Meta's decision to specifically allow users to call LGBTQ+ people "mentally ill" has sparked widespread backlash at the company.
    • floofloof@lemmy.caEnglish
      8·
      10 days ago

      Still, it’s good to see there are people there who won’t just go along with anything.

  • foggenbooty@lemmy.worldEnglish
    815·
    10 days ago

    Question, and this may not be the perfect place for this, but is it the phrasing that LGBTQ is a mental “illness” that’s the problem here, or that it’s a mental attribute at all?

    I’m an LGBT supporter, so I’m not coming at this from a place of malice, I suppose it’s curiosity and ignorance. Don’t we basically understand that the way we function as humans is all a part of our brain chemistry, and that certain deviations from the norm cause things like ADD, homosexuality, musical creativity, etc etc?

    The word illness seems way too strong, as we as a society have decided we don’t have anything against that personal trait/lifestyle/whatever, but as far as natural occurrences goes homosexuality must be considered a mental abnormality, no?

    Again I don’t want to get caught up in feelings here, because I think people will hear that and take offence to it since no one wants to be “abnormal” but that is the concensus is it not?

    • BabyVi@lemmy.worldEnglish
      282·
      10 days ago

      Other animals exhibit homosexuality, we’re the only species to exhibit homophobia. That should tell you all you need to know about which behavior is abnormal.

      • foggenbooty@lemmy.worldEnglish
        15·
        10 days ago

        Right, but those other animals do not exhibit homosexuality in high numbers. It’s still a small subset as far as I know, making it an abnormality that those animals simply don’t care about.

        This isn’t about homophobia, I’ve already stated that I’m pro LGBT, it’s about the meaning of words and understanding if a lot of the backlash is due to the perception of the words or the meaning of the words. I also agree that illness is a negative word that implies a correction is needed and I do not support it.

          • foggenbooty@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            9 days ago

            Fair. It comes down to which definition of abnormal you jump to. Merriam Webster gives two possible definitons:

            1. deviating from the normal or average
            2. often : unusual in an unwelcome or problematic way

            I always though of it as #1, but this whole thread has taught me that most others see it as #2, so it’s not the best word for me to use in this case.