Recent happenings

In case you're not already sick of seeing updates on Prop 8 and DOMA (hey, give me some credit! I waited a few days), I decided to write a blog post :P That being said, my post is not aimed at educating about its implications. Instead, I'm writing my reactions. I'd recommend having a pretty good understanding about the recent decisions from the Supreme Court before reading this post for it to fully make sense. I recommend checking out the Human Rights Campaign website to learn more.

Here's how it all happened:

8:00am: Cute text sent to boyfriend wishing him a happy morning. Gotta make sure he's cared for.
8:30am: Class begins. Discussion over last night's reading. Boring material.
9:00am: Discover text from boyfriend: "Supreme Court is announcing this morning." Phone turned back off. Anxious squirms.
10:00am: Class leaves for break, due back at 10:30. Phone immediately back on. Can't stand still.
10:08am: See phone, get updates about DOMA. Begin conversation of short, rapid texts that are hard to follow.
10:15am: Run to computer for clarification of texts.
10:28am: Prop 8 ruling.
10:30am: Back to class. Announcement to no one in particular about ruling. Prof cheers.

Needless to say, I was bouncing up and down the rest of the class. What I really wanted to do was go start a song and dance number about it... but, unfortunately, life is not a musical in which all people know the words to the song I'm making up on the spot.

No more DOMA, I thought, Our country is finally moving in a positive direction here. With these recent rulings means a much more expedited process for the future. These rulings pave the path for the future. Maybe I'll actually be able to get married in the state I'll be living in.

I hopped on Facebook later. Many of you have probably already seen the image George Takei posted, but it's just so relevant:

"When I checked FB again this morning..."

It was overwhelming the support I saw on Facebook, and not even just from fellow LGBTQ friends. I've noticed recently that I don't actually have very many conservative friends, and most of the ones who self-identify as conservative-leaning politically treat marriage equality liberally. That is not to say all of my friends are this way. But, as bad as it sounds, most of them have learned to keep their mouth shut about this issue around me (whether it be because I'll actually fight back--STRONG--or because they're afraid their opinions will hurt me, I'm not entirely sure).

For me, the announcements were a long-awaited gay Christmas. It was everything I didn't get at Pride this year and then some. I find it wonderful that these decisions were made in June--the month designated for queer pride.

I can't wait for the future. As a queer man, there's a pretty bright outlook. There will always be religious bigots that do not find it to be acceptable, and that's something all queers have to become resilient against, especially if, like me, they grew up in a Christian (or other religious) home. But, it's a pretty big deal that our government is starting to take the necessary steps to fully recognize us. 

Guess what? We're not a nation of conservative straight white Christian men. We're a nation of Christian, Jew, Atheist, and Agnostic; we're a nation of straight, bi, gay, and queer; we're a nation of white, black, Latino, and Asian. Let's start treating it like that.

-QV

P.S. I'm not purposely omitting subgroups from my lists. I know we're more than just the religions, sexualities, and nationalities I listed.