Re: Homophobia (Was: Oh by the way)

[saryfaery@aol.com (SaryFaery)]

I just want to say Kim and Will are not the only people that felt that whole
 line of posts was homophobic.  

I was very young when HOL came out (12).  I had no idea about the "real"
 meaning behind the song.  That did not stop it from being completely special
 to me. 

 Cloudbusting was always about growing up and finding strength in yourself to
 me.  Who is doing the finding and growing doesn't really matter does it? 

 I was extremely poor at that time in my life and very alone.  I listened to
 that song over and over, and the line, "your son's coming out" just felt
 optimistic to me.  

To me it was always about being able to deal with rough things in life, even
 when the most horrible situation is presented to you.  It was always about a
 child remembering and missing a parent to me. 
 If I interpret it as being about want, need, and poverty, what's wrong with
 someone else interpreting it about someone who is gay coming out?

Even though Kate wrote the song with a specific voice in mind, it doesn't mean
 that story is the only story.  It's the IDEAS that are universal.  It's the
 experience of the way that person FELT.  What caused him to feel that way
 isn't necessary to know.  The fact is many people feel the song is special
 because of the way the song makes you feel emotionally.  This is what connects
 us as human beings.  Our life experiences and situations  may be different,
 but we FEEL things similarly.  Storytelling is useful and touching when it
 touches us beyond the level of the story.  

Sary