T-shirt gets Van Nuys woman kicked out of federal building

T-shirt gets Van Nuys woman kicked out of federal building

www.dailynews.com

VAN NUYS - A routine trip to the Social Security office Monday turned into 30 minutes of shock, disbelief and irritation for Lapriss Gilbert, who was forced to leave the federal building by a guard who objected to her "lesbian.com" T-shirt.

As she headed for a line to pick up a Social Security card for her son, Gilbert was stopped by a guard who said her T-shirt, naming an educational and resource Web site for gay women, was offensive.

(visit the link for the full news article)

It sounds like this is probably just the actions of a rent-a-cop drunk with power, than some kind of official stance by the federal government. However, this is the kind of thing that makes me shake my head and question humanity in general.

www.dailynews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

How rediculous is this? so now the word Lesbian is offensive? I suppose "Gay" "Homosexual" and other conotations of alternative lifestyles are next?

While I don't condone nor condem those different than me I think things like this are just utter stupidity!

Live and let live....

As long as you aren't hurting yourself or others around you .. .do as you will.... geesh!

Sweet!! Now I know where to go to order one!

....I wonder if they take pay-pal???

I find it offensive and not a free speech issue at all. The word "lesbian' describes a person with a particular sexual preference, or can be used to describe the sexual act itself. Either way, I don't want to know a stranger's sexual desires or to have that knowledge forced on my children in a public place. I'm pretty sure I would be thrown out of a Federal Building if I printed "I like to _blank_ beautiful young women" on the front of my shirt.

I also think it's ridiculous for gays and lesbians to hold parades. If that's free speech, then we should have a parade every weekend where the rest of us can make floats to celebrate our favorite sex acts.

Agreed. I don't want to have to explain the word lesbian to my 6 year old. I'd like to keep my kids relatively innocent and not have to explain anything sexual to them for at least a few more years.

reply to post by mythatsabigprobe


Understand what you're saying. You are free also, to wear a t-shirt that says "I am a heterosexual", or have a hetero freedom day parade. I doubt very many would choose to join you in celebration, but as long as it was a lawful assembly operated within the regulations of your area -- no harm no foul.

I'm personally not offended by the words gay, lesbian, homosexual and really don't think it's any of our business, regardless of our sexual orientation, if people choose to openly use those words.

I think the official at the Federal building was off-base in causing the woman wearing the t-shirt to leave, and also defeated his own agenda, because now look at all the publicity that has come as a result of his knee-jerk action.

Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe
I find it offensive and not a free speech issue at all. The word "lesbian' describes a person with a particular sexual preference, or can be used to describe the sexual act itself. Either way, I don't want to know a stranger's sexual desires or to have that knowledge forced on my children in a public place. I'm pretty sure I would be thrown out of a Federal Building if I printed "I like to _blank_ beautiful young women" on the front of my shirt.

I also think it's ridiculous for gays and lesbians to hold parades. If that's free speech, then we should have a parade every weekend where the rest of us can make floats to celebrate our favorite sex acts.

The word lesbian describes a person with a particular sexual preference, or can be used to describe the sexual act itself??? REALLY??

please educate yourself....

www.outtraveler.com...

I always thought TRUE lesbians were from the Isle of Lesbos in Greece...

I hate how today's society has twisted so many things and made them "offensive"

reply to post by undiscoveredsoul


Right, so she was just advertising a Greek island.

well.. think of this.. the guard asked her to leave because he was offended by something as simple as www.lesbian.com on a t-shirt....

now say HYPOTHETICALLY you type that url into your browser and it came up a page about the island of lesbos...... would you still feel the shirt was offensive? or did you make a snap judgement that the word LESBIAN meant a gay woman?

what if I was of greek descent and I wore a shirt claiming " I am a Lesbian" would you be offended? or would you only be offended if it turned out I was gay?

There are SO many other issues in this country... in this world that are more important that people could get irate about I just don't see what the big deal with the word LESBIAN is.....

The rent a cop was out of line, they arent there to judge the content of peoples clothing. How was she a threat?

For those of you offended...come on get over it this is the 21st century, and after all it was words on a shirt. I'm sorry if your children can pronounce the word Lesbian they by all rights should know the definition.

Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe
I find it offensive and not a free speech issue at all. The word "lesbian' describes a person with a particular sexual preference, or can be used to describe the sexual act itself.

My friend Bonnie passed this story on to me, so it was only fair that I introduced her to your post.

You have made Bonnie's day, as she is now telling everyone how she is going to "lesbian" us. Thank you Mr./Mrs. Probe for providing us with so much humor thanks to your ignorant attitude.

Could you elaborate on the act of 'Lesbianing"? Is that the correct form? We do want to have an accurate parade.

Originally posted by ATruGod
I'm sorry if your children can pronounce the word Lesbian they by all rights should know the definition.

There was a time not too long ago where a 5 or 6 yr. old didn't need to know what a lesbian was. I long for those times again.

As a parent, I would not be offended by that shirt. But then again I don't chastise my kid for swearing either. Since the words aren't taboo he doesn't go around saying them just to say them. I just don't get what could be gained by shielding your kids from something they will undoubtedly be exposed to later on anyway. If my kid saw a shirt with the word "lesbian" on it and asked, I would take that opportunity to make sure he understood the subject they way I think he should understand it. Even if it's a watered down "lite" version to start with. What does that accomplish? Well I think it would teach him that there are people with lots of different lifestyles from an early age. I would rather him have that than be set in his ways from growing up in a shielded and controlled environment. Maybe if Hitler's mommy told him that Jews are people just like him then we could have avoided that whole mess.

Sure, that's extreme and I apologize for even using the reference, but it does illustrate my point.

I find this to be an extreme reaction, probably based on homo-phobia or just plain ignorance.

The word lesbian is not offensive - it's the context of the word that some seem to find offensive.

Which always makes me scratch my head - what the hell business is it of anyone else's, as long as the message is not inappropriate?

Freedom of speech seems to be a one way street with some people...

A terrible pitty that people with that low a mentality are controlling security in a Fedral building, yet a terrorist can walk in dressed in NIKE, and get away with it.

Originally posted by argentus
reply to post by mythatsabigprobe

 

I'm personally not offended by the words gay, lesbian, homosexual and really don't think it's any of our business, regardless of our sexual orientation, if people choose to openly use those words.

What about Exhibitionism, Fetishism, Voyeurism, Necrophilia, Bestiality, Sadism, Masochism, Pedophilia? Is it ok to advertise these acts in public?

The fact that you're associating lesbians with some of those other things is a little frightening. Do lesbians touch kids inappropriately? Do they run around looking up women's dresses or film them in bathrooms? Dig up corpses for a good romping?

There's a disconnect there that you just don't see.

Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe

Originally posted by argentus
reply to post by mythatsabigprobe

 

I'm personally not offended by the words gay, lesbian, homosexual and really don't think it's any of our business, regardless of our sexual orientation, if people choose to openly use those words.

What about Exhibitionism, Fetishism, Voyeurism, Necrophilia, Bestiality, Sadism, Masochism, Pedophilia? Is it ok to advertise these acts in public?

How would one advertise exhibitionism? How very surreal of you, I'm quite impressed.