It was so amazing tonight

[dsc]

to watch the HRC forum. I think of my uncle who was openly gay in the 1950's and sadly turned to alcohol and drugs. I never met him but have to be amazed at how different life is for me at age 35 and for him at the same age. He turned, or more accurately would have turned, 35 in 1969. That was the year of the Stonewell Riots which started the Civil Rights movement for gays and lesbians. At that time sodomy was a crime in nearly all 50 states and DC, not a single state or local jurisdiction had any anti discrimination laws in regards to gays and lesbians, gay bars were seedy run down places where patrons were subject to arrest or worse, and virtually no one knew openly gay people and no one saw them on TV or in the movies.

Even as I came of age in the late 70's and early 80's gays and lesbians were largely seen and not heard. I was in college when the first state (MN) passed a law barring discrimination against gays and lesbians. The approximately 20 sodomy statutes that existed in 1986 were upheld by the Supreme Court. My college's LGBT group met in secret for fear of being harassed. Gays and lesbians in TV were very rare and usually had AIDS or were evil. Barney Frank came out when I was a college freshman.

I was 24 when I could vote for a major Democratic Presidential candidate who supported ENDA. Though he lost Clinton did attempt to pass ENDA and did end discrimination in the federal government save the armed forces.

Now at 35 I see 7 of our nine candidates make promises that my uncle could only dream of. The other two, though not there, made many of the same promises. The idea that LGBT people could have the same rights and priviledges as his straight family members would have boggled his mind. It would have been incomprehensible for him that major realistic candidates for the Presidency of the United States would come to our forum, and ask for our votes. That they would promise to end all discrimination by goverment (save marriage vs civil unions) and by private citizens. He would be coming up on 70 now.

I wonder what I will see at 70 that I couldn't dream of now.

[caledesi]

1. I want a video of this. Anyone?

[dsc]

2. video stream

at www.hrc.org look at www.cspan.org for the repeats if you want a video tape. I didn't see a place to buy a copy at the human rights campaign site.

[roguevalley]

3. everything, darling. :)

*

[LeftCoast]

4. You should read about Harry Hay

He's become one of my personal heroes. Here's some info:

The Trouble With Harry Hay
A Biography by Stuart Timmons
1990, Alyson Publications

Radically Gay
Gay Liberation In The Words Of Its Founder
Edited by Will Roscoe
1996, Beacon Press

http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Heights/5347/index.html

For those who don't recognize the name, Harry Hay is the founder of the modern gay liberation movement. Harry pretty much started it all with the Mattachine Society.

I actually met him once. Unfortunately, it was before I knew he he was. :(

[dsc]

5. damn

Too bad you didn't know that would have been one hell of an interview or chat. Just thinking of what those people did back then fills me with awe. At gay pride this year I met the founder of the local gay and lesbian community center (1978). He was so proud of his legacy but also so disappointed so few knew crap about gay history. Too many of us forget upon whose shoulders we stand as we make our way to full citizenship. Thanks for the recommended read.

[JackSwift]

6. I hope that the GLBT community remembers

which party fought them every single step of the way and still does so, still scapegoats them, etc. I also hope that folks remember that the Democratic party listened every step of the way and based on that discussion discarded every prejudice our platform had.


There is one party that believes all human beings have equal dignity, and one party that believes that protestant white males are entitled.

[Rowdyboy]

7. My cousin Cubby (born in the early 1930's)....

was openly gay back in Mobile in the early 1950's. He and I had some really fascinating conversations while we were both visiting my mom in the hospital. He had some great stories that he told me privately....

[dsc]

9. I wish I could speak to my uncle

just once. The stories he could tell. I feel quite the connection to him (I am a little over three years sober). From all accounts he was a brilliant but troubled man. He also lived in areas with African Americans (virtually unheard of in his day and that place) and was as I said openly gay. I guess that is partly why I am into history as well as the present.

[revcarol]

8. A long way still to go.

PFLAG was booed in our July 4 parade.