Please understand that often while I know my blogs come across as angry and seem to be slamming the LGBT community, there is good intent. The reason I feel I can be so critical, is honestly because I think I have been on the side I am ridiculing. That’s hard for me to admit, but I honestly know I could have been a true activist sooner.
I drive down the road regularly and notice them, our little pride stickers. Maybe it’s HRC, or a rainbow stripe, maybe it’s a cute little family portrait of stick figures like I have on my car, with two guys holding hands, two dogs and a cat. Whatever it is, a number of the LGBT members out there sport some little banner showing their pride. My question is, so what? Do you really think you’re some proponent for change?
Steve and I were walking the other day and were talking about some examples of friends who take advantage of the rights they have been afforded. They slap some sticker on their bumper and feel they are paying homage to a great cause. In all honesty they are enjoying the benefits of people fighting a battle that is not over.
I’ve been trying to learn our history, by that I mean the LGBT communities history. I’ve started to gain a great respect and realized we have to finish this battle and do right by the people who fought before us. The gay community has become complacent, we play on apps like grindr, we dance in our night clubs and we strut our stuff at pride. We forget that all this 30 years ago could have gotten us arrested, beaten or worse yet killed.
Now I know some you think I speak blasphemy and that the mere enjoyment of these liberties is celebrating our successes. That thought process is flawed and as blind and ignorant as the people who are seeking to take our rights away. This is NOT what Harvey Milk, Leonard Matlovich, and the likes were fighting for. They were not fighting for us to become complacent with a second class position. To realize the reality of not being afforded the same benefits as other married couples, families, or even the same working rights. They fought for the respect we deserve and we do not yet have.
In many states we can’t get benefits, we can’t adopt, we can’t visit our dying spouse, we can’t marry, and like it or not even if a state will marry us it means nothing at a federal level. We pay higher taxes, higher insurance cost, and can get fired, simply for who we love. It’s even politically okay to equate us to pedophiles and bestiality.
You may not realize any of these pains you may be lucky and live in a city, state or small town that makes you forget this reality. Know this though, it is reality our reality, this is happening, people are dying, people are being mistreated, disrespected and dehumanized every single day. With all of that in mind, if the most you do is throw a sticker on your car, dance and drink at a gay bar, and maybe throw five dollars into a donation bin when you go to pride, you should be ashamed.
If one LGBT member is suffering from injustice, from being treated as a second class citizen, we are all suffering. If you don’t realize that, if you don’t feel moved to get up and start being a TRUE activist, then you are as much a part of the problem. Our battle is not over, that should not dishearten us that should strengthen us.
A path has been set by some amazing leaders of our past, we are moving forward but it’s not time to slow down, it’s not time to rest, it’s time to scream at the top of our lungs to fight for our community and look far beyond ourselves. Be more than that sticker, be the part of history that makes that sticker obsolete, a sign of what used to be a division in this great country.
I drive down the road regularly and notice them, our little pride stickers. Maybe it’s HRC, or a rainbow stripe, maybe it’s a cute little family portrait of stick figures like I have on my car, with two guys holding hands, two dogs and a cat. Whatever it is, a number of the LGBT members out there sport some little banner showing their pride. My question is, so what? Do you really think you’re some proponent for change?
Steve and I were walking the other day and were talking about some examples of friends who take advantage of the rights they have been afforded. They slap some sticker on their bumper and feel they are paying homage to a great cause. In all honesty they are enjoying the benefits of people fighting a battle that is not over.
I’ve been trying to learn our history, by that I mean the LGBT communities history. I’ve started to gain a great respect and realized we have to finish this battle and do right by the people who fought before us. The gay community has become complacent, we play on apps like grindr, we dance in our night clubs and we strut our stuff at pride. We forget that all this 30 years ago could have gotten us arrested, beaten or worse yet killed.
