Last semester a few friends of mine, along with a massive group of collected gays and lesbians, stood outside the Evansville Civic Center with one united purpose. That purpose was to let our angered voice be heard about proposition 8. Those of you who do not know what prop 8 is, it's something that passed in California that revoked the gays and lesbians their rights to wed. This being a huge step for us (gays & lesbians) and for them to take it back would of course cause an outrage in our overall community. Across the US, for the first time ever I believe, everyone banded together to protest prop 8 at the same time! We were going to be heard one way or another.
I knew if I were to protest I would be compromising some things, because I heard that some of the local TV stations would be there. I had just recently told my mother is was and she was quite floored, but we kept it from my father. I had also told her I came out in high school which worried her, because she felt the need to keep it hush hush. I'm from a small town though, there is no such thing as hush hush, so by doing this I knew there was no chance in hell the whole hush hush crap was gonna hold. I didn't care though, I had nothing to hide anymore, my thoughts were that of, "Bring it on, what's the worst you can do? Call me a faggot?"
The protest was a great success despite the fact it was in the low forties and raining. Oh I forgot there was some delightful winds too! My friends and I had contemplated leaving but was offered to get interviewed so of course we decided to stay. The interview went great, my friend and I shared our thoughts on the subject matter, and felt a great sense of pride for what we had done. We left shortly after due to hypothermia and someone had to go to work. On the way back to USI I called my mother to tell her, I figured she wouldn't like it too much since she works at a hospital and her job is constant 1-0n-1 time with the patients. I counted a good 32 seconds of her screaming my name; one note, no breaths. Although this derived from nervousness of what patients would think of her and such, a part of her was proud of me I could tell. She was rather anxious to see it air. In fact, news of this spread like wild fire and many were anxious to see it air, no one from my old high school could believe it. Steve-O, someone so meek about the whole subject is tell'n the government off on TV for getting involved with marital and sexual rights. Even the teachers got in on it. Channel 14 posted my interview online, friends and friends of friends I had met like once or had heard about me were sending the links to each other, all of which were happy for me or I should say proud is more of the word.
After all was said and done, I felt like taking on the world I won't lie. I figured I was doing something right if can change a country bumpkin town's view of gays, why should I stop there? I've always taken it upon myself to show the world that the gay & lesbian community was unique and highly likable, if you just take the time to find out. This situation only empowered me, and it continues to do so.
I knew if I were to protest I would be compromising some things, because I heard that some of the local TV stations would be there. I had just recently told my mother is was and she was quite floored, but we kept it from my father. I had also told her I came out in high school which worried her, because she felt the need to keep it hush hush. I'm from a small town though, there is no such thing as hush hush, so by doing this I knew there was no chance in hell the whole hush hush crap was gonna hold. I didn't care though, I had nothing to hide anymore, my thoughts were that of, "Bring it on, what's the worst you can do? Call me a faggot?"
The protest was a great success despite the fact it was in the low forties and raining. Oh I forgot there was some delightful winds too! My friends and I had contemplated leaving but was offered to get interviewed so of course we decided to stay. The interview went great, my friend and I shared our thoughts on the subject matter, and felt a great sense of pride for what we had done. We left shortly after due to hypothermia and someone had to go to work. On the way back to USI I called my mother to tell her, I figured she wouldn't like it too much since she works at a hospital and her job is constant 1-0n-1 time with the patients. I counted a good 32 seconds of her screaming my name; one note, no breaths. Although this derived from nervousness of what patients would think of her and such, a part of her was proud of me I could tell. She was rather anxious to see it air. In fact, news of this spread like wild fire and many were anxious to see it air, no one from my old high school could believe it. Steve-O, someone so meek about the whole subject is tell'n the government off on TV for getting involved with marital and sexual rights. Even the teachers got in on it. Channel 14 posted my interview online, friends and friends of friends I had met like once or had heard about me were sending the links to each other, all of which were happy for me or I should say proud is more of the word.
After all was said and done, I felt like taking on the world I won't lie. I figured I was doing something right if can change a country bumpkin town's view of gays, why should I stop there? I've always taken it upon myself to show the world that the gay & lesbian community was unique and highly likable, if you just take the time to find out. This situation only empowered me, and it continues to do so.
