Jada Pinkett-Smith makes arguably unenlightened statements...

[John Doe]

At Harvard. They were deemed "heteronormative" by the LGBTSA.

Harvard Crimson

Discuss.

 

[lizzybit26]

What the fuck?

I don't understand how a woman in a heterosexual relationship could give advice on maintaining a gay/bisexual/transgendered relationship?

I don't understand 'the offense' nor the reason people are 'offended'/

 

[John Doe]

I don't understand how a woman in a heterosexual relationship could give advice on maintaining a gay/bisexual/transgendered relationship?

I don't understand 'the offense' nor the reason people are 'offended'/

That was my first reaction as well. I can only speculate that they assumed she was addressing the entire audience or that she was deliberately ignoring them. I believe she was speaking from her point of view: a heterosexul in a heterosexual relationship and that those who do not fit that description could either ignore the "heternormative" comments or draw parallels that will allow them in some way to benefit from the comments. Or just point and cackle. "Silly breeder, Trix are for kids!" Or something. BTW, anyone else find that rabbit incredibly sexy?

And many people seem to forget that the overarching purpose of a speech is quite often to get the audience to see things from the speaker's point of view, not vice versa.

In other words, I think thy're a little too sensitive. Which is not to say that I disbelieve heternormative theory or do not sympthathize with those in the GLBDTSMAgenderqueerTrekker community, just that in this case they are overreacting a tad. [/stream-of-consciousness]

 

[BitterIchor]

I don't agree with what Jada Pinkett Smith said, but demanding an apology is stupid. She is entitled to her opinions just like everyone else. Many GLBT organisations are, if you all will excuse me for saying so, whiners. It's like they sit around and just wait for someone to say something that could be interpeted as anti-gay and then pounces. I don't think this is a sensible approach. We should concentrate on the important issues instead of making a fuss about every little thing that we hear about.

 

[Queersetti]

I don't think the article gives enough info to judge whether od not her remarks were offensive. It doesn't seem so from the info given, but without context, who knows?

As for taking offense at heteronormative remarks, I think every gay person who has ever been asked when they were going to meet a nice member of the opposite sex and settle down understands that feeling.

 

[pa-guy]

Hey Bitter,
I think that holds true for almost all groups who hold a minority view or who claim to represent a minority group.

 

[Harrowborg]

Seems strange coming from an "actress" whose only career highlight I can remember off the top of my head was a certain "lesbian" kiss from the Matrix video game.

 

[onceburned]

“Our position is that the comments weren’t homophobic, but the content was specific to male-female relationships,” Woods said.

She wasn't attacking or slighting anyone in the GLBT community. I think most adults can mentally shift the pronouns to cover either a heteosexual or homosexual relationship, as the case may be.

I don't think there is any controversy in this story. But I am thinking that some Harvard students have misdirected idealism which could be better employed working to correct real problems.

 

[John Doe]

I don't think the article gives enough info to judge whether od not her remarks were offensive. It doesn't seem so from the info given, but without context, who knows?

As for taking offense at heteronormative remarks, I think every gay person who has ever been asked when they were going to meet a nice member of the opposite sex and settle down understands that feeling.

Dammit, stop being so damned intelligent and jump to a conclusion already!

Seriously though, I'll google and see what I can find, though we may need to wait until more information is released.

If ever.

 

[John Doe]

She wasn't attacking or slighting anyone in the GLBT community. I think most adults can mentally shift the pronouns to cover either a heteosexual or homosexual relationship, as the case may be.

Well, that's a whole 'nother debate: whether college students should be considered adults.

 

[MintSoda]

She's a married heterosexual woman, and she was speaking from the relationship standpoint of a married heterosexual woman. Honestly I don't think I've ever heard a married hetero woman speak about relationships from any standpoint but their own. I doubt she knows thing one about how to maintaine a long term homosexual relationship other than all relationships will share certain fundamental similarities.

I have a hard time being offended by this because I don't really care to hear her thoughts on homosexual relationships, because she's never been in one. I think it was better that she spoke only from her own personal experience and didn't try to make estimations or offer advice about something she isn't familiar with.

 

[SensualMan]

What comments?

How does anyone on this thread know what she said? The linked story in the first post didn't contain any of her speech, let alone the full text. Unless anyone took the time to search the internet for the text of the speech, you are relying solely on this article as your source of information about what she said. Typical American fashion though....just read a short article and assume you know what you are talking about. Don't bother taking the time looking for yourself and forming an educated opinion.

 

[John Doe]

How does anyone on this thread know what she said? The linked story in the first post didn't contain any of her speech, let alone the full text. Unless anyone took the time to search the internet for the text of the speech, you are relying solely on this article as your source of information about what she said. Typical American fashion though....just read a short article and assume you know what you are talking about. Don't bother taking the time looking for yourself and forming an educated opinion.

Excellent point, though I felt the nationalist comment unnecessary.

 

[SensualMan]

Nationalist...

I am sorry if anyone took that the wrong way...I am a die hard, flag waving, proud American...and part of that means being honest about things. Our population for the most part is politically ignorant and seem to enjoy being that way. They watch a 30 minute news program and think they have educated themselves on the wide variety of political issues that matter these days. They can't be bothered to read a book or maybe do a little more research. We're lazy on average and it shows in the schools as well as the polls.

 

[John Doe]

I am sorry if anyone took that the wrong way...I am a die hard, flag waving, proud American...and part of that means being honest about things. Our population for the most part is politically ignorant and seem to enjoy being that way. They watch a 30 minute news program and think they have educated themselves on the wide variety of political issues that matter these days. They can't be bothered to read a book or maybe do a little more research. We're lazy on average and it shows in the schools as well as the polls.

And it shows a lot of other places. We've gotten soft IMO.

But anyway, thanks for the clarification.