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Mar. 16th, 2008 03:31 amAhahaha. This may be another situation where one finds tokens in the same way one finds them on a certain server.
Why in the Bastard's hell do people use the word "lifestyle" to mean "not straight"?
When I think "lifestyle", I think ... I'm not sure what I think. I think "Lifestyles of the rich and famous." I think of it as something that one can change at will, or something that can be changed with the help of a fashion consultant or with a change in income.
I don't think of it as a sexual preference. An expression of sexual preference, sure. I can be living a "lifestyle" where I'm getting it with somebody different every night, with bars usually involved. I can have a "lifestyle" like Hugh Hefner. But to say, "I don't approve of your lifestyle, but it's your choice," to one's single (and not getting any) gay college student son, and not feel that one's single (and not getting any) straight college student son has a "lifestyle" worth commenting on... that leaves me with the distinct feeling that the person using the word "lifestyle" is using it as a weasel word because they don't feel that "sexual preference" or "sexual orientation" is quite the thing.
I think that the reason that "lifestyle" used in place of "sexual preference" or "sexual orientation" is that "preference" and "orientation" both imply that it's something that is less likely to change, with the cause for the sexual orientation more because that's just the way it is (why do I prefer chocolate over coffee? Because.) rather than by a conscious choice of the person's.
I think that people have three or four settings on their sexual orientation. ( And I elaborate. )
When I think "lifestyle", I think ... I'm not sure what I think. I think "Lifestyles of the rich and famous." I think of it as something that one can change at will, or something that can be changed with the help of a fashion consultant or with a change in income.
I don't think of it as a sexual preference. An expression of sexual preference, sure. I can be living a "lifestyle" where I'm getting it with somebody different every night, with bars usually involved. I can have a "lifestyle" like Hugh Hefner. But to say, "I don't approve of your lifestyle, but it's your choice," to one's single (and not getting any) gay college student son, and not feel that one's single (and not getting any) straight college student son has a "lifestyle" worth commenting on... that leaves me with the distinct feeling that the person using the word "lifestyle" is using it as a weasel word because they don't feel that "sexual preference" or "sexual orientation" is quite the thing.
I think that the reason that "lifestyle" used in place of "sexual preference" or "sexual orientation" is that "preference" and "orientation" both imply that it's something that is less likely to change, with the cause for the sexual orientation more because that's just the way it is (why do I prefer chocolate over coffee? Because.) rather than by a conscious choice of the person's.
I think that people have three or four settings on their sexual orientation. ( And I elaborate. )
