Amidst the happiness
So amidst all this happiness and these cheers, I am being brutally sobered up by all the anti-gay ballot initiatives and constitutional amendments that passed in the good ol' US of A.
But I'm trying not to let it get me down. Honestly, I am actually kind of annoyed at how some of my GLBT friends and my friends who are GLBT-friendly are so negative about the whole thing. Can't we just be happy?
The most gay-friendly president in the history of America has just been elected. Every year, more people progress on GLBT issues. Every year, more and more people realize that Gays do NOT have an "Agenda", Gays aren't gonna take over the world (the risk of 1-2% of the US population taking over ANYTHING is slim to none), and Gays are just like you straights on 99.9% of things (how we have sex being the most notable exception).
In general, I just think we can be happy. The times are changing, people are changing, and with Obama, we have a President who I genuinely believe will NOT set our country back on gay and lesbian rights. The entire nation is becoming more GLBT-friendly, even if the ballot initiatives don't show that.
Same-sex marriage is the last substantial civil rights issue in our country. And civil rights are NEVER won easily or quickly.
I definitely thought same sex marriage would be declared illegal in Cali on November 5th, 2008 after the Election (of course, I also fully expected McCain to win...so obviously my predictions are not always accurate).
A cynical gay boy friend of mine wrote on Facebook, "We [Gays]'re more popular than criminals (Prop 9), but less than farm animals (Prop 2). Double sigh."
To see what he's talking about, here are the results of all ballot initiatives in Cali: http://vote.sos.ca.gov/Returns/props/59.htm
******
A bunch of my other friends on Facebook have been posting facebook status updates such as the following. Posted from the most recent to the oldest (from Election Night):
Leigh 's American pride is short lived. Even the California ballot measure passed. When will people stop being mean to each other?
Scott is elated about Obama, disappointed with the anti-LGBT measures, and shaking his head over AK's seeming willingness to elect a felon.
Courtney is boo Arizona, California and Florida. boooooo.
Jacqueline's heart goes out to all of her married gay and lesbian friends in California.
Isa is proud to be an american, but not so proud to be a californian today. & Go Al Franken.
Kim Le is ecstatic that Obama won, but really bummed about prop 8.
Leigh Fine 's post-election high has been tempered by assholes in Arizona, Florida, and (most likely) California.
Lauren --Yay Obama, but dammit--there go GLBT rights in CA, FL, AZ, and AR. All my sympathies to everyone who wanted to get married in CA. Someday...equality.
Joseph is depressed all the efforts to strip gay rights won. Ark. banned gay adoptions. Fla. & Ariz. banned gay marriage, and Cal. is on track to do the same. Sigh.
******
Julia, my favorite Sonoma county, California resident, wrote this to me on the morning of Nov. 5th regarding Prop 8's expected passage: "I'm baffled....I don't know what to say...this is truly the dark spot in this election....let's hope that this new leadership will bring us back up to speed...Southern CA is more powerful than I thought- Norcal would never approve such a measure........but we will change it because YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I like her optimism.
Here's the latest news on Prop 8 (and other ballot initiatives across the country). It's a VERY interesting read:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/05/state.laws/index.html
This is a most excellent video (and the girls are hot and the old ladies look like what Kate and I will look like when we're old): http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-129159
But I'm trying not to let it get me down. Honestly, I am actually kind of annoyed at how some of my GLBT friends and my friends who are GLBT-friendly are so negative about the whole thing. Can't we just be happy?
The most gay-friendly president in the history of America has just been elected. Every year, more people progress on GLBT issues. Every year, more and more people realize that Gays do NOT have an "Agenda", Gays aren't gonna take over the world (the risk of 1-2% of the US population taking over ANYTHING is slim to none), and Gays are just like you straights on 99.9% of things (how we have sex being the most notable exception).
In general, I just think we can be happy. The times are changing, people are changing, and with Obama, we have a President who I genuinely believe will NOT set our country back on gay and lesbian rights. The entire nation is becoming more GLBT-friendly, even if the ballot initiatives don't show that.
Same-sex marriage is the last substantial civil rights issue in our country. And civil rights are NEVER won easily or quickly.
I definitely thought same sex marriage would be declared illegal in Cali on November 5th, 2008 after the Election (of course, I also fully expected McCain to win...so obviously my predictions are not always accurate).
A cynical gay boy friend of mine wrote on Facebook, "We [Gays]'re more popular than criminals (Prop 9), but less than farm animals (Prop 2). Double sigh."
To see what he's talking about, here are the results of all ballot initiatives in Cali: http://vote.sos.ca.gov/Returns/props/59.htm
******
A bunch of my other friends on Facebook have been posting facebook status updates such as the following. Posted from the most recent to the oldest (from Election Night):
Leigh 's American pride is short lived. Even the California ballot measure passed. When will people stop being mean to each other?
Scott is elated about Obama, disappointed with the anti-LGBT measures, and shaking his head over AK's seeming willingness to elect a felon.
Courtney is boo Arizona, California and Florida. boooooo.
Jacqueline's heart goes out to all of her married gay and lesbian friends in California.
Isa is proud to be an american, but not so proud to be a californian today. & Go Al Franken.
Kim Le is ecstatic that Obama won, but really bummed about prop 8.
Leigh Fine 's post-election high has been tempered by assholes in Arizona, Florida, and (most likely) California.
Lauren --Yay Obama, but dammit--there go GLBT rights in CA, FL, AZ, and AR. All my sympathies to everyone who wanted to get married in CA. Someday...equality.
Joseph is depressed all the efforts to strip gay rights won. Ark. banned gay adoptions. Fla. & Ariz. banned gay marriage, and Cal. is on track to do the same. Sigh.
******
Julia, my favorite Sonoma county, California resident, wrote this to me on the morning of Nov. 5th regarding Prop 8's expected passage: "I'm baffled....I don't know what to say...this is truly the dark spot in this election....let's hope that this new leadership will bring us back up to speed...Southern CA is more powerful than I thought- Norcal would never approve such a measure........but we will change it because YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I like her optimism.
Here's the latest news on Prop 8 (and other ballot initiatives across the country). It's a VERY interesting read:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/05/state.laws/index.html
This is a most excellent video (and the girls are hot and the old ladies look like what Kate and I will look like when we're old): http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-129159