Dem GLBT Debate: "History Was Made Tonight And My Part In That History"

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http://www.progressivehistorians.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1921

History Was Made Tonight & My Part In That History

by: refinish69
Fri Aug 10, 2007 at 09:03:01 AM EDT

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As a young Gay male in North Carolina, I was active in politics and had been for a long time. I attended my first Gay Pride March in Raleigh, North Carolina at the age of 25. It was a march and not a parade. There were no floats, no corporate sponsors, or famous stars or politicians in the march. It was a bunch of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people walking in groups or just with friends. PFLAG was there of course but you did not see corporate groups marching as you do today in many Gay Pride Parades. We were Out, Loud and Proud and wanted everyone to know. We were also dealing with the onslaught of the AIDS Epidemic and the lack of understanding or care from the Reagan Administration. This was the time period when it was still legal to fire someone fro being Gay in every state. Raleigh, North Carolina was the first city to add a non-discrimination clause to their city charter that include sexual preference. This was the first Gay Pride March but was not my last. I have now marched in Gay Pride Marches and Parades in North Carolina, Oregon, California, Arizona and Texas. I will keep marching until I have to ride a scooter or a wheel chair but I will still be there.

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I remember when very few politicians- even our allies- would speak out for the community. Justice Jan Patterson was not afraid to march with the Stonewall Democrats of Austin in the Gay Pride Parade in 2004 when she was up for re-election. Senfronia Thompson was not afraid when she gave one of the best Civil Rights speeches I have ever heard at the Texas Legislature in 2005 as she opposed the Marriage Amendment bill. Mark Strama was not afraid when he attended the Gay Pride Festival in Austin that June and came to vote in the HRC straw poll about the amendment and speak with the community as we geared up to fight to defeat the marriage amendment.

I have watched so many little things change over the years that in total are great BIG changes that I sometimes forget how far we have come or how much the people in the trenches do to make a difference. I am one of those in the trenches. I speak out, march, vote, protest, write letters, blog, podcast, design, rant and try and educate every chance I get. Many candidates can tell you how blunt I am about asking question about GLBT issues and how fierce I can be in fighting for a candidate who supports our issues and how equally fierce I will fight to defeat anyone who is not willing to stand up for the community.

Tonight I saw something which I would never have dreamed of when I was 15 years old and coming out in a small town in North Carolina. I saw several of the Democratic Presidential Candidates take part in a forum on GLBT issues on a GLBT network and ask for the GLBT vote. Many presidential candidates have asked for our votes in the past and many have attended Stonewall Democrat or Gay Pride events but to spend 15 minutes being asked questions by Gay and Lesbian about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender issue? No, that has never happened. The pride I feel as a Gay Political Activist tonight is one I am sure many in the community feel. For the first time, n ot only are we being courted by politicians but they have been recorded answering OUR question and talking about OUR concerns. This was available to anyone who has LOGO in their area or has access to the internet.

This happened because people have spoken out, marched, voted, protested, written letters, blogged, designed, ranted, raged and worked to educate the public, candidates and elected officials. Every GLBT person who has done any of these things helped make tonight possible. We have moved GLBT Rights one step closer to the day when Equal Rights For All People is a reality. While the answers were not anything we have not heard before, the fact is they are now on record as being our allies not only in little sound bites but at a GLBT Forum. Does this mean the struggle is over? NO! It does mean we have come a damn long way and everyone should be thrilled at how much we have accomplished and ready to continue the struggle to move towards day when the struggle is over and Equal Right For All really does exist.

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