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There were about 150,000 GLBT people at Gay Days in Orlando, one of the largest gay-pride events in the world.   They came from all over the country, and the world to celebrate their pride in being who they are.   It was amazing to see such a diverse community of GLBT people, lots in red shirts, many with their families feeling free to be OUT in the world, in this case Disney World.

A friend of mine has a son who was working at Disney during Gay Days.  “Mom, they’re just regular people,” he said.  

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Coming out to oneself can be a confusing and difficult process with several hurdles to cross.  First, there’s making the discovery that you are gay.  Then, there’s coming to terms with your same-sex feelings.  Next, it’s wondering, am I the only one with such feelings? It’s challenging for sure.  Society may be more accepting of gay people than ever before, but there is still a stigma attached to same-sex attraction, and of course, the biggest obstacle for most people is the fear that their families won’t be accepting.   That happens, but people can change.  A favorite quote from Carol Lynn Pearson:  When dogma collides with reality, when the people involved are those you love, you see with different eyes. Even unaccepting parents can begin to see things differently with time.    

 If you are at the point in your process that you are ready to come out, there are lots of books that can help you and your parents.  Also, for support check out www.PFLAG.org to find a chapter near you.    

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Here are two good quotes for the week:

This from Betty White, an American Treasure

As someone who’s been proudly advocating for equal rights and supporting GLBT causes for as long as I can remember, I know how much it means to young people struggling with their sexuality to see out and proud actors succeeding in their work without having to keep their sexuality a secret.

And this from U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer

In the greatest of all democracies, it hurts my heart that in the year 2010, we would still treat some members of our society as 2^nd class citizens, and use them to score political points or gain votes or power.

Thanks to these powerful women for speaking out against homophobia.   

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According to the Miami New Times, George Rekers was hired by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum as an “expert” witness to defend Florida’s anti-gay adoption ban.  McCollum’s so called “expert” witness was recently caught with a male prostitute at the Miami airport.   

From Steve Rothaus’ Miami Herald Blog:  “Rekers and a colleague were paid $87,000 by McCollum for testimony that called gay people mentally unstable and advised that the ban should be expanded to include Native Americans because, Rekers claimed, they are also at much higher risk of mental illness and substance abuse…”

Is there any scientific support for such claims?  NO.  What a waste of tax payer’s money. 

This is  another link in the chain of prominent anti-gay activists being caught doing the very thing they deem immoral. Hypocrites, all. The harm these people do is not only contemptible, it’s downright Orwellian.

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This from Howard Dean at a DADT demonstration yesterday at the White House.

 …This is about what’s right, not only for America but what’s right for our military….we can’t afford to lose any talented people, and to kick talented people out of the military because they happen to be gay or lesbian makes no any sense at all. 

This isn’t a tough one…the American people know this is the right thing to do.  They want to have a strong military and they understand the stronger the military, the more people in the military that want to serve, the better military that we have. …The first guy who took a bullet in Iraq, a staff sergeant in the US army was a gay man.  If somebody is brave enough to take a bullet for the United States of America then they ought to have equal rights under the law…just like everybody else.  

This is really about not just equality for a community striving for equality, this is about what kind of a county we are, whether we’ll stand up for those who stand up for us, and about us having the strongest possible military.  This is a community that’s demonstrated their courage.  They’ve given their lives, and now it’s time to allow them to say who they are.  

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On May 11^th, Veterans Lobby Day, hundreds of current and former members of the military will deliver a message to Congress: Put an end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year.   For more information go to:  www.VeteransLobbyDay.org

Here’s a story from the first American soldier wounded in Iraq: 

I signed up for the Marines when I was just 19 years old. I served for 13 years, from Somalia to California to Japan, and then shipped out to Iraq. Three hours into the start of the ground war, I stepped on a landmine and almost lost my life.

I was the first American soldier wounded in Iraq; I received a Purple Heart, and President Bush visited me in the hospital. As I slowly recovered, the shame of this policy that forced me, and thousands of other soldiers to hide began to enrage me.

I traveled to Washington and came out with my story, which was all over the national news. The response blew me away. Almost every single Marine I’d served with – gay and straight – called me with support. And I’ve been fighting this fight ever since.

This campaign has been building for the past three years.  Lobby Day is an opportunity to speak out before Congress takes action on the National Defense Authorization Act – the bill that should contain the repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” language.

Let’s hope they listen.

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