Gaydar... we've all heard about it, and it could be argued that most people believe in it. I however do not. Actually, let me clarify. I believe in gaydar as much as I believe in straightdar. My misgivings for the accuracy of "Gaydar" stem from the fact that I've set off more than a handful of various gaydars through the years... but then again I'm metrosexual so it's somewhat understandable. No, my problem with gaydar is that, not only isn't it foolproof, but it doesn't relay the information that isn't there. Let me elaborate. Everyone believes that they have some degree of gaydar. So consequently you should have an equal amount of straightdar. However, for some reason or another, it doesn't work that way. Say that Aaron has x amount of gaydar. He can tell who's gay. Well you would think that since he knows who is gay then he would know, through simple elimination, who is straight. Ah, but he doesn't. In fact, straightdar is a myth. People can't tell straightness. For some reason or another, only "gayness" can be ascertained. Why is that? Probably because gaydar isn't some innate sixth sense. It's a mixture of cultural stereotyping along with perceived interest. Straight people have "gaydar" because they know how a gay person "looks". Well he looks gay, so he is! Chalk one up to my gaydar! Gay people have "gaydar" because they are watching for a sign of interest. Well he's checking me out, or he's checking that guy out so he's gay! Chalk one up to my gaydar! Go ahead, try it. See if you're gaydar readings can determine straightness. They can't. Why is that? Because sexuality is as individual as fingerprints whether you're homo, hetero, bi, or auto. "Gaydar" is based on a set of stereotypical assumptions. Cultural assumptions. Don't believe me? Go ahead, see if your "gaydar" works on a European person. I'll bet that it doesn't, because they grew up with a completely different set of ideals of what masculine, feminine, and sexual mean. Oh, look at the way he walks, he must be gay. Oh, she's checking me out, she must be straight. Lies, all lies. So if a guy walks "like a girl" he must be gay, huh? What about guys that don't walk "like guys" walk? What are they? So if a girl is checking out a guy she must be straight, huh? What about the girls that don't check out anyone? What are they? This is why I disagree with "gaydar". It's bigotry masquerading as a perfectly innocuous ability. It's acceptable discrimination. It's only furthering unfounded cultural stereotypes.