation and simply bigotry.

 

[Edmund BlackAdder]

In another post a member mention about being gay and if the training is any difference, well I have been training a gay guy for over a year and until today I had no ideal he was. Does this change our regular workout no, he is a tremendous addition to our school and is loved by all, he puts more time in training and has earned respect from me over the last year, weather or not he is or is not he has become a fine individual and a valiant student. He helps with the under belts and give so much back to the school that I could never return. I believe Martial Arts is a way for every single person to have a common ground and I personally hope he stays for a long time.
Terry

Sorry about the previous post. It annoyed me.
Looking at the OP, I can answer.

"Does this change your regular workout"?
No. No more than it would if I found out they were Polish, Jewish or Klingon.
(Ok, maybe if he was Klingon it would, but only because he might carry more blades than me.)

A work out is a work out. You share good techniques, you work up a sweat, you take proper precautions for safety.

"What about aids?"
Well, what about it? What about Hepatitis? That's more likely.
Ring Worm? More likely.

 

[Robert Lee]

This has got to be the most bigoted, ignorant, and flat out insulting statement I have read on a forum in a while, and I have read some excellent examples of cranial-rectal inversion.

Please, change that to "Being black is not being human." or "Being jewish is not being human.", and see just how much grief you will take as a result.

Being "Gay" shouldn't matter, any more than race, creed, or the number of toes one has when training. I have no problems training with any of them. A shame more schools and instructors aren't as accepting as an opinionated jackass such as myself, and instead continue to promote antiquated dogma founded on disinformation, miseducation and simply bigotry.

That statement has been taken the wrong way. It is meant to mean Being gay does not mean you are not human It said being gay is not being human. Its not its just being gay. every person is a human being gay or not ThatsNot anyway towards a belief I would ever Believe. I should have read over that post befor I posted it. I just came back and saw how it read out of context. Like I said it was meant to show A gay person is still a person. And I want to set this straight I never meant for that to be taken like it has. . Now back to the thread. Its more in line now And its been said now that in a class basicly there are people not race not sexual preferance. Not faith. Its work out time. You train and Go on from there. Leave other things at the door. contact training Is my concern on safe training. I am not so dumb that I do not know That there a gay people in all sorts of lifes aspects and if one trains M/A it there right. I have had to fight the race issues in class years ago. That took some talking trying to make students Relize there is No color no different race I had several problem youths in A class and they were Brought up by there parents to think bad about other races. They told me this It took about 3 weeks to turn it around. I hope this clears up that I do see every person as part of the human race being anything different does not mean you are not human. We all live on this earth And I will teach any body As long as they show me I should teach them. I try to hand pick all my students And try to work with each and every one of them. To me a person is not more money to pay the bills when they come in and want to perhaps join the class. I want to know if they are ready for this type of training . Let them know there will be a time later where the contact level goes up. And i am just a guide that offers a way down a path that they have to learn well enough to walk alone. I work for them if I take them as a student. They hired me to help them train. I did not hire them. So I interview them And go from there An instructor works for the students. I hope mine get better then myself. and I never talk of out side related issues that put down other people. I should have never done this thread posting because it voiced aginst what some people live that do not bring harm to others. But I still think its wrong But It agin is not a hate or nothing like that issue. I would not try to tell any gay person what they do is wrong That would be forceing my belief on them. Its there personal life not mine.

 

[Brother John]

We have a gay guy that trains with us. The other not gay guys do not act any differently toward him, they don't shy away from him as a training partner. He shows up, works hard, that's it, enough for us.

I may not be understanding your right Jen, or maybe you mis-typed... but...

OK
You have one Gay Guy that trains with you, and the Other Gay Guys don't act any differently toward him???
Is your school predominantly homosexual??

Your Brother
John

 

[Cirdan]

I have had to fight the race issues in class years ago. That took some talking trying to make students Relize there is No color no different race I had several problem youths in A class and they were Brought up by there parents to think bad about other races. They told me this It took about 3 weeks to turn it around.

So it is ok in the Dojo to force the view that there is no different race on the students? Why stop there?
(edit) or did you mean you only teach them to respect each other in the dojo?
How is "thinking bad" about other races any different from viewing gay people as sinners anyway?

 

[Kacey]

That statement has been taken the wrong way. It is meant to mean Being gay does not mean you are not human It said being gay is not being human. Its not its just being gay. every person is a human being gay or not ThatsNot anyway towards a belief I would ever Believe. I should have read over that post befor I posted it. I just came back and saw how it read out of context. Like I said it was meant to show A gay person is still a person. And I want to set this straight I never meant for that to be taken like it has.

