The LGBT+ issue is one of the most controversial issues and the one that raises the greatest reactions in those who immerse themselves in a conversation or debate about it. This matter should not be open to discussion, since they try, from the utmost ignorance, to question the individual conditions of each person to obtain an answer according to experience and beliefs.
It is evident that reflection is only carried out when dealing with dissident orientations, identities or expressions, excluding normative sexuality, which means that the difference, misunderstood, and discrimination are accentuated, creating gaps between people. In fact, there is a high rate of people who have a negative perception of LGBT+ people and what they represent in society.
Are you in favor of LGBT+ reality and don’t know how to defend it? Don’t worry, in this article we show you 13 guidelines to explain what LGBT+ reality is to those who reject it in order to contribute to change and some very useful tools to achieve it.
Keys to take into account in your defense of the LGBT+ reality
- Homophobia or any type of negative speech or practice directed against the collective must be understood in order to put an end to it. It is known by many that this type of misunderstood phobia is limited to hatred, rejection or discrimination of people for reasons of orientation, identity or gender expression. However, the word phobia actually means fear or irrational fear. For this reason, anyone who uses this term to define their rejection of these realities loses the coherence and truth in their statements.
- You must understand that when a person rejects diversity, it is very difficult to produce a change, since it is strongly influenced by their beliefs and thoughts, which are also integrated into any area of their life. To begin, we propose some useful guidelines that you must take into account if you want to explain to someone the particularities of the group and try to make you reflect before continuing with your empty hatred.
Reflect on your knowledge and arguments
- Before trying to explain to someone what the LGBT+ community is and its consistency, you must deepen your knowledge and discover what you know and how far the information you possess reaches. It is very important, since with this you will know the scope you have and the fields that you must cover with information to build a solid argument without gaps that could subtract you in the eyes of homophobes.
- This is the first guideline that you should take into consideration to understand the exact point where you are and the direction in which you should go to expand your speech. Do not be afraid to admit that you lack the necessary information to offer a good defense and remember that there is always something new to learn, whatever the subject.
Find out and learn what you don’t know
As we have said, it is usual that we do not know everything about a particular subject, the appropriate thing is to identify the knowledge and expand it. This guideline, in addition to providing you with new information, will make you understand all the particularities of such a complex reality, such as LGBT+, and will make you gain enough confidence to defend it as you wish. Remember that information is power and it is the best tool to fight against critics of any cause.
Go to specialized sites if you have doubts
It is common for people to resort to websites to find out about anything, but, regarding the LGBT+ issue, the best thing to do is to go to specialized sites such as associations or theoretical articles that address the subject. We recommend the first option, since they will solve all your doubts and queries in a colloquial way and, in this way, you will avoid facing some quite complex theoretical writings.
Build a good argument and don’t leave any loose ends
- Once you have collected all the information you need, put it in order and structure it mentally or in writing to build an argument strong enough to defend your vision on any aspect related to the topic. The important thing is that you are able to defend your opinion or your ideas from any malicious attack and that there is no gap that offers an opportunity for detractors to perpetuate and impose their idea.
- In order to do so, there are many techniques, as we have mentioned, being the written form the one that works best to form a good argument. You can also do it mentally, but you run the risk of forgetting some details or not being able to make a connection between them. You don’t have to study or memorize everything, it simply consists of internalizing the contents and defending them in your own words.
Get to know your environment and their opinion about it
Once you have covered the field of information, you must pay attention to your environment and know the opinion, in a subtle way, about gender-sex diversity. With total security you will have located the people who have a negative vision of the subject, so you should inquire about the origin of their opinion and if their beliefs influence it.
It is quite easy to detect the origin, it is enough to pay attention to the arguments and the words used to refer to these people. For example, if they allude to hell or any biblical punishment, it will be a religious person.
Establish debates from a light-hearted perspective
Once the detractors are located, look for a way to bring up the subject in a soft way and in a situation in which the environment is the most prone to avoid unnecessary confrontations or discussions. Do not raise your tone, do not fall for provocations and do not get upset in your defense, if you manage to do this you will be on the right track to achieve the change you are looking for. Remember, you must be alert and constantly analyze all aspects of the conversation and speak at the right time so as not to provoke an awkward or negative situation that devalues your argument.
Study the reactions and anticipate them
Another good guideline is that during the conversation you know how to identify the reactions that your words cause to be able to shape the tone, content or the way in which you speak to achieve your goal. Also, being people from your environment, you will know their limitations and their reactions, so this guideline will be easier for you and you will know when it is time to intensify the information or withdraw.
Find a way to communicate without giving rise to other interpretations
You must build a story as you go based on your knowledge and the information you have on the subject, so you must always do it calmly. Learn to communicate with your own words and be very clear with what you say, since it could give rise to other interpretations.
People who show negative attitudes against the group usually have their ideas deeply rooted and it is not easy to make them reflect, so you should not err in your attempt to make them reflect and repeat, as many times as necessary, what has not been understood.
