The Adventures of Jessica Sideways

When I woke up and went to my computer, I received the bad news from my Aunt Lori who is living in between California and Virginia. California’s anti-marriage equality bill, proposition 8, won in the polls by a slim margin and equal marriage in California has been successfully compromised. Now, the California constitution is amended so that marriage equality is denied to couples of the same sex. The sad fact of the matter is that we need to get California on board because it has historically been the state that helps other states garner equality in their laws and thus, would have helped us obtain equal marriage. I have decided to wear black all day to show distress about the new inequality amendments in California and I am also planning to do something about it. I am going to dedicate more of my time to being an activist in the LGBT community and work with fellow Coloradans to help battle homophobia and transphobia.

We have lost all over the nation, not just in California, but in Arizona, Arkansas and Florida. There have been some victories across the nation, such as the legalization of euthanasia in Washington state, defeats on anti-choice amendments and propositions all across the board in our nation and the legalization of medical marijuana and stem-cell research in Michigan. However, we have to remember to always keep fighting for our rights and educate our neighbours about issues that harm equality in this nation. We must question homophobia at every turn and hold the perpetrators of homophobia in every day life accountable for their actions. We must ensure that homophobia is not tolerated because of ignorance or a person’s religious preference, but to remind them that hate and discrimination are still hate and discrimination, regardless of religion or knowledge. Above all, we must remember that through our most human ability, the ability to love, we can truly smash the chains of oppression and homophobia. Through living as though we are married and coupling seriously, we garner more respect in our communities and dispel the lies in the straight world about us.

There is hope, though, as we have a new president that has made a vast array of promises to the LGBT community - including federally sanctioned civil unions, a gender identity and sexual orientation-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, equality in our immigration laws, expanded hate crime laws, the repeals of the Defence of Marriage Act and Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and measures to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He made these promises, but we must hold him to keeping them! We must remind him that we paid attention in class and that we have all heard his promises - and we must actively remind him in full force. The second that he finishes his inauguration, I think that it’s important that we send him a letter reminding him of the promises he has made to us and that we are making damned sure that he is going to keep them. I encourage all American citizens in the LGBT community, either in the country or abroad, to send off a letter to Barack at his new home address - 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500. Or give him a quick phone call at 202-456-1414 or a fax him our letters and concerns at 202-456-2461. Don’t bother sending them off while Bush and Cheney are still in the white house, it’s not going to help us any.

Make no mistake, I covenant from this day forward to watch President Elect Barack Obama to ensure that he keeps his promises to us and to remind him of his promises at every turn. I will hold him accountable for broken promises and I will educate my fellow members in the queer community about his recent actions so that we can all hold him accountable.