same sex sexuality in poetry?

[heslopian]

I understand how you both feel about gay male sexuality, and though I think reacting with repulsion at the sight of two men (or two women, for that matter; strangely enough my mother and her mother are more uncomfortable with lesbianism) kissing or holding is homophobia, I don't think it makes the person homophobic. We're all wired a specific way based on our environment and inherent mindsets; Kath lives in an area where there are no openly gay people, so it makes sense she'd be unsettled by exposure to homosexual behaviour, because she doesn't often see and is thus afraid of it. But she isn't homophobic because she's a kind and intelligent woman, and thus she understands that not everything she fears is a threat (sorry for using you as my clinical example like this, Kath).
I myself have been prone to homophobia for the same reasons. I never met a gay person until I was fifteen or so and my best friend Bobby came out. Once when I was seventeen I was in a play with an older gay man who invited me to his house to run lines one night and, as much as I'm ashamed to admit it now, I was scared of being alone with him and his partner, even though they were perfectly nice. I think the partner sensed my fear, as he kept asking if I was okay and offering me orange squash. Of course being homosexual myself complicated matters, but having never met a person I knew was gay throughout my childhood the fear was still there.
But going back to the subject of poetry and art, though I like the film Brokeback Mountain a lot I've never thought it relevant to me or my "experience". I think it's a mistake to assume that the sole purpose of exploring homosexuality in film and so forth is to reflect a general consensus. Like heterosexuals, gay people don't share universal traits. If we're serious about combating prejudice then I think we should start normalising gay people in our stories; I'd love to one day see a film where the hero is gay but the story doesn't revolve around that, like a cop buddy thing where the main character shoots the bad guys and navigates action scenes before driving off into the sunset with his boyfriend or husband at the end. I appreciate that that might never happen though.
And you don't need to worry, I shan't be mooning anyone and begging them to ravage me in public anytime soon