Today, the British House of Commons passed a marriage equality bill by a vote of 400-175. Prime Minister David Cameron, a supporter of this legislation, is expected to sign it, calling the measure, “an important step forward.” In honor of we Americans, taking our sweet and entirely too slow time, I give you this video. Feel free to use this as a reminder that there are consequences for inaction. REMINDER.
Thank god for The Upworthiest for dropping this gem in my mailbox.
It’s been a long time since I’ve written here.
I almost wrote its been a long time since I had rage but as my family, friends and next door neighbors who sometimes probably hear me yell can confirm, that’s just not true.
It’s just that, with all the election stuff, with being busy at work and being busy working on my New Years resolution of saying yes more, I’ve been far more busy doing than writing.
Until today.
As I scrolled through my Twitter timeline this morning, something I do several times in a day, a tweet caught my eye.
It read, “Addison [the tweeter's daughter] just saw a rainbow flag in a neighbor’s yard and said, “I want one of those in my bedroom.” Oh the challenges of parenting today.”
I debated a lot about responding to the Tweeter, but I do not follow him, nor do I know him personally. I also thought about posting the actual tweet here and linking to the Tweeter on here- his account is public which signifies to me that he is fine with being open about what he is teaching his child.
But my anger isn’t really about him, specifically. Nor do I think that my feelings or my beliefs could affect his. So instead I turn here, where I turn in moments of sheer frustration, to let it out.
First of all, there are only aren’t a lot of things I’d consider myself an expert in. Little girls? Totally one of them. Addison, whomever she may be, wants the flag because it’s pretty. It’s colorful and it’s bright and she wants that to decorate her bedroom because, if I had to guess, she loves bright colorful things the way most little girls do.
What this father did, through his reaction to her as well as broadcasting to the world through his tweet, is to give the impression that there is something wrong with flying a rainbow flag. He’s projected his intolerance and judgements onto what is arguably just a symbol, no different from the cross he may wear or the American flag outside of his house.
But I guess the real issue here is the larger implications, the ones his daughter couldn’t possibly understand yet.
The line from Dennis Leary’s stand up act that has been floating around the Internet (See Below.) immediately popped into my head as I thought about the world this man is creating for his child.
Because while Dennis Leary’s sentiment discusses race, the principle isn’t exclusive to it. Parent’s views shape children’s views and that goes for hate and intolerance of all forms. Intentionally or not this man just planted the seed that people- people who may be gay, may support gays, may have a son or daughter just like his who is gay are wrong. These people, willing to show their pride in who they are and the ongoing fight for equal rights, are bad and not just that, but they are to be avoided.
And to take it one step further, while I don’t know the child in question, I can’t help but wonder “What if?” What if that child someday realizes she’s gay? What if her best friend confides in her about his or her sexuality? Should her reaction to be to recoil as her father’s was at the mere mention of a rainbow flag? Should it be to cast this person out, as something she shouldn’t want in her life just as she was taught to over a simple flag? Why is this father making his daughter carry around the burden of his own judgement and discriminatory ways?
In the man’s Twitter bio, he quotes a popular Christian hymn, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love, Here’s my heart O, Take and seal it, Seal it for thy courts above.”
Can someone find me the passage of the bible that instructs us to judge our neighbors, to teach intolerance and to turn what is arguably a beautiful gift of nature and view it through the prism of hate? I seem to have misplaced my copy that contains that.
There are just 10 days until Miss America. I realize, you the reader, are probably not as pumped about this as I am. Most people probably aren’t keeping a countdown or planning a Miss America party with an excitement matched only by my giddiness over birthday plans. But this year, I think there is a strong argument to sit up and pay attention.
For the first time, in the history of Miss America, one of the contestants, Miss NY, has a gay rights platform. For an organization that is perceived as so traditional, maybe even out dated to some, this is a contestant who is daring to go somewhere new. To say it’s a ballsy choice is an understatement. And will it make people uncomfortable? Absolutely. Is there the chance that it will make Mid-America question the All-American image? Without a doubt. But isn’t that what women are meant to do? Little girls may be sugar and spice and everything nice, but a woman is intelligence and heart. While there will absolutely be 53 outstanding young women on that Las Vegas stage, I can’t help but feel passionately about what this contestant has to say.
Isn’t it amazing? I’ve watched this video several times now, and passed it along to several more. Each time I’ve watched it, I’ve felt myself get emotional. THIS is the definition of Style, Scholarship, Service and Success and I can’t wait to root her on next Saturday.
Representing Indiana- Gabrielle Reed!
