Did you hear the message? Did you hear the Supreme Court’s loud-and-clear message that they have heard (and listened to) the gay community’s well-deserved wish to be included with everyone else’s rights? It was a strong roar that will never be accepted by the clouded minds of homophobes everywhere but why fight that futile fight?
I'd like to share a story that goes beyond the English curriculum that I have told many times in my classroom because, every now and then, a teacher needs to speak real to his students.
As a newspaper editor in the early 2000s, I had two amazing reporters. Toni, a female, was the ideal journalist – great work ethic, very smart with article structure and detail-oriented. But she taught me something very important with a simple question in reference to my other reporter, Josh.
He was quiet, soft-spoken and willing to learn. Also, evidently, a homosexual. I was not aware of this but, looking back on that now, did I need to be?
Josh was not pop-culture’s stereotype of a lisping, flamboyantly-styled gay person, so all the warning signs were missing. The only red flag that should have been waving was the one flaunting its ignorance into my face. It was mentioned, in passing, one day that Josh was gay. My bone-headed response? “Really? Huh… He never told me he was gay.” Toni’s remarkable reply: “Well, did you ever tell him you are straight?” I remember it vividly. It froze me and, to this day, I tell the story to share with my students the message that we are who we are and should not feel the need to defend that. He and I were (and are) attracted to different sexes but it did not (and does not) define us as editor-reporter, boss-employee, guy-to-guy and, simply, friends.
The gay community of the world – a separate group which simply wants to live as they are without having to defend who they love – has been speaking loudly for decades. Now, the Supreme Court screamed a voice for all – to our states that are supposedly “united.”
Acceptance has been improving, which, I hope means our country is becoming more tolerant of the differences that do not matter. The ignorant will never be eliminated but they are certainly becoming outnumbered.
The one thing the entire world can gain from this national decision is that the gay community was heard and accepted more than ever. For a brief few hours, we added the rainbow colors to Facebook photos, reposted pics of hand-formed hearts and hash-tagged #LoveWins more than anyone could count, and then the headlines disappeared into the mix of other terroristic threats, weather destruction, Hollywood divorces/sex changes/baby names and hopeless Presidential campaigns. (One Republican hopeful called the Court's decision a "dark day for America." Best of luck with your campaign, sir).
Our country, and the world, cannot make this unified support temporary because our gay friends are not leaving anytime soon and that’s a good thing. They should be welcomed and allowed the same happiness that others have such a difficult time finding.
I'd like to share a story that goes beyond the English curriculum that I have told many times in my classroom because, every now and then, a teacher needs to speak real to his students.
As a newspaper editor in the early 2000s, I had two amazing reporters. Toni, a female, was the ideal journalist – great work ethic, very smart with article structure and detail-oriented. But she taught me something very important with a simple question in reference to my other reporter, Josh.
He was quiet, soft-spoken and willing to learn. Also, evidently, a homosexual. I was not aware of this but, looking back on that now, did I need to be?
Josh was not pop-culture’s stereotype of a lisping, flamboyantly-styled gay person, so all the warning signs were missing. The only red flag that should have been waving was the one flaunting its ignorance into my face. It was mentioned, in passing, one day that Josh was gay. My bone-headed response? “Really? Huh… He never told me he was gay.” Toni’s remarkable reply: “Well, did you ever tell him you are straight?” I remember it vividly. It froze me and, to this day, I tell the story to share with my students the message that we are who we are and should not feel the need to defend that. He and I were (and are) attracted to different sexes but it did not (and does not) define us as editor-reporter, boss-employee, guy-to-guy and, simply, friends.
The gay community of the world – a separate group which simply wants to live as they are without having to defend who they love – has been speaking loudly for decades. Now, the Supreme Court screamed a voice for all – to our states that are supposedly “united.”
Acceptance has been improving, which, I hope means our country is becoming more tolerant of the differences that do not matter. The ignorant will never be eliminated but they are certainly becoming outnumbered.
The one thing the entire world can gain from this national decision is that the gay community was heard and accepted more than ever. For a brief few hours, we added the rainbow colors to Facebook photos, reposted pics of hand-formed hearts and hash-tagged #LoveWins more than anyone could count, and then the headlines disappeared into the mix of other terroristic threats, weather destruction, Hollywood divorces/sex changes/baby names and hopeless Presidential campaigns. (One Republican hopeful called the Court's decision a "dark day for America." Best of luck with your campaign, sir).
Our country, and the world, cannot make this unified support temporary because our gay friends are not leaving anytime soon and that’s a good thing. They should be welcomed and allowed the same happiness that others have such a difficult time finding.