You're right - you should have reread it. However, while I, for myself, appreciate your statement that you did not proof your post sufficiently, I found the statement you refer to to be in keeping with the general attitude you have demonstrated.

Now back to the thread. Its more in line now And its been said now that in a class basicly there are people not race not sexual preferance. Not faith. Its work out time. You train and Go on from there. Leave other things at the door. contact training Is my concern on safe training.

A concern for the safety of your students in training is a good thing; however, basing that concern on inaccurate information (such as your apparent assumption that any random gay person who comes in has HIV/AIDS) demonstrates ignorance, at best, and blind prejudice at worst. Should you be concerned about the possibility of blood-borne disease? To an extent. If so, you should take precautions - but to catch HIV/AIDS from contact with blood, it has to enter your system in some fashion - injection, ingestion, or absorbtion through an open wound. I doubt any of your students would suck up spilled blood to inject into others, and I likewise doubt they're going to be licking up other people's blood and swallowing it (at least, I sincerely hope not!); that just leaves open, bleeding wounds that make contact with other open, bleeding wounds, left untreated. Are you saying that your class is so bloody that you have 2 students, at the same time, bleeding uncontrollably into each others' bloody wounds? If so, I sincerely hope that you, or someone else there during every class, has first aid training - and if not, someone had better get it really quickly... which will, by the way, lift some of your concerns, as any decent first aid class from the Red Cross or similar agency will clear up many of your misconceptions about how blood-borne illness are transmitted.

I am not so dumb that I do not know That there a gay people in all sorts of lifes aspects and if one trains M/A it there right. I have had to fight the race issues in class years ago. That took some talking trying to make students Relize there is No color no different race I had several problem youths in A class and they were Brought up by there parents to think bad about other races. They told me this It took about 3 weeks to turn it around. I hope this clears up that I do see every person as part of the human race being anything different does not mean you are not human.

So.... it's not okay to be racist, but it's okay to be homophobic? Are you teaching your students that, too?

We all live on this earth And I will teach any body As long as they show me I should teach them. I try to hand pick all my students And try to work with each and every one of them.

What criteria do you use to 'hand pick' your students? What do you look for? What would cause you to reject a student? And if you think a student is homosexual, what would you do? Does it matter if the homosexual is male or female?

To me a person is not more money to pay the bills when they come in and want to perhaps join the class. I want to know if they are ready for this type of training . Let them know there will be a time later where the contact level goes up. And i am just a guide that offers a way down a path that they have to learn well enough to walk alone. I work for them if I take them as a student. They hired me to help them train. I did not hire them. So I interview them And go from there An instructor works for the students. I hope mine get better then myself. and I never talk of out side related issues that put down other people. I should have never done this thread posting because it voiced aginst what some people live that do not bring harm to others. But I still think its wrong But It agin is not a hate or nothing like that issue. I would not try to tell any gay person what they do is wrong That would be forceing my belief on them. Its there personal life not mine.

The attitude you state here is a good one... except for the attitude you stated when you asked this question in the first place. For your own sake, as well as your students' sake, you need to take a class in first aid, and get rational, objective information about the risk levels and transmission methods of common diseases. If you are truly concerned about yourself or your students contracting HIV/AIDS, then you need to properly understand the risks and ways to reduce them - not ways to single out students because they are members of a group that are at a higher risk for the illness in question. Simply because a person is homosexual does not mean that they have HIV/AIDS; increased risk does not mean a guarantee. But if you truly believe that "I would not try to tell any gay person what they do is wrong" then you cannot treat those students any differently than any other student; otherwise, you are doing just that.

 

[celtic_crippler]

That statement has been taken the wrong way. It is meant to mean Being gay does not mean you are not human It said being gay is not being human. Its not its just being gay.

Make up your mind already! LMAO. Are they human or not? WTF?!?!? Dude, you should stop while you're behind.

Personally, I would love to train with a Klingon 'cause they're so hardcore. That would be cool. Even if it was a gay Klingon! LOL.

 

[MardiGras Bandit]

For the straight guys: Would you train at a predominatley gay school, and how do you think it would affect training?

 

[Makalakumu]

For the straight guys: Would you train at a predominatley gay school, and how do you think it would affect training?

If they were doing something that I was interested in, then I would train with them. Then, afterward, I'd probably go out for a beer...

 

[AceHBK]

So.... it's not okay to be racist, but it's okay to be homophobic? Are you teaching your students that, too?

Does it matter if the homosexual is male or female?

In todays society funny thing is, that is true. It isnt ok to be racist but it is ok to be homophobic. A lot of men and women are this way.

In the world today homosexuality is a double standard. People are more willing to accept a lesbian than they are to accept a gay man. Does it make it right, no. Is that how things usually work b/c of the double standard? Yes.