Keb wrote: At the end of the day, you got to go home knowing that what those people said about you was not true and that it wasn't who you are. For Erik, when he went home his sexuality was still very much a part of who he was and to have someone tormenting for who you are is a lot different than for who you aren't. Its not to diminish your situation because bullying is shitty, but it does have its differences. Acknowledging, understanding and respecting those differences is what's key to getting along.
So yeah calling Superman a derogatory word is not going to earn you a bunch of respect and fighting with others to justify it doesn't help.
That's just my interpretation of it.
Here's where you're way off base, Keb. It doesn't matter if it's true or not, getting beat up and spit upon while being called derogatory names by bullies at school for the better part of a year is horrific. I hated myself because I couldn't fight them all and it only got better when I moved. Instead of being pussy-hurt over the whole thing I took a page from Bruce Wayne and empowered myself. Everyone should take a page from Bruce Wayne and Man Up; gay or straight there's no excuse to be weak.
I'm not interested in earning the respect of vindictive people who walk around with a chip on their shoulder and an axe to grind, demanding that everyone else mind their eggshells all over the floor. These people have their head up their ass if they think the rest of us are living the good life and generally they are incapable of extending their understanding and consideration to anyone that doesn't follow the rules of their Groupthink.
I'm not here to make friends with the Groupthink, I'm here to make friends with individuals whom I find charming and intellectually stimulating. Isn't that obvious by now?