Hey Mark!

For the good lawyers answer, I am going to try muddy the waters~

I think it is a matter of degree. If someone "freaks out" seeing gay porn, well, then that tells me they have some phobia lurking. It is one thing to be uncomfortable seeing something, but "freaking out" is usually a stronger, fear-based reaction.

My opinion is that emotions come from 4 base emotions, like colors come from 3 basic colors. The 4 base emotions I identified are :mad glad, sad, and scared. You can get every emotion by blending those 4. "Uncomfortable" is usually a low-grade fear. I am uncomfortable seeing straight porn because there might be some grody-looking pussy and that thought scares me a little. I am not scared much, but I would avoid it if I could. If the thought of seeing pussy scares me so much I leave the room when I see a straight porn movie, then I have a lot of fear. It takes more fear to make me take that action [leaving the room].

If you have friends that react noticeably to seeing gay porn, then there is some emotion that is driving them to that reaction. It could just be that they are afraid that if they DON'T freak out you will think they are gay! Another alternative is that they really are afraid of all things gay; either way they could use some reassurance. Ask them how they think YOU should react seeing straight porn--If you acted the same way, would they think you are a little overboard?? More than likely, they just don't know that they are going too far in proving that they aren't gay. First, there is no need to PROVE their masculinity to you and second, what the hell is wrong with being gay???

I would call them on it the next time you see that kind of behaviour!Ask why the fear of a movie, and what is so bad about being gay? You very well could get the response "I am OK with you, it is those other fags that freak me out". That means you have some educating to do!! Straight guys tend to over-estimate their attractiveness to gay men--they think they will get hit on by a gay man and that would somehow damage their masculinity. You can remind them [it will take time] that they ain't that attractive and that there are so many willing gay men out there why bother striking out with a straight one??

Straight guy Psychology is such an elusive study~



:wacko: