Politics are so gay.

"I don't follow politics"  

I

L

I must admit I find this statement both frustrating and perplexing from anyone in the LGBT community. Unless of course your in the closet then maybe, just maybe I could understand this blind, ignorant and just down right stupid statement.

O

V

To understand my view let's flash back to 2004, I stood on the side of a main highway heading into Cleveland, it was November and I was freezing my ass off holding a big banner with the name Kerry across it. In all honesty I was there to help a friend and chat with a guy I thought was cute and nothing more. Keep in mind this was the year of prop 8. I had read the news, listened to the commercials, and watched the videos. The gay community was a soap box, our heads being used to elevate fear mongering, close minded, and misleading campaigns. But I was an optimist and scoffed at such blind fear bordering on bigotry. Holding that banner was mostly a self serving moment with a hint of favor to a friend. I woke up November 3rd 2004 to a dark reality, a rude awakening.

E

S

Late 2004, 13 states joined the ranks of making constitutional amendments against gay marriage. 13 more states would follow over the next five years bringing us to current day with 29 states stripping the LGBT of marriage equality. November 3rd 2004 an anger filled me, an anger with myself more then the candidate who used us. For years I had expected other people to do the work for me and the LGBT community and figured all would work out in my favor, I was only one voice anyway what did it matter. I was wrong.

T

E

If your part of the LGBT community you ARE INVOLVED IN POLITICS. It doesn't matter if your party is in office, or if your fiscal and social views don't align under a specific party ideal. Your rights are up for discussion right now, a bartering chip to pull on peoples fears or compassion. Forking out millions of dollars for ads comparing us to a war on religion, in stump speeches equating us to pedophiles or yes even telling our soldiers that repealing DADT is giving special privilege to the LGBT. The LGBT communities rights are under attack and yet someone from our community can say "I don't follow politics". It's irresponsible, wreck less, and cowardice to think your not in politics, because you are being used by politics right now.

V

E

I won't go down some path to try and point out the current candidates and where they stand in my opinion to LGBT rights. I will say this though: it does matter, it matters until our rights are viewed as just that, rights. Until we are taken seriously as human beings, as individuals who are not less then but equals in this country. The small steps that have been made for the LGBT are through politics, convincing elected leaders to support our cause, to recognize our injustice. Like it or not the political machine is our only hope and acting above it or turning a blind eye, is spitting in the faces of every LGBT person you know.

M

H

Dancing at pride or throwing a non-profit sticker onto a car is not doing your part if "you don't follow politics". Pride is an evolution from what were protest with paper bags on heads to hide identities, marching down the street knowing you could be arrested or beat. Announcing your sexuality could mean jail time or loss of a job and still could.   Turn around and walk back into your closet until your willing to do your part, because we are far from being able to ignore the inequality that still exists and if someone chooses to do so then I say they shouldn't reap the benefits of what little progress we have made.

I
L

In 2004 it was written into law that I could not marry the person I love in the state of Ohio. Seven years later I would have to drive six hours one way to Washington D.C. to marry Steve. Forget that he was only home for two weeks from Iraq, forget that our families couldn't come with us, all I could think was that this was, in part my fault. Seven years ago "I didn't follow politics", now I fell victim to that ignorance, to that crime and now I pay the price.

L

The LGBT community is not equal and until it is politics should be our life. We should learn every candidates position, and educate our friends (gay or straight) on how those decisions affect our rights, our lives. Take pride in yourself, in our community, politics are how this great democracy is run and rights won. We are a nation built on diversity but that comes at a price. Equality is reached by helping others see that we are not all that different, that we want nothing more then to love and be loved to be a family and be safe.

So if you truly "don't follow politics" don't come to pride, don't throw an HRC sticker on your car, don't click "like" on some funny marriage equality picture or page. Your insulting the people who have risked everything and those who continue to do so to further our cause. We are a minority and we need every one's help, how can we ever ask our allies to help us if we aren't doing it ourselves. How can we ever fight for our rights if some of us stand on the sidelines and wait for a miracle.