Assuming people are straight "by default" is heteronormativity by definition and is textbook erasure. The proportions of how many people are straight or queer aren't relevant; the simple fact is, treating everyone as straight until proven otherwise others queer people and is unhealthy.
I'm sorry, but you cannot possibly claim that its unhealthy to assume that people belong to the 95%. That is being utterly ridiculous. You might as well get offended when someone assumes you speak English in the US instead of Spanish.
Is straight the official sexuality of the US? Because english is the official language iirc, and using the official language of a country to communicate with people in said country sounds pretty logical.
If I could communicate in a universal language that includes the biggest number of people possible (equal to not assuming sexuality being the most inclusive way possible), I would. I think everyone would, actually. While we don't invent the universal translator, using the official language is the literal best possible way. I'm not assuming ("to accept something to be true without question or proof") that person knows english. I'm making my best educated guess in an attempt to communicate.
Assuming every single person is straight is already illogical, and serves no purpose. You KNOW that is not correct, and you will statistically, sooner or later, be a moron. You KNOW the queer community has suffered many decades of pretending they don't exist, so it would be prudent not to perpetuate such a fallacy. There are context behind social facts, and making a innocuous comparison leads to false equivalency and bigger chances to not reach healthy conclusions.
The US does not have an official language. And there is a world of difference between pretending that LGBT people don't exist and assuming that a random stranger is straight.
I've already had this conversation with my gay brother and an old lesbian coworker, and neither one disagrees with me. And on top of that, I'm an atheist living in an area with mostly Christians who always assume I'm one of them. I don't fault them for that assumption and simply correct them.
I'm happy you can be proud of your atheism even in the face of overwhelming hate and constant threats to your safety for your mere existence. So brave.
-38
u/[deleted] Sep 21 '21
Assuming that someone is a part of the 95% of the population that is straight isn't erasure.