With our Summer Diversity Weekend Festival fast approaching here in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, I wanted to take a moment to write something that has been on my mind a lot lately.
In recent years, the conversation surrounding homosexuality has evolved, emphasizing the importance of acceptance, respect, and inclusivity for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Florida, a state that I once called home, is known for its cultural richness, thriving tourism, and diverse population. Florida stands to benefit greatly from embracing inclusivity, but Florida is at a crossroads.
DeSantis and Florida struggle to choose to reevaluate their approach around the condemnation of homosexuality.
Much of what brings Florida to this crossroads is that in-state influencers like the mammoth corporation, Disney, really don't like what's going on in their own backyard and so they've become front-facing as one of the biggest influencers in the state of Florida fighting against this condemnation. DeSantis and the state continue to struggle with what to do.
What's more, the majority of Floridians, and much of society for that matter, is increasingly supportive of equal rights for all, even for the LGBTQIA+ community. It just doesn't make sense to me why this needs to be where we are in 2023.
I have such a difficult time trying to wrap my head around the fact that Florida can't seem to understand that embracing this shift in attitudes not only aligns with public sentiment but also positions Florida as a progressive and inclusive state that champions human rights.
It is a missed opportunity to do the right thing.
Early on, Disney leadership "got it" and decided to do the right thing. They decided to celebrate love over fear, accept all people and encourage diversity and inclusion.
As a young pup myself in 1988, I had some deep struggles with understanding what was going on with me. In this day and age, with so much media, I can only imagine what it is like for the youth of today. In 1988, I was 18 and it was around this age that I recall asking my Dad how he knew Mom was "the one."
His response to me was,
"When you meet the one, you'll just know."
In this passionate TedTalk from Dr. James O'Keefe MD, I experienced a deeply personal and fascinating insight into why homosexuality is indeed a necessary and extraordinarily useful cog in nature's wheel of perfection.
In short, his talk made me ponder why I'm here and why I'm gay.
Homosexuality dates back to ancient Greece. Nature designs it as it is necessary. The extent to which the Greeks engaged in and tolerated homosexual relations is open to some debate and for a long time the subject was taboo and remains controversial even today.
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that relationships we would call homosexual, played an important role in Ancient Greek society.
Dr. O'Keefe states that in his studies, he's learned that homosexuality isn't about sex, it is about survival. A family's survival. It's about loving and bonding. In Ancient Greece, it most certainly was about survival.
General Epaminondas was a general and statesman in 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a pre-eminent position in Greek politics. General Epaminondas commanded a regiment which was composed of 150 pairs of lovers. This "300" became a formidable fighting force, with lover defending lover until death.
It is clear to me that homosexual behavior can be selectively advantageous by producing alliances and partnerships and by promoting cooperation through the reciprocal sharing of pleasure. It has evolved out of approaches to survive.
"Homosexuality is genetically programmed altruism." -Dr. James O'Keefe MD
Dr. O'Keefe also says that, "Gays are designed by nature to help us be kind to one another."
I truly believe him.
Eureka Springs, AR is considered to be the most kind, accepting, diverse places because this community is radically inclusive. All are welcome here and so what has happened over time is that people of all shapes, sizes, colors, creeds, denominations and orientations come here. We love, we bond and we are a family - this community's survival strengthens. (In Dr. O'Keefe's words, "the family's survival strengthens.")
Edward Osborne Wilson, an American biologist, theorist, naturalist and author, says "homosexuality gives advantages to the group by specialized talents, and unusual qualities of personality. So, a society that condemns homosexuality harms itself."
"Diversity is nature's secret weapon. If all males were gay, that would be a problem. If all males were warriors, we'd always be at war." - Dr. James O'Keefe MD
"The recipe for a successful human culture is the recipe of a synergy of many different ingredients. Homosexuality is like a catalyst that helps to emotionally connect groups of people together." Dr. O'Keefe refers to his eldest son, Jimmie who is gay and references "The Jimmie Effect" in his TedTalk as a glue that holds his family together. He's the families go-to person when they need emotional support, love, bonding, guidance, and care.
This TedTalk is so very interesting to me as I relate this perspective to me and my own family. While I am certainly not perfect and I do not claim to be, this really does explain much of what I have experienced in my life, with my family. I'm often seen, at times, as "the go-to" guy for emotional support, love, bonding, guidance, and care.
In turn, in my professional career, as a Human Resources Executive, I am seen as the business partner that "glues" other business partners together to ensure cohesion, continuity, collaboration and diversity of thought that will help the business thrive.
As I have moved, and continue to move through this life journey, I do my utmost to express love to everyone and everything to the very best of my ability, and look at life from the lens of love and not fear and to be grateful all along the way.
I have gaps in my personality (we all do) but what I know is this...
I am emotionally aware and emotionally connected.
I am in love with Jeff and he is with me. (Hey Dad, I found the one!)
I exhibit unconditional love for members of my family and others.
I try to emotionally glue things together whenever I can.
I pay attention to needs, wants, expectations and emotions.
I try to be a good person to everyone I come to meet and know.
I treat others the way that I would want to be treated.
I hope that like Dr. O'Keefe's son Jimmie, I have made my family, work colleagues, and community in Eureka Springs feel and know that they are part of something bigger than their stresses, their worries, their problems. We are family.
LOVE IS LOVE
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
In my little mountain cottage in one of the most accepting places on earth - Eureka Springs, Arkansas - I continue to pray that one day soon, Florida will become a society that stops harming itself.
All of this provides me with another reason (to add to the many) to shout from deep in my heart to high in the hills, "I LOVE EUREKA!"❤️
*IMO is a blog-series where I, John-Michael Scurio, express my own personal opinion about some subject or situation. "But what about the opinions of others?" people ask. "Yeah, that!" I reply,"Well, this specific blog-series isn't about other opinions - just mine. If I opened it all up to other opinions, I'd need to change the acronym (*IMO) to something else and it probably wouldn't feel as cool, but, hey, that's also just my opinion."
Do you want me to write an *IMO blog-post about something new? Tell me about it: jmscurio@yahoo.com
Please take a moment to check out the different posts in this particular blog series on www.iloveureka.com - on the landing page of this blog, in the search bar, simply search IMO.
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