While we don our gay apparel to celebrate the moment when gay people found their voice and said loudly to the world, "We're here… we're…" well, you know the rest… it is important to remember that as diverse as we might be, we are a community. A community that is still separated from society by the mere fact of whom we love.
Great strides have been made and as we show our pride we should honor those who have helped to bring us to the table that is America today. We wouldn't be where we are with the Harvey Milks, the Jose Sarrias, the Larry Kramers, the Michelangelo Signoriles. The drag queens and lesbians who took to the streets. The gay men in their suits and ties who stood outside Independence Hall and quietly demanded inclusion in the American Dream.
There is a line from Larry Kramer's the Normal Heart which begins, "I come from a long line…" And that we do. We stand today on the backs and shoulders of those brave gay and lesbian pioneers who paved the way. No one, even a short 30 years ago, would have thought it even possible to be discussing gay marriage much less to have the ability to legally marry in one state. yes, we have come a long way baby but we still have a long way to go.
That is why it is so important to use our lives, our love and our voice to educate our friends, neighbors and family members. We can change the world one person at a time. Visibility is the key. We must stake our claim as part of the wonderfully beautiful, yet multi-faceted fabric of this great country.
Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, summed it up when he said:
"You can't walk away from a fight with a bully. If you walk away, the bully is only emboldened."
So as we celebrate Gay Pride, let's all raise our voices and speak up because each voice is a stepping stone on our path to equality. Join in and support those people, candidates, and businesses that actively and in positive ways support our community. Remember, equality begins with me.
