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Tolerance is difficult. Incredibly difficult as it seems. And for a while ago I read a text about the Swedish exhibition Ecce Homo that made a just too common statement on homosexuality—“Sure, everyone is entitled to dress as they wish, but...”
Sure, the homosexuals are entitled to exist, but we’d rather not have them go dressed in leather and hugging on our clean street. We’d rather prefer not to see immigrants, homosexuals, handicapped, or drug addicts at all, even if they may be allowed to exist. We grant them the favor of existence if they just stay out of our sight...
But what kind of tolerance is this? Why are people more upset by the “immorality” of Bill Clinton, and of homosexuals holding each other, than of the disgusting arms trade, or the social injustices? Why are there so many people being upset by others showing love, but not by the daily TV massacres that are called action or entertainment?
It is sad that an exhibition so incredibly politically correct as Ecce Homo causes such strong feelings and so much arousal. A number of neutral photos that, but for a little detail, just as well could have been published in The Watchtower or in the Sunday school Bible. Hugs and touches full of affection, only containing one single “wrong” detail—the ones portraited are homosexual.
And it is sad that the ones reacting the strongest, are those calling themselves Christians. Some two thousand years ago Jesus sided with the weak in society; helped without regard to color, religion, or sexual preferences. His message was one of love and tolerance—love your fellow man. But the leprous of today, the homosexuals, are not allowed to come close to the altar or the Christian strongholds. Portraying Jesus together with homosexual men in leather is seen as a blasphemy, instead of a natural modern interpretation of his message.
It is all to clear that there is a need for more Ecce Homo, more EuroPrides and more homosexuals that openly admit their love. Hurrah for Elisabeth Ohlsson! And hurrah for all of those who openly dare to be homosexual, controversial or just plainly rational!
July 1999