Lately I've been steering clear of political/social commentary. Not because I have less interest, but because I wanted to get back to using my personal, non-affiliated blog for personal, non-affiliated writing. I don't necessarily want to be shackled to the latest world issue. Sometimes, I just want to scan my lunch.
But today, Pittsburghers are rallying behind blogging for equality. Maybe you don't care. That's okay, I guess. Maybe the LGBTQ community interests you in absolutely no way. Perhaps you know zero people who are members of that community and have never, ever purchased clothing designed by, listened to music written and/or performed by or been entertained by a movie or show with characters acted by or who portrayed someone from the LGBTQ community [unlikely, but possible]. Maybe you've never met a nun or priest whose calling might have been a way out of a traditional married life for fear of lightning strike. Maybe you don't know a doctor, lawyer, teacher, police officer, athlete or person from any other profession who might be LGBTQ. Maybe you ignore the fact that uncle Roy and his really good friend James have been coming to family functions for 15 years and you still don't know why they haven't found girlfriends.
If you fall into that category, you need to get out more. There's a big wide world out there with so many different types of interesting people. You don't need to like them or agree with them, but it helps you define YOU if you can at least try to understand them.
In PA, some of us are fighting the attempt to amend the Constitution to "protect marriage." Protect marriage? Come again? What about marriage needs to be protected?
I once had this conversation with a respected friend from my past. She is conservative. I am liberal. That's one area where we differ. I'd like to think, if we were in a room together, we would not resort to fisticuffs [yes! I totally wanted to work that word in], but rather would have plenty of things to talk about in an intellectual and respectful manner. I'd say, as a generality, we live our lives similarly. We work hard, we pay our dues, we respect our fellow human.
She once told me that to her, marriage is between a man and woman. I can get on board with that. Because to her marriage is between a man and a woman. It is for me too. It's also between a man and a man. Or a woman and and woman. Or someone who is transitioning or has transitioned and identifies and whatever-the-heck-they-want and their partner. Why does her definition of marriage have to be mine? Or the state's? Or the country's?
To her, maybe the definition of a perfect day off is a day at the beach. VALID. That's not wrong. But to me, the definition of a perfect day off is a day at a museum and then to get some sushi. She can have her perfect day. It's not wrong. Why can't I have my perfect day? It's not wrong either.
I won't draw any more parallels or connect dots for you. You're smart. But let's all think for a minute and ask: why do some people who are so scared of LGBTQ people get to decide how they define a qualitative thing? Marriage for a 22-year old boob job to a 73-year old oil tycoon is different, and perhaps for a different reason, than marriage between two 36-year olds. Why can't we, as individuals, decide how we individually define marriage?
The bill.
Be good to one another, Tigers.
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