Now I know some you think I speak blasphemy and that the mere enjoyment of these liberties is celebrating our successes. That thought process is flawed and as blind and ignorant as the people who are seeking to take our rights away. This is NOT what Harvey Milk, Leonard Matlovich, and the likes were fighting for. They were not fighting for us to become complacent with a second class position. To realize the reality of not being afforded the same benefits as other married couples, families, or even the same working rights. They fought for the respect we deserve and we do not yet have.
In many states we can’t get benefits, we can’t adopt, we can’t visit our dying spouse, we can’t marry, and like it or not even if a state will marry us it means nothing at a federal level. We pay higher taxes, higher insurance cost, and can get fired, simply for who we love. It’s even politically okay to equate us to pedophiles and bestiality.
You may not realize any of these pains you may be lucky and live in a city, state or small town that makes you forget this reality. Know this though, it is reality our reality, this is happening, people are dying, people are being mistreated, disrespected and dehumanized every single day. With all of that in mind, if the most you do is throw a sticker on your car, dance and drink at a gay bar, and maybe throw five dollars into a donation bin when you go to pride, you should be ashamed.
If one LGBT member is suffering from injustice, from being treated as a second class citizen, we are all suffering. If you don’t realize that, if you don’t feel moved to get up and start being a TRUE activist, then you are as much a part of the problem. Our battle is not over, that should not dishearten us that should strengthen us.
A path has been set by some amazing leaders of our past, we are moving forward but it’s not time to slow down, it’s not time to rest, it’s time to scream at the top of our lungs to fight for our community and look far beyond ourselves. Be more than that sticker, be the part of history that makes that sticker obsolete, a sign of what used to be a division in this great country.
8 comments:
Yes I have stickers,Equality CA. I want people to know I am a person who believes in the rights of the LGBTQ community and all others to be equal. If you want to ask, I will gladly tell:) Like your post and agree with you, will not take off my stickers anytime soon though. Onward to S.F. Pride this weekend!
I don't want people to pull off their stickers I just them to play a bigger role than sporting a window cling.
I love it!!
Great article, I agree 100%. The problem is not only in the LBGT community though, it's a nation wide pandemic of complacency. People are too comfortable, while our rights are being chipped away little by little, people are all to happy to be preoccupied by everything including television to the self indulgent type of non-activism you point out.
I do believe that the presence of bumper stickers, pride parades, and the like to make way for a more accepting community. But that speaks directly to the issue; people are too willing to stop at just their community, their immediate surroundings, while those on the other side of the aisle are taking the fight nation wide with much more force.
I love it!!
Great article, I agree 100%. The problem is not only in the LBGT community though, it's a nation wide pandemic of complacency. People are too comfortable, while our rights are being chipped away little by little, people are all to happy to be preoccupied by everything including television to the self indulgent type of non-activism you point out.
I do believe that the presence of bumper stickers, pride parades, and the like to make way for a more accepting community. But that speaks directly to the issue; people are too willing to stop at just their community, their immediate surroundings, while those on the other side of the aisle are taking the fight nation wide with much more force.
If I had to choose my favorite aspect of this blog it would be how honestly it was written! I am very proud of who I am and what I stand for. There are a lot of things that make me who I am and being gay is just one of them.
I married my husband last year and our entire family attended along with many of our friends. If I were to place a sticker on my car for everything I am proud of you would not be able to see the paint.
I have the utmost respect for any individual who stands up for their rights and the rights of others.
Personally I would never raise a pride flag in my yard or place a pride sticker on my car because I can show my pride in so many other ways.
Being the change you want to see in the world is different for every person so we should respect how each person wants to contribute to the fight for equality.
Thank you very much Will! I tend to rub people the wrong way at times. I've been told I'm too harsh, I feel it's just me being real. Thanks for reading!
Oh you didn't rub me the wrong way at all. I admire your passion and your dedication in fighting for equal rights.
I'm Canadian and I have many of the rights that my American neighbours are fighting for, but I never take them for granted.
I think it's awesome that you open up your life to inspire positive change.
You ROCK!
Being visible is not just about rejoicing in the gift of being able to be visible. It is also a gift to others, especially to young people.
I do agree with James' comments.We cannot be complacent about our own rights or the rights of others.
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