I just don't know what to say or feel about the election.
I'm so so so so so so so so so so so excited that Barack Obama won. I'm just speechless about it. He's the first black president and the first Democratic president I can remember taking office. I was alive when Clinton made it, but I was small and I don't remember it that well. I'm a young person; the only elections I remember well were ones where George W. Bush won. This has been such an experience for me, and I'm so happy he's our new president.
I just can't even express it. It's huge.
And then there's Proposition 8.
As of right now, it looks like it's going to pass in California, adding discrimination against gay people to our state constitution.
Which is just devastating. Devastating.
I can't even convey how awful it is. It feels like the state which I count on to take care of me, to be a home when so many other places will reject me for my sexual orientation and my "lifestyle," is rejecting me, too. I really did think that we'd be better, that we'd be more accepting, more fair than the rest of the country. It's so sad that it doesn't look like that's going to happen.
I have no idea what's next, where we go in fighting for the rights of queer people. It's so important. We are PEOPLE, we do not choose our orientation, it is a part of who we are and doesn't affect other people AT ALL. It is simple hatred and homophobia that lead to this kind of legislation.
I have so much more to say about this, about how sexism ties into homophobia and how ballot initiatives in California are problematic. Right now, though, I'm going to celebrate for Obama and cry for California and go to bed.
There's time for our next move in the morning.
P. S. Proposition K probably won't pass either, and I'm sad but not surprised. I saw the way the rhetoric was going, and it wasn't in favor of sex workers' rights. Also more on this soon.
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2 comments:
I love the term "Homophobia" and it's usage... Homo meaning Man, and Phobia meaning fear... fear of men... Not fear of Homosexual Men, just simply fear of men.
I wonder if anyone's ever going to get it right? Somehow I doubt it. But it's a real disease that nobody's talking about.
The word "homophobia" has been used to mean fear of men or fear of humans, but according to the OED it's a rare form of the word. "Homophobia" as used to describe "fear or hatred of homosexuals and homosexuality" is much more common..
The point, though, is that hatred of gay people is completely irrational. To use it to pass laws, especially ones that entrench inequality in our state constitutions, is reprehensible.
If we were passing laws that said that men aren't allowed to get married, this would be a whole other discussion.
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