As most of you know, this blog is almost always silly and goofy and a smidge self-deprecating. It is rare that I mention politics or religion or beliefs. But today I am going to touch on it.
Anyone who knows me knows that I was raised Catholic, which is to say Christian. They know that I was raised to treat others as I would want to be treated. Certainly the Catholic Church maintains a certain stance, which much of the time I don't agree with. I then married a man with Jewish & Southern Baptist roots, and we have a kick-ass kid. Our marriage didn't work out, but we are very lucky in that our new family unit has four parents and two kids, and all of us working to raise the girls to treat others well, and accept that there are all sorts of lifestyles and religions. Those lifestyles and religions may differ greatly from one another, but it doesn't mean any particular one is more right or wrong than another.
I have thoughts on gun control, "Obama-care," illegal immigration, abortion, taxing the rich, and so on. I rarely discuss those issues, in part because I know I could stand a bit more education on all of them, and in part because most days I simply do not have the energy.
Gay Rights, however, is an entirely different story. Most of you who know me know that I have been passionate about it for a very long time. Honestly, for as long as I can remember. I have gay family members on both sides of my own family, as well as in Josh's family. So from day one, I never thought twice about it. Why would it matter who anyone loved, as long as they were happy?! It just wasn't a big deal (which is not to make light of the struggles my cousins had to face - I simply mean that in the way my mom and dad raised us- it wasn't a big deal).
And now as an adult, I have quite a gaggle of pretty close friends who happen to be gay. Most of whom have been in relationships for years and years. And you know what? They argue about money and who's going to do the dishes and who is going to make dinner. They get annoyed with their in-laws and they share in the misery of realizing we're getting older and suddenly have beer guts. Some go to church. Some have kids and some don't. They have stood by each other through loved one's dementia and moving to a home and ultimately passing away. They have lost mothers very very suddenly to illness at a young age. They work their butts off and they play hard. They go back to school. They are doctors and artists and business people. They laugh and cry and love. Any of this sound familiar? Sounds just like a heterosexual life/realtionship life doesn't it?
I am not here to convince you to have an opinion one way or the other. You are allowed your own just as I am mine. In recent weeks I have been more vocal than usual with regards to Gay Rights/Same Sex Marriage/Equality. Some posts on social media from me have started some fairly passionate discussions. And that is perfectly fine. That is the point, isn't it?
However, I have also received texts and emails and messages that are not so pleasant.
Some have taken my posts to mean I am attacking Christians. To be clear, certainly that is not my intent. I do not agree with someone who calls themselves a Christian and acts unkindly to ANYONE, gay straight or crooked. But if you happen to be a Christian who does not agree with samesex marriage, certainly that is OK. You may not agree with it, but you also are letting people live their lives. You are not the people with whom I get frustrated.
I have received messages asking me to not be so vocal and just let people have their own opinions and leave it alone. To put it simply, that is just not how I am wired. I watch friends and family fight the fight every day, and I can't be OK to just stand by and not fight with them. If someone has a different opinion, certainly it can be expressed by them with just as much passion. We live in country where free speech is encouraged. Speech and opinion are one thing- using those to incite hateful actions, take away human rights, support hate groups- that is quite another.
I have received messages from people who feel I am personally attacking them. Or personally attacking a family. What those people seem to be forgetting, or perhaps are not aware of, is that I have been passionate about this issue for years. And years. Longer than I may have known some of the people who are upset with me. For anyone to take it personally simply doesn't know me. And as much as I have going on in my world/head/job/family and so on- and you all know the limited amount of space in my brain anyway - there flat out isn't the energy or brain power for it occur to me to single someone out.
I have no doubt there are those out there who have blocked me or hidden me or un-friended me. While that saddens me, I can't change it. I daresay most that disagree with my view of Gay Rights at the same time recognize it is important to me, and respect that. It is not my intent to alienate, to incite anger, to say I am right and everyone else is wrong.
Some of the messages/emails/texts that have come to me have been upsetting. I have cried, I have had knots in my stomach, I have lost sleep. I have been angry, sad, depressed, deflated, scared, overwhelmed. It occurred to me though, this little bit I have had to face pales in comparison to what my homosexual friends and family have faced over the years.
I have no intention of quieting down. I have no intention of turning this into a political fighting arena. I have no intention of ever purposely attacking anyone. I firmly believe those who happen to have a different sexual orientation than the perceived "norm" should be afforded the same rights as the rest of us- marriage, medical benefits, children, and so on.
You may disagree, you may block me, or ignore me. Just try your best to live by the Golden Rule.
Well said!
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