Finally, Doomsday Is Here
In the US, it's the first Tuesday of November... Election Day. 33 Senate seats, all of the House seats, governorships, 4 states have gay marriage issues on the ballot, and of course the presidential race, which is very close although seems to be in Obama's favor. I'm worried about the voter suppression issues, though, and ridiculously long lines in Florida (I want everyone to be able to vote easily, no matter who they are voting for).
I have to say I feel more personally invested in this election than any other. It's because for the first time, a president has stood up for LGBT rights in very real and significant ways, and I want him to be rewarded for that. If Obama fails, the media and politicians will probably point to that as the second reason (after the economy) that he did not get re-elected. I don't want that to happen, for supporting gay = political suicide to become linked. The Obama of 2008 was for civil unions but against gay marriage, and at the time even that was still welcome for me, escaping from my homophobic upbringing. But he's evolved, and I respect that. I do support Obama for a lot of other reasons, too.
I've also given money (for the first time) to political causes, and campaigned (also a first). Unfortunately, as WA State only requires that ballots be postmarked by Election Day, it could be up to a week before we have our results. Everyone knows WA will go for Obama, but the governor's race and Ref. 74 (gay marriage) may be tight.
Today I received a bit of a nasty jolt from a co-worker who I just assumed was a supporter because she seems really logical and fair-minded... she told me that she thought marriage was religiously based so LGBT should only have civil unions (to which I calmly? said that I would be fine with that if everyone got civil unions with equal rights and then could get marriage licenses as a bonus, but pointed out that "separate but equal" hasn't worked out yet in reality, as per the Connecticut Supreme Court's review of a study on such, esp. in critical matters). I mentioned the cases of gay partners denied deathbed access. It's a real thing. It's horrible.
Oh well. I've been talking (when asked about what I've been up to) about campaigning for Ref. 74, so it's not like we don't talk about politics sometimes. I know where she's coming from (raised in South, religious background, blah blah). It still hurts, though.
I don't think she knows I'm gay, in retrospect. I have a policy of not telling people unless they ask (and I trust them). Stealth lesbian here.
I have to say I feel more personally invested in this election than any other. It's because for the first time, a president has stood up for LGBT rights in very real and significant ways, and I want him to be rewarded for that. If Obama fails, the media and politicians will probably point to that as the second reason (after the economy) that he did not get re-elected. I don't want that to happen, for supporting gay = political suicide to become linked. The Obama of 2008 was for civil unions but against gay marriage, and at the time even that was still welcome for me, escaping from my homophobic upbringing. But he's evolved, and I respect that. I do support Obama for a lot of other reasons, too.
I've also given money (for the first time) to political causes, and campaigned (also a first). Unfortunately, as WA State only requires that ballots be postmarked by Election Day, it could be up to a week before we have our results. Everyone knows WA will go for Obama, but the governor's race and Ref. 74 (gay marriage) may be tight.
Today I received a bit of a nasty jolt from a co-worker who I just assumed was a supporter because she seems really logical and fair-minded... she told me that she thought marriage was religiously based so LGBT should only have civil unions (to which I calmly? said that I would be fine with that if everyone got civil unions with equal rights and then could get marriage licenses as a bonus, but pointed out that "separate but equal" hasn't worked out yet in reality, as per the Connecticut Supreme Court's review of a study on such, esp. in critical matters). I mentioned the cases of gay partners denied deathbed access. It's a real thing. It's horrible.
Oh well. I've been talking (when asked about what I've been up to) about campaigning for Ref. 74, so it's not like we don't talk about politics sometimes. I know where she's coming from (raised in South, religious background, blah blah). It still hurts, though.
I don't think she knows I'm gay, in retrospect. I have a policy of not telling people unless they ask (and I trust them). Stealth lesbian here.