August 10, 2015.
Maybe Cait Jenner is giving us an educational moment on homosexuality we need to have?
Much of the discussion on Jenner’s transition is not on sex but on economics/politics, and we will miss this moment if we do not think about what being LGBT is in the real world.
She is a “conservative” Republican? How can someone be LGBT and Republican or conservative? That is queer?
Is it worth making a claim — that LGBT people have nothing in common except our choice of sex partner.
And, like heterosexuals, we do not even agree on the particular partner —some like them tall, some like them blond, etc.
Does someone — if you accept the possibility — change their politics, religion, economic view, etc. if they go from hetero to homo, from male to female? (Or vice versa?)
Are all LGBT activists liberal? Are all LGBT-friendly people liberal?
No.
In fact some of us have had the experience that “liberals” have not been helpful to our movement to gain equal rights. For instance, what are the “politics” of PFLAG people?
Now that some people/groups have gotten us the right to marry, do all of us want to marry? Should all of us marry? Are all heterosexuals married? Should married citizens have special rights/benefits?
We are 10% of the population, but within that 10% we are as diverse as those in the 90%.
What we all do share is the need to make the nation/world safer/equal for ourselves and young people who will come after us.
Until recently, it was society — laws, religious bigotry, etc., — that made us/thought of us all as a minority — we have not been judged as individuals but as part of a subgroup.
And all the drag shows, house parties, gay bars, etc , did not — would not — have changed society.
It took us working together to change things.
Hopefully those coming out today will want to be a part of this effort.
