Wow, a psychiatrist could certainly have a field day with this thread, eh?
Somehow I still arrive in the same place as JeanB. Religious songs are as old as time, thus the topic/topics within them seems to easily catagorize them as such.
But to suggest "keeping up with the times" as reason for creating a gay topical genre falls kinda flat with me. Should we include a genre for songs about fast cars or computers, oil perhaps? Bombs? Guns? Terrorism? Poverty?
In discussing why we have catagories separating male from female, I would suggest it's because they normally sound completely different. I can easily say I'm a heterosexual male, and I love to listen to female singer-songwriters, many of whom are gay. I love female vocals in general, they effect me emotionally. I can float along in mental imagery to the lyrics as though gay/straight is not an issue UNTIL the lyrics make it an issue. And it's then I'm *removed* from the song. Separation.

I see it similar to having either a Democrat *or* Republican genre for music, when in fact it only needs to be political. In essence it is creating a platform for what could be considered one side of an issue. Perhaps it is a "side" which has unjustly suffered from inequal treatment, yet I feel the cause should be equal treatment, rather than that of being gay.

Blatant and crude as Graham's posts may have been, he expressed his thoughts on certain sexual acts. The truth would reveal that most any heterosexual man feels the same way towards such, yet we normally try to be respectable towards others in this new world of greater sensitivity. The modern twist to being respectable, however, might be that it's perfectly politically acceptable for somebody to trounce upon Graham, call him every name in the book, simply for expressing himself, while at the same time discussing a new genre and avenue for the creative expression for people who oppose those very thoughts. In a way it's suggesting: "Don't you dare make an issue about who I am or what I do, but please allow me the platform to make it a public concern". In a world desiring acceptance of each other neither side wins, it would seem.
It appears to me that in making gay music a genre, you are truly separating gays from the rest, and there's something about that which seems to be contrary to what I feel to be right.
But... it's up to the powers that be, and I hope I didn't offend anyone. Certainly not intended.
-Gary






[This message has been edited by TheCiscoKid (edited 10-23-2003).]