A Break from Knitting

I needed to put down the needles and write about this--it's been building up for a few months now..

So, a few months ago I finally got around to reading "The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help" by Jackson Katz. His message? If we really want to reduce violence against women, men have to step up. They have to support women, and they have to be outspoken advocates against violence and sexual assault.

For me, the gay rights movement faces a similar crisis. In order for LGBT members of our community to share the same rights that straight people have, we "breeders" need to speak out against hatred, intolerance, and differential treatment. We need to support our friends and family members who are LGBT--people who just want to make a lifelong commitment to each other and enjoy the benefits that so many of us heteros enjoy.

Not so long ago it was against the law for people of different races to intermarry. Terms such as "unnatural" and "abomination" were used frequently to describe interracial couples (in the year I was born-1967-it was still illegal in Virginia for a white man to marry a black woman, or vice-versa. That changed in June of that year). Is this issue really so different?

I certainly understand that there are people who believe that being gay is an abomination according to the bible (they may want to visit http://godhatesshrimp.com). I'm sorry that they feel that way. I respect their decision to believe that, and they can certainly choose not to engage in a homosexual relationship if that is their belief. However, why should those people have a say regarding someone else's lifestyle? If they believe that homosexuals will burn in the afterlife forever... then let them burn. I will never understand why some people think that their beliefs supercede all others, or that everyone should have the same beliefs.

There is too much hate in this world. Let people love each other, for God's sake.

(...and don't even get me started on laws that forbid adoption by gay couples. I am SO glad I don't live in Arkansas or Florida.)