Set a clear goal that will cause a gap
Your goal is not to convince or impose your opinion over the rest, you simply have to seek individual reflection. In case of pretending that, you will be replicating the attitude of your interlocutor and you will not get anywhere.
You must locate those gaps in their argument and sow the seed of reflection so that it is he or she who questions their ideas. If you manage to do this, you will have achieved much more than through imposition.
Avoid confrontation
Avoiding confrontation at all costs should be your number one goal. It is quite evident that nothing is achieved through arguing and the effect you are looking for will have been diluted by the exchange of meaningless expletives. In addition, during a fervent conversation any reasoning is eliminated and you tend not to listen to the contrary, so the message is lost and it will develop a negative dynamic every time you talk about it.
Offer a period of reflection and do not rush to reopen the debate
- If the conversation has flowed from respect, calm and the exchange of ideas, the time has come to retire and offer your interlocutor a period to reflect on your talk. Do not rush to reopen the debate, let the other person look for you to continue and contribute those ideas that they have developed during this time.
- If a more than reasonable amount of time passes without you receiving a response or reply, bring it up again. To do this, we advise you to bring up the subject in a very subtle way and without it sounding forced, you can take advantage of any conversation and thread it with the subject or ask openly. In short, be yourself/whoever decides how, where and when to reopen the debate.
Analyze the results you have obtained
To understand the scope of your words, it is vital that you analyze the impact that your arguments have had on the other person. Do not pretend that they have changed overnight, what really matters are that changes are appreciated, however small they may be, in their speeches or thoughts.
Remember, the intention is not to manipulate anyone or convince anything, it is simply to present your point of view and open the way to reflection on those ideas you have about LGBT+.
Study new interventions or abandon the change
Once you have been able to verify the impact of your speech on the conversation about LGBT+ reality, it is time for a big decision. At this point you must decide whether to continue on this path or, on the contrary, abandon the change. We advise you not to throw in the towel the first time, since there will be people who find it more difficult to assimilate or think about the conversation you have had. Look for new forms of communication or ways in which your message is captured in a different and more effective way.
Tools to eliminate homophobia from people around you
As you have seen, there are some guidelines that you must take into account to explain to someone in your environment, who is homophobic, what is hidden behind the LGBT+ issue. For these to work and achieve the effect you are looking for, they must be supported by a series of tools. There are many to manage these complex conversations with which you can achieve the goals you have set for yourself. Pay attention:
Wisdom
Understand wisdom as the set of ideas, knowledge and information that you have and discover your limitations. Avoid sounding pushy and showing a haughty attitude that confuses your intentions and gives a distorted image. Remember, it is no longer known who knows, but who is capable of recognizing their ignorance and learning from it.
The word and the speech
The best tool in a discussion, debate or conversation of any kind is the word. You must prioritize it above all else and understand that there are some that you should not use. Use the appropriate ones and do not make the mistake of using a speech full of expletives or profanity.
Voice modulation
It is essential that you learn to control your tone and modulate your voice so that it is not interpreted as an attack or an imposition. If you are holding a debate on an incendiary topic, it is best to control your tone and not raise it, since an environment of tension will be generated that will overshadow the talk.
Calm and temperance
In the same way as with your voice, you must control your nerves and non-verbal communication, since they can lead you to an unwanted situation. If you allow your nerves to take over the conversation, they will generate a space of tension that will be captured and used against you. Use relaxation techniques to be able to defend your speech without anything clouding it.
Observation
During the debate it is necessary that you use observation as the main tool to adapt your interactions. Identify the reactions, attitude and non-verbal language of your interlocutor or interlocutor, and adapt to the changes.
Active listening
Active listening is another tool that will help you manage the situation and understand the other person’s thoughts and ideas. Likewise, it will help you to discover and identify those points on which you must influence to favor the appearance of reflection.
I respect
This point, more than a tool, is the maxim that you should follow in any conversation you have on any subject. Respect must be carried out at all points of a talk and must not be lost for any reason. Remember, respect others if you want to be respected.
Anticipation
This is one of the most useful tools we can give you in this matter. If during the conversation you maintain active listening and observation, you will be able to anticipate any argument that comes your way in the best way and you will be able to anticipate any reaction to your words.
Knowledge of the environment
You should not only know the space in which you move, but also the people with whom you interact. Understanding the sphere in which you move can give you some advantages and some guidelines to better manage any situation that comes your way.
Avoid persuasion and imposition
- Finally, making use of persuasive, convincing and imperative attitudes will only make you look like who you want to make people think. Remember that the reason for this conversation is not to convince or impose your opinion above the rest, but to provoke reflection and for that person to change on their own.
- If you want to explain what LGBT reality is to those who reject it, don’t forget to follow these guidelines and management tools. They are just some ideas that we believe can come from a fable if you want to carry it out.