Straight talk on LGBT matters via face-to-face dialogue

I agree with the writer of “Disagreement with Pink Dot is not hate” (June 29, online) on the importance of dialogue.

Last year, I co-hosted a gathering of straight and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) friends from different social circles for an informal dialogue.

We called it Straight Talk, an opportunity for straight and LGBT persons to talk face-to-face and obtain straight answers, straight from each other.

In online exchanges, it is easy to snipe from a distance with hurtful remarks. In a face-to-face conversation, one becomes mindful that one is interacting with a fellow human, and dialogue is more likely to proceed respectfully.

The point of dialogue is not to debate for the sake of winning an argument; it is for each person to understand the other.

I encourage anyone who has circles of friends polarised on LGBT matters to gather some of them in a straight talk of their own. Having people of different opinions come together and leave with a better understanding of one another is a richly rewarding experience.