http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/fashion/so-you-think-your-...
"My sister has been dating her boyfriend for two years. They live together and seem mostly happy. And I am happy for them, except for one thing: I am about 99 percent sure he is gay. Now, I have no problem with homosexuality, but you can understand my concern. Also, I am not the only one who thinks this. Several male friends have told me that he has tried to kiss other men or grab their crotches. I would like to bring this up with my sister. How should I do it?
Michelle, New York"
The response:
"Request denied! Before you say anything hurtful to your sister, let’s take a peek at some of the (homophobic-adjacent) assumptions that you’ve made on your (probably well-intentioned) road to judgment. Your 99 percent certainty rests on unknown evidence. (Spare me your gaydar.) But I am willing to bet that much of it involves silly stereotypes about masculinity. Is the boyfriend effeminate? Does he follow fashion or musical theater? News flash: He can still be straight."
"More problematic is the “gay panic” of your male friends, whose gossipy stories may rely on secondhand reports from still other men. Not so reliable. What’s more, I don’t buy it. Gay men and lesbians have long been, and often still are, a persecuted minority. (Have you seen the excellent film “Carol” yet?) The idea that a gay man could blithely and repeatedly “grab the crotches” of his straight cohorts is absurd. There would be consequences."
This story was linked on the front page of the NY Times this morning. I may be completely uncalibrated and out of touch with modern values and sensitivities. But I don't think I am. So I'm curious: Does anyone else see anything a little odd about this piece?