lance is on Team Gay Pride!
People may have already posted this, but I just saw it over at Queerty so I thought I'd repost it here. I just have to say--Lance is amazing. Although I sincerely doubt he actually wrote this because it is far too well-articulated for him. Not that Lance is dumb, not at all. But he did go to bus school. From the Visible Vote 08 blog:
In the upcoming election my hope is that we find a leader who has the ability to understand, work with and effectively negotiate with other world leaders as well as fix the severe problems we face at home. The United States needs to maintain its ability to be the most admired, respected and powerful nation in the world.
There are so many important issues at stake in this election, it’s difficult to pinpoint just one that’s the most important to me. I am very concerned about the environment, the ongoing war in Iraq, health care (especially the future of stem cell research) and many other domestic issues.
However, since the upcoming Democratic debate will focus on LGBT issues, I’d like to discuss my feelings on why gay marriage is an important issue to me and why I think it should be supported by all the Democratic candidates.
Bill Clinton promoted tolerance and acceptance of the LGBT community. He appointed the first openly gay senior level officials to the White House staff and fought for equal rights for LGBT Americans. His attitude and policies helped to lift the veil of shame that so many LGBT individuals have felt all their lives and helped pave the way for millions of LGBT Americans to begin to fight for equal rights.
Over the years, the amazing progress the LGBT community has made has started to crumble. Many politicians have said that allowing gay marriage would somehow threaten the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, essentially saying that allowing gay people to marry tarnishes the institution of marriage. The underlying message is that gay people should be treated differently, aren’t worthy enough to share the title of marriage, and that the love shared between gay couples is somehow less than the love between straight couples.
My main fear is for the LGBT youth in America and around the world who, for one reason or another aren’t able to cope or can’t escape their prejudice cities, towns and communities. I often wonder how many teens have committed suicide because they’re struggling with their sexuality and feel the incredible weight of the shame their community puts on homosexuality? I am hoping in this election we have Democratic candidates who feel as passionately about this issue as I do.
By not supporting gay marriage we are teaching our youth that gays aren’t equal to straight people. We are teaching them that what they feel is wrong. What a terrible message to send to impressionable children and potentially devastating message to all the LGBT youth who may be living in an isolated environment struggling with being gay and feeling they have no hope and no one to turn to.
I understand this issue isn’t going to win an election for the Democrats and may even cost votes, but supporting gay marriage is the right thing to do. I think that the Democratic Party needs to rise above the past and help all people have the right to marry whomever they choose. I want to live in a place where no one has to feel ashamed of who they are, who they choose to spend their life with and a place where everyone can make the choice if they would like to get married. Now is the time for our Democratic candidates to stand strong and fight for what’s right.
Even if he didn't, you know, sit there and type all this out, I'm sure he thinks some of these things, and that's wonderful. At the very least, Lance allowed his name to be used for this blog. If this is the sort of thing we can expect from his book... I CAN'T WAIT. Whoever is writing for him writes like I do. Fabulous.
My favorite bit is definitely the part about gay teenagers and the really direct effects the gay marriage debate has on them in terms of shaming and so on. It seems like he finally, REALLY understands this issue--that it's not about marriage per say, but about equal rights and the ways in which denying gays certain rights that straights get basically equates to creating second-class citizens. It tells gays that they are unworthy, that being gay is something to be ashamed of. It tells them that the government is so ashamed of them and their love that they want to codify that shame into state constitutions and laws.
Lance's blog comes just in time for the Bush Administration to announce that it plans to veto new hate crimes legislation that would include homosexuals as a protected group. Now, I don't agree with hate crimes legislation in general, but again--if it is going to exist, gays should be included as a protected minority.
There's a special debate on Thursday at 9pm EST on Logo for the Democratic candidates to discuss LGBT issues only. So if you're wondering where your favorite Presidential candidate stands, check it out. You may be shocked (and, sadly, disappointed) to hear what they say.
In the upcoming election my hope is that we find a leader who has the ability to understand, work with and effectively negotiate with other world leaders as well as fix the severe problems we face at home. The United States needs to maintain its ability to be the most admired, respected and powerful nation in the world.
There are so many important issues at stake in this election, it’s difficult to pinpoint just one that’s the most important to me. I am very concerned about the environment, the ongoing war in Iraq, health care (especially the future of stem cell research) and many other domestic issues.
However, since the upcoming Democratic debate will focus on LGBT issues, I’d like to discuss my feelings on why gay marriage is an important issue to me and why I think it should be supported by all the Democratic candidates.
Bill Clinton promoted tolerance and acceptance of the LGBT community. He appointed the first openly gay senior level officials to the White House staff and fought for equal rights for LGBT Americans. His attitude and policies helped to lift the veil of shame that so many LGBT individuals have felt all their lives and helped pave the way for millions of LGBT Americans to begin to fight for equal rights.
Over the years, the amazing progress the LGBT community has made has started to crumble. Many politicians have said that allowing gay marriage would somehow threaten the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, essentially saying that allowing gay people to marry tarnishes the institution of marriage. The underlying message is that gay people should be treated differently, aren’t worthy enough to share the title of marriage, and that the love shared between gay couples is somehow less than the love between straight couples.
My main fear is for the LGBT youth in America and around the world who, for one reason or another aren’t able to cope or can’t escape their prejudice cities, towns and communities. I often wonder how many teens have committed suicide because they’re struggling with their sexuality and feel the incredible weight of the shame their community puts on homosexuality? I am hoping in this election we have Democratic candidates who feel as passionately about this issue as I do.
By not supporting gay marriage we are teaching our youth that gays aren’t equal to straight people. We are teaching them that what they feel is wrong. What a terrible message to send to impressionable children and potentially devastating message to all the LGBT youth who may be living in an isolated environment struggling with being gay and feeling they have no hope and no one to turn to.
I understand this issue isn’t going to win an election for the Democrats and may even cost votes, but supporting gay marriage is the right thing to do. I think that the Democratic Party needs to rise above the past and help all people have the right to marry whomever they choose. I want to live in a place where no one has to feel ashamed of who they are, who they choose to spend their life with and a place where everyone can make the choice if they would like to get married. Now is the time for our Democratic candidates to stand strong and fight for what’s right.
Even if he didn't, you know, sit there and type all this out, I'm sure he thinks some of these things, and that's wonderful. At the very least, Lance allowed his name to be used for this blog. If this is the sort of thing we can expect from his book... I CAN'T WAIT. Whoever is writing for him writes like I do. Fabulous.
My favorite bit is definitely the part about gay teenagers and the really direct effects the gay marriage debate has on them in terms of shaming and so on. It seems like he finally, REALLY understands this issue--that it's not about marriage per say, but about equal rights and the ways in which denying gays certain rights that straights get basically equates to creating second-class citizens. It tells gays that they are unworthy, that being gay is something to be ashamed of. It tells them that the government is so ashamed of them and their love that they want to codify that shame into state constitutions and laws.
Lance's blog comes just in time for the Bush Administration to announce that it plans to veto new hate crimes legislation that would include homosexuals as a protected group. Now, I don't agree with hate crimes legislation in general, but again--if it is going to exist, gays should be included as a protected minority.
There's a special debate on Thursday at 9pm EST on Logo for the Democratic candidates to discuss LGBT issues only. So if you're wondering where your favorite Presidential candidate stands, check it out. You may be shocked (and, sadly, disappointed) to hear what they say.