Going home again, we are winning the battle for LGBT rights

[dsc]

I just got back from my 20th high school reunion. I went to school in a small Ohio town, in a midsized Ohio county that went for Kerry about 55/45 and for the amendment which banned both same sex marriage and civil unions about 60/40. It is a bastion of blue collar workers. In short, while not being Iran it isn't San Francisco either. In addition, I was a pretty big target for anti gay bullying, and that was as a presumedly straight guy.

I was more than a little nervous about going back. It had been a decade since I had last saw many of them. In that decade I quit drinking and was determined to come out at the reunion. I didn't think I would experience violence or even name calling but I did think I might be snubbed. Instead it was really no big deal. Even more amazing a friend of mine who had all but disappeared after an unfortunate arrest (for a restroom rendevous), came with his partner and was welcomed with open arms.

It really was amazing to see. The fact is these are by no means liberal leftists. The ones who stayed in the area are waitresses, laborers, firefighters, and other blue collar or service industries. They aren't artists, computer programers or other white collar elite occupations. Yet to a person, it didn't matter.

I wouldn't have guessed it. I doubt my friend would have either. The fact is that for most people in my age range and lower, this issue doesn't matter. This is the first step to us winning. Going from being hated to it not mattering is a big step. The next step, which people like my friend may well have affected, is to make our isses matter as a matter of justice. Frankly, I have no idea how those people who still live in the area voted on that referendum. I also have no idea who they might vote on a future referendum.

I had been seeing these referenda as a sign of strength from our opponents, but now I am realizing they are a sign of weakness. They see the handwriting on the wall. The only way they can win this war is by making us need super majorities to change the laws. As the older voters die off they will no longer have the ability to gin up majorities to demonize us. If it is OK for me to be gay among those with whom I went to school, it is only a matter of time.