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[–]Jinera 16 insightful - 2 fun16 insightful - 1 fun17 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

I am from the Netherlands, which I consider to be one of the most accepting countries when it comes to homosexuality.

From my own family I haven't encountered any homophobia - at worst, my dad believes femme lesbians do not really exist and they'll all end up with a man. Basically to him, if you look feminine then you cannot be a real lesbian.

When I came out I went to a non-religious high school, in my city there's a christian high school and a non-religious one. All of the muslims in my city go to the non-religious one. I did get a lot of nasty comments about my sexuality there, about how it's unnatural and a disease. But no real violence.

When I changed to go to the christian high school all of that stopped, they were very accepting.

My ex was pakistani (living in the UK) and came from a conservative muslim family, she dealt with a lot of homophobia. This also opened my eyes to the fact that most muslims in my country will not accept me, and judge me. I mean, I know most of them already do not like white girls (white girls are sluts according to a lot of them - the older generation at least, but I also know that a large part of the younger generation believes this. Girls aren't allowed to befriend white girls, and boys will date white girls to have some fun before settling down to marry), let alone a lesbian one haha! So whenever I walk around in cities with a lot of immigrants, like Rotterdam or Amsterdam, hand in hand with a girl I do get stared at, or get called names.

Ironically, when I was in brazil a year ago for three weeks, this did not happen. Not in Rio (where I can imagine the general population to be more accepting due to exposure to tourists and easier access to education), but also in the small city that my ex lived in over an hour away (the "lesbians date women all over the world" is very much true for me lol). I could walk hand in hand and no one would say a thing, or stare at us at all. I felt completely normal. (on another note, it was also the first time I could walk around in short dresses without a single man cat calling me in my entire life!! I did have a man coming up to me to ask me if I could do a photoshoot for him, he was a legit photographer, but that just felt flattering).

I also lived in the biblebelt for a couple of months, but I didn't receive any hatred there either. Most of them will probably be against gay marriage, but they really won't bother you about it if you're an outsider from the community.

Last week I was walking my date (girlfriend?) from the metrostation to my home. I live in a small city, and it was only a short walk. We held hands, because I love holding hands - it's intimate without taking energy, and it allows me to show off my date/girlfriend in an appropriate way. In the five minute walk I felt very unsafe, people kept staring and I was anxious they would say something or bother us. Especially young men walking in groups together - it scares me. My date is Moroccan, and I know people will think of her as a traitor for dating a white girl and for dating a girl in general. I felt so uncomfortable, that made me realise that, yes, we do still face discrimination. I don't think a single heterosexual couple is genuinely scared to get bothered just for holding hands while walking outside.

[–]lovelyspearmint 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It's awful to hear that you can't even hold hands when walking outside. On a single hour long visit to a mall, I saw four or five different straight couples making out (kissing vigorously) and everyone just quietly moved around them, not even batting an eye, and yet people stare if the same sex are holding hands. I'll also mention I'm from a western country and while they like think they're liberal, it's in fact quite conservative and deeply racist (from my experience of speaking another language outside of my home).

[–]SailorMoon2020 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I don't think a single heterosexual couple is genuinely scared to get bothered just for holding hands while walking outside.

Interracial heterosexual couples are depending on location and demographic, and history of that location, same for monoracial minority couples. I think this can also play for Interracial lesbian couples.

I was on this one forum and this black woman was talking about how she wouldn't date a Mexican woman in Compton. Apparently the division is so big between black people and Hispanics, that many Interracial couples have gotten assaulted. Many others vouched her encounter who were from CA.

Quite surprised you would say the above because many girls like your date have been raped and even killed for dating white men.

[–]PeanutAllergy 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

yeah that's true. But I think what she meant is that no one will ever harass a couple for being heterosexual, it's completely unheard of. Of course there are other reasons people will harass couples.