For decades, our society has been dominantly heterosexist. In our households and throughout the media the members of the LGBT community are rarely discussed, which has lead our society to believe that heterosexual relationships is not only what is expected, but what is the norm. The gay community and a large majority of GEN Y have realized the severe effects this has had on the LGBT community and have begun to take great strides into shifting America's perception of homosexuality. It is through this blog that I will come out to show you significance of this movement and why we care.
Our first president to openly support gay marriage.
This is a picture of me (left) and my roommate, CoCo, loving ourselves, each other, and sharing the love with you. I now leave you with lots of love, FREE FUCKING LOVE.
Sincerely,
Ryley.
World watch out. I’m coming out, and you should join me! Each of us can all turn on a small light in dark room, but together we can light up the entire house.
Chapman University students come out to tell you why equality matters to them. Made by me.
how can you make a difference?
Whether you are straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or even undecided you can contribute to the gay rights movement in your community. We can all make a difference. Here are a few ways you can help!
1. Stay updated on the movement! (http://gayrights.change.org/)
2. Join the Queer Straight Alliance and Safespace at your school!
3. Attend a local gay pride events and protests. Click here to find a local event! (http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/page/Quick+Links+States+%3E+Cities)
4. Stand up for anti-gay bullying. Your voice matters!
5. Support a friend or stranger during their coming out process.
6. If you are old enough, vote! Every vote makes a difference!
I am “coming out” to say, no matter what sexual orientation you are, we all face the same relationship issues. Bottom line, relationships are filled with the most loving experiences and at times the most painful, and we all deserve to have those experiences freely?
For those of you who are constantly defined by the labels society puts on you, I am “coming out” for you. I am “coming out” to say, I believe just as a straight person does not have to come out of the closet, neither should someone who identifies as LGBT.
Chapman University’s Queer Straight Alliance put out a blank canvas with the words, “Chapman support LGBTQ students” largely written on it, on the main walkway in front of Argyros Forum early in November. Hundreds of students from all different sexualities freely went up and signed their name on the white canvas, and by the end of the day the once blank sign was filled with the names of individuals showing their support for gay rights. The gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community banned together that day by signing their name on that canvas. They banned together to support one cause that collectively they could fight. The vibe the campus gave off that day was at an all time high. The members of the LGBT community and young straight allies walked side by side with a sense of empowerment, hope, and unity. The sign now stands in the middle of the library to remind us of the importance of that bond. It was that day that the students at Chapman University “came-out” together to say, they believe in equality and acceptance for all!
For the lovers in captivity, I am “coming out” for you. You deserve to walk the streets, hand and hand with the one you love, without being afraid of what someone else might do. You deserve to kiss your partner by the hotel pool, at a concert, and at the park, without causing unnecessary attention. You, like every heterosexual couple, deserve to love free.
I am “coming out” for you, Dan Choi, to say that I believe free love is not a privilege, rather, it is a human right. Help fight for the rights of Dan and the other LGBT members of the United States military, who are risking their lives everyday fighting for your freedom. Write a letter to President Obama or your local newspaper expressing why you believe the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy should be repealed. (http://www.hrc.org/sites/repealdadt/take_action.asp)
we are amidst breakneck change
I recently had an interview with Nancy Brink, a lesbian member of Chapman University’s faculty. I went into the interview with a negative perspective on the progress our society has made on accepting and integrating the LGBT members into our culture. But seeing the world through her perspective, an outsider looking in, I was shown the amount of change our culture is facing, and how the gay rights movement is taking huge strides towards equality. I pasted an excerpt of the interview below.
Me: What are your views towards the anti gay bullying, prejudice, and discrimination that has been publicly acknowledged recently?
Nancy: Gay bullying has been going on for a long long time, and by far more insidious ways then it is now. The fact that people are talking about these issues and making it aware to the public shows the steps America is taking towards fighting this discrimination. Parents are becoming more aware about their kids homosexuality, whereas before it was never even discussed or acknowledged. Do I think anti gay bullying a problem? Absolutely. Do I think we are at a place we can do something about it? Absolutely. Your generation is much more aware of the presence of the LGBT community and understanding towards them, which has been very important in this fight against the hatred.
Me: Some people will say there is no point in fighting battle for equality because one person or even a few cannot change the views of the world, and with the recent news of suicides and debates on legalizing gay marriage part of me believes them. Do you think that we individually can make a difference?
Nancy: I feel like we are already on the verge of winning the war to gay equality, we just have a few more battles to fight. As a member of the LGBT community, politically, this is the most free I have ever felt. Granted, I do not believe I am treated equally, but compared to previous decades, our society has made tremendous progress. The bullying and discrimination that is going on now feels more like backlash because they see this new freedom and equality emerging and they are afraid. Fear is at the base of homophobia, and for some people that fear stems from the fear of their own feelings, and for others it is just that fear of change. We are in breakneck change in the world and people are fighting against it out of fear. But the more of us that come out, the more people understand what gay is. It becomes easier.
People who say you cannot change the world are wrong. This movement that has been taken towards equality has already begun to rock America. So don’t ever think you don’t make a difference. Do you individually change the world? No, you are part of a change that is happening in the world. Now my question to you is, do you want to be part of the breaks that tries to stop it, or do you want to be part of the wheels that keeps it moving?
For those of you who ever ever felt rejected by your family, your friends, or your culture for being true to yourself, whether it was because of your beliefs, your passions, or your sexuality, I am “coming out” for you. Do not ever let anyone bring you down. Instead, stand up for yourself, your beliefs, and for others. We, as individuals, are more powerful when we are united. Together, we can change the world.
Over Thanksgiving break I attended an anti-gay, anti-war, and anti- jew protest run by a local Baptist church in my hometown Dallas, TX. I was on the counter-protestor side, of course. Signs that read “Fags are beasts,” “America is doomed,” and “Thank God for dead soldiers,” were hatefully raised while they screamed across the street fighting against us. We strongly banned together fighting back waving our gay pride flags and holding signs that read “BAPTIST=Bigots And Persecutors Telling Ignorant Sadistic Tales,” and even signs that read, “Show us your tits.” I took a moment to step back and observe the make up of the different sides. I noticed that out of the 40 Baptist church protestors, all of them were middle aged to elderly adults with their young children. The exception of a young child who was standing with an older man, probably his father, wearing a shirt that said, “we hate fags.com.” That image stays deeply embedded in my mind because values of intolerance are being embedded directly into the little boy’s brain, and just like the LGBT community, not by choice. It was also interesting to see that the counter-protestors side was represented by 35 members of GEN Y and 16 adults, and 14 of these individuals openly identified as LGBT, and all of them supported gay rights. The main force behind the protestors were the adults, and their young children followed. The counter protestors were not lead by the adults, they were lead by the young adults of GEN Y, and many parents of these kids and other adults followed in the teenagers footsteps. This shows the initiation and involvement GEN Y is taking together with the LGBT community to end anti-gay and religious intolerance throughout our community, and shows how important creating an accepting and equal society is to us. Together, LGBTs and GEN Y are the main force behind positive change in this country.
