Quote of the Day

[Content Note: Homophobia; heterocentrism.]

"Who wants to go talking about sexual orientation when they're working? Good grief."—Republican Representative from Texas and well-known asshole Louie Gohmert, in response to being asked by ThinkProgress if he supports ENDA.

THINKPROGRESS: Where do you stand on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act?

GOHMERT: I'm not aware of exactly which one you're talking about

THINKPROGRESS: It would protect LGBT workers from being fired due to their sexual orientation.

GOHMERT: Who wants to go talking about sexual orientation when they're working? Good grief.

Um, basically everyone who feels safe doing so? Every single person ever who talks about their husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, fiancée, partner, kids, pregnancy, wedding, anniversary, divorce, date last night, one-night stand, the Christian Mingle dating profile they just set up, the birth control they're currently using, the STD they got from that douchebag, the ex who just friended them on Facebook, why they don't talk to their homophobic parents anymore, the cost of their fertility treatments, the crush they have on Alexander Skarsgard, how excited they are their state legislature just legalized same-sex marriage because now they can marry the person they've been with for 12 years, how they are tired of The Gays shoving their lifestyles in their children's faces, when they first came out, whether the company insurance covers same-sex partners, how it costs so much to cover their spouse and kids on the company insurance; every single person who puts a family photo, or a photo of their partner(s), on their desk; every single person who answers the question "got any plans for the weekend?" or "did you do anything fun this weekend?" with "So-and-so and I are..." because your coworkers know that So-and-so is your partner and you do things together; all of those people are obliquely "talking about sexual orientation when they're working."

(Or are assumed to be, even if, say, bisexuality or asexuality might get elided in casual conversations about partners.)

The reason it's possible to think of that otherwise is because straight privilege is so pervasive that anything about (presumably) heterosexual relationships is construed to be about "life," whereas anything about (presumably) homosexual relationships is construed to be be about "lifestyle."

And because dipshits like Louie Gohmert think that sexual orientation is just about sex.