One of the hardest things to do in the gay community is to actually think like a community. And that’s the good part of being a gay community, but it’s also an area where it’s easy to get concerned. You see, we have to look at goals as individuals, and we also have to look at goals as a community. Even if we stopped looking at ourselves as a community, outside groups would still lump us together.
So the question remains: are we hitting our goals as the gay community at large? That’s a tough question, but we think that the answer is a bit of a mixed bag.
You see, the community is so large now that we are definitely getting attention. There are plenty of gay TV shows, gay movies, gay books, and even gay TV show hosts. It’s a lot of exposure for the community but that doesn’t mean that the fight is over.
One Million Moms is still on the debate scene, as well as Westboro Baptist Church — not that anyone really takes them seriously. It’s something that you deal with as part of being gay.
We think it’s safe to say that we’ve made an impact, and we’ve hit some goals. But this is where a lot of people declare the battle over.
The battle isn’t over until all same-sex couples get the same rights as heterosexual couples. It’s not over until gays can adopt in all 50 states. It’s not over until gays can proudly and openly serve in the armed forces, regardless of branch and without fear of missing out on benefits or promotions, or losing the respect of their peers.
There’s a lot more ground to cover — until there aren’t gay teens that are committing suicide due to the pressure around them to be straight, we just aren’t finished yet.
Now, this isn’t a totally depressing post. There’s a lot to be proud of. There are many straight people that are supportive of the LBGT community, and that’s something worth applauding. However, for every straight person that supports us, it feels like there are three more that are going to Chik Fil A to protest gay rights and how traditional family values are the best way to go.
It’s a hard world to live in, but since it’s the only one we have, we have to do what we can, where we can…while we can. Hang in there!
