Friday, August 9, 2013

Thoughts and such on things...

It’s been a very long time since my last post…as it usually seems to be. I’ve been very busy this summer between work and school and life. This has certainly been a memorable summer to say the least. So much has happen…SO many blessings. Things in general have really started to come around in ways that I honestly never saw coming.
 After just looking at my last post I see it’s been much longer than I expected since my last post. So much more has happen in the fight for equality. I’ve been fortunate enough to not only witness this history but to also participate in the fight. The past spring semester there were a few first for me pertaining to LGBT activism. I was able to go on a trip with MU allies to the capital to protest for marriage equality, I was asked to come speak to a freshmen seminar class about LGBT issues (my friend and I that spoke to this class were invited back to speak again this fall!!), I participating in “8”, and last but certainly not least I silent witnessed, for the first time since I was trained, at Millersville when a few street preachers came to campus. Through these activities, particularly the rally in D.C. and the silent witnessing, I really saw what can only be described as a division of hate/ignorance, and love/anger.
In D.C. I saw and felt so much love and support for the LGBT community. One moment in particular was when a lady speaking about religion…I can’t remember her exact words but it was something to the effect that we (the LGBT community there) will hear a lot of hateful things toward or directed at us and about us. She continued by say that we must remember that we are all here for a reason, we are loved and wanted by God. That was so powerful. The type of thing that gives you chills. Anyway back on topic when I was standing on the side walk with the rest of the supporters of equal rights I could feel so much love and angry for the injustice that has been occurring for far too long. Whereas when the anti-marriage equality groups walked by there was so much hate in their eyes and voices, okay maybe I’m so very bias but I swear I that’s what I felt and saw there. It was so sad to see little kids marching with their parents yelling such hateful things. I don’t even think I was aware of such issues in the world when I was that young, let alone able to make such opinions about other people. It was crazy.
Anyway that day along with years of efforts got us victories passed down by the Supreme Court. I remember I was at work the day that they made the announcement and I got the alerts from the NYT and CNN. I kept checking my phone that morning and then I saw the great news. It was all I could do not to cry I was so happy. I remember writing a blog post earlier dealing largely with the idea of the American Dream, and how it’s not fully accessible to LGBT Americans because of discriminatory laws. As I said before how can this really be the country that stands for freedom and justice for all when we still suppress our citizens based on who they love. Well I’m happy to say this summer we have started doing right by people. It’s about damn time.
If I was asked last summer if I thought we would have this much progress within a year I would have said no. I never really imagined things would progress this fast. I’m so happy and proud that it has. The support that has been shown over the past several months for marriage equally and LGBT rights in general has just been amazing. People were finally speaking up and coming out as allies for their LGBT friends, families, co-workers etc. it was awesome. Never have I felt more accepted and ok/comfortable with being myself. The whole coming out process still seems kinda hard for me but it to have that support system. Well nothing beats that. Lucky for me as the times change I get more and more supporters.
Speaking of changing times another moment this summer shortly after the victories for marriage equality I was driving to work and I heard “Same Love” playing on the radio. I was so surprised (I thought that I had my phone plugged into the car until the radio commercial came on after). I first heard that song and saw the video sometime in mid fall…I loved it, it’s so powerful. I thought to myself how important the message is and how it would be great if the radio stations would pick it up. They did and I heard it and so did many other people. That message of love and acceptance reaches a whole new audience.
Anyway we’ve made some amazing progress throughout this past year and we are a much better, more honest nation for that. There is still work to be done both here and certainly abroad. It’s nice to be able to take a minute to count our blessings, reflect on where we came from and think about where we are going. If you’ve made it this far I hope you enjoyed this post, if not, well that would suck since you just wasted all that time reading it ;-) 

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