Friends of yours that are gay.
For some this is a bit of an issue. Do they have gay friends? If so then who? Does he fancy me? Here are the facts: most people have gay friends even if they are certain that they don't.
For others, it an advert about how open-minded they are ('i have lots of gay friends').
For most, well, they just have gay friends.

This is a bit like the I have coloured *cringes* / ethnic minority friends? It's a label and at the end of the day we don't label our "regular"(<-- that's irony double quotes btw incase someone threatens to kick my ass for using that term) friends "straight friends" do we? A friend is a friend, full-stop.

I got lots of gay friends, but I sure wouldn't want one of them to marry my sister!


But, seriously.
If the phrase 'gay friends' turns up in a debate, chances are it's a cheap ploy by a homophobe to demonstrate that he or she (let's face it, usually he) is not homophobic. Lord only knows why virulent bigots want to sound all sensitive and new-agey instead of proudly standing by their bigotry, but there you have it.

See also: black friends, women friends, jewish friends, etc.


That being said, please realize that I have lots of Christian Fundamentalist and other Social Conservative friends, and they're fine people, really. I just don't like to see them getting uppity.

My oh my, what is this, political correctness central? Perhaps people these days without gay friends are considered bigots? You know, diversity is always good and all that? I better get some "(Insert oppressed minority) friends" of my own, quick, before the PC police gets here. Hogwash.

Who really gives a shit what kinds of friends you have? And are you so cynical as to see "I have lots of gay friends" as a homophobic defense? I don't particularly like gays. I know lots of gays. I'm not close friends with any of them, at least I'm not aware of. But even if I do find out my best friend is a gay/lesbian, would I immediately change my view of the person? God no. I'm not that fickle. Heck, I'm living with a couple suspected lesbians right now this second! They're downstairs!

I can make friends with whomever I please, and none of it is for some ridiculous disbarring of my "bigotry". If the term gay friends does turn up in a debate, I'll say "Good for you! Here's a cookie!" Because frankly, I don't care. It proves nothing.

Having gay friends doesn't make you open-minded. Saying "I have lots of gay friends" makes you about as open-minded as if I would be a pseudo-Asian banana if I declared as a Chinese that "I have lots of white friends".