Pride Reflections
As we look back on Gay Pride 2017, let us take notice at just how far we have come in just a matter of a few years. As our LGBTQ family united this past month, we saw an unprecedented amount of support from several multi national corporations taking a stand to help break the stigma of what it means to be gay.
We saw a record amount of gay families attending Pride parades and festivals this year also helping to diminish the polarizing view of what a traditional family looks like.
Back in 2001, in a Pew Research polling station, Americans opposed same-sex marriage by a margin of 57% – 35% .
Today, the support for same-sex marriage is at it’s all time highest point since Pew Research Center has been polling this topic. In 2017- the majority of 62% of Americans are in favor of same-sex marriage while 32% are not.
www.pewforum.org (source)
There is so much to be proud about in our community! Our LGBTQ family is growing by leaps and bounds and it is incredibly important to remain optimistic about our future. It is also so very important to not give the voices on the wrong side of history a reason to spew anymore negativity about who we are. We mustn’t fight bigotry with hatred. As hurtful as some of the words we hear are, especially as we hear them more regularly, we must fight their ignorance with compassion and
we must be steadfast in our desire to be accepted together as one nation. After all, this is what makes our country so beautiful. America is the home of so many wonderfully diverse groups of people. That is what makes her uniquely different from all the other countries in the world. It is so important to focus on the positive steps being made and not obsess on the defiance of a small few.
The LGBTQ family is united by our common bond of sexual orientation and identity. The beauty of