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I'm being told my sexuality caused Crohn's

Hi guys, just wanted to drop in and say hello. I'm 32, got diagnosed with Crohn's in July this year and would you believe it, someone I know (not a friend any more) said that it was probably because I'm bi that I got it. How dumb do you have to be? Mind you, a lot of people have asked if they can get Crohn's from just touching me. Oh, the ignorance.

Anyway. Hi! Am stuck at home today after blacking out at the doctor's during a routine blood test so am just catching up on the forum. I still have so much to read through :)
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
Welcome to CF and to the LGBT section MissCadenza.

What a horrible and ignorant thing for anyone to say. Did they walk out of a cave and are hundreds of years old? What did you say to end that friendship?

Do they suggest that something physically about being bisexual lends itself to digestive illness or is it more like they believe you are a sinner and are being punished by God?

Either way they are wrong because your sexual identity doesn't cause illness and God loves you the way you are and the way he created you.

I can't believe people think Crohn's is that contagious, I haven't encountered anyone who thinks it is but in explaining I always say you can't catch it just like cancer.

Please read through as much as you like and weigh in with your opinions and experiences :)
 
I told them they could stick it up their bum and cut all contact with them. Luckily they live in a different country so it was fairly easy to get rid of them - delete them off Facebook, stop following them on Twitter etc. I only saw them at one event once a year so that will be nicely awkward next year but you know what, I don't care. I've lost a lot of friends since I was diagnosed with Crohn's, actually, but that one really took the biscuit (which I can't eat anyway!)

The ignorance of some people is astounding, isn't it?
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
You poor thing, how awful. I'm glad you cut off the friendship right there and then, that person sounds toxic and you don't need them in your life. And I can't believe people have actually asked you if they can get Crohn's from touching you. That amount of ignorance is shocking! If it happens again, you might try saying "Yes!" and give them a big hug. :p That's what I would be inclined to do.
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
LOL Cat at giving them a big hug. :p I was asked if it was contagious when I was a kid but never by an adult. How absurd.

I'm sorry that someone said that to you MissCadenza. :( That's just one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

Did your doctor know why you blacked out? I hope you're ok. *HUGS*
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
I'm gonna start rabidly running around hugging people and saying you got the crohn's bug ;)

Just out of curiosity, because I don't know your age, how old are these ignorant people who think crohn's is for being bi or contagious? Is being bi contagious too, you can give them a two for one and really freak them out lol.
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
For me it was 9-10 year olds who wondered if it was contagious. I hope the people you dealt with weren't older than that MissCadenza.
 
You poor thing, how awful. I'm glad you cut off the friendship right there and then, that person sounds toxic and you don't need them in your life. And I can't believe people have actually asked you if they can get Crohn's from touching you. That amount of ignorance is shocking! If it happens again, you might try saying "Yes!" and give them a big hug. :p That's what I would be inclined to do.
Hahaha, I have done that, actually, to one of my friends who thought Crohn's was some contagious something-or-other and she actually screamed when I hugged her xD But she then went and looked up what it actually was and now she's cool with it.

As for the idiot who said it was because I was bi that I got it, she really didn't approve of people with what she calls 'freaky' sexual orientation and is convinced that any disease we get, be it something as minor as the flu virus or as major as meningitis, is because we doodle around with people of the same gender. Obviously. That's what she chose to believe, and I actually pity her a little for being so narrow-minded that she automatically thinks being gay/bi opens you up to a million diseases.

And the age of the ignorant people? Most of them are adults. Some of them much older than me. Sigh. Mind you I hadn't really heard of Crohn's until it was waved at me as a possible diagnosis for what was wrong with me, but at least I had the sense to go and find out what it was and how I might have got it instead of just going 'ew who did I touch to catch that?'

This is why more awareness is needed about IBD, to stop the ignorant from being, well, just darn stoopid!
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
Awareness on any minority population is needed. It's easy for the privileged majority to overlook the needs of those who face different struggles and walk different paths. I'm sorry to here these are adults that are so ignorant about sexual orientation and health issues such as IBD. I suppose your ex friend thinks heterosexual people don't get crohn's even though the majority of this forum and IBD patients are straight. I think people are just frightened by things they don't know or understand. That's why when we share our stories and people get to know us they see we aren't contagious or freaky etc.
 
All I can say is that this person who said this is a complete idiot and obviously not very knowledgeable. And for the people asking if they can get crohns just from touching you, well I would advice them to educate themselves.... Sorry you have to deal with ignorant people..






Hi guys, just wanted to drop in and say hello. I'm 32, got diagnosed with Crohn's in July this year and would you believe it, someone I know (not a friend any more) said that it was probably because I'm bi that I got it. How dumb do you have to be? Mind you, a lot of people have asked if they can get Crohn's from just touching me. Oh, the ignorance.

Anyway. Hi! Am stuck at home today after blacking out at the doctor's during a routine blood test so am just catching up on the forum. I still have so much to read through :)
 
I was actually just asked today in the breakroom, while on lunch, if my disease is contagious. Mind you, I hadn't said I have Crohn's. I was, as usual, being given crap in regards to my diet and size (I'm small and eat a small-portioned, healthy lunch every day).
I responded by saying that I eat the way I eat because I have a digestive disease and she responded by asking if it was contagious. Then proceeded to say she WISHED she could get it so that she could be my size.

This is a common response and really irritates me. I'd rather be overweight than have this disease and I don't think Crohn's is the reason for my size. I think it's mostly genetic and the simply fact that I eat healthy.

No one seems to understand my frustration with breakroom talk regarding diets, size, and their jealousy of me.

For the record, I'm 27 and the coworkers in these instances are 9x's out of 10 older than me.

LUCKILY, no one has ever tried to associate me having Crohn's to me being a lesbian. I'm not even sure how I would respond to that. How could someone be so ignorant??:facepalm:
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
Todays news of Fred Phelps of the notorious anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church AKA God Hates F**gs passing away today made me think of this post. They are known for picketing soldiers and funerals and rejoicing in all horrible events over the worlds supposed embrace of homosexuality as the cause of all our problems. Apparently earthquakes, tornadoes and diseases didn't happen before gay marriage.

These loons would probably blame our IBD whether straight or gay on gay rights. I know this family has caused thousands of people heartache and I don't wish the same on them during their time of grief but not much good to say about this despicable man and his group.
 
I,ve seen these people on television,I,m not religious myself but watched a documentary about them and couldn't,t work out how they could be so wrong on such a basic human level!takes all sorts I suppose.
 
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I see ignorance and fear are alive and well! Don't know whether to laugh or to cry so I'll just face - palm! Good reaction though and Cat's idea was even better. Lol.
 
IBD might not be contagious, or spread by human behaviors, but ignorance surely is. ;)

Luckily, ignorance is also a treatable disease, and we can all help spread the cure, though the person infected with ignorance has to want to be cured. :D
 
I don't mean to sound rude but I am glad to hear they are no longer a friend of yours!
The ignorance of some people is absolutely shocking.
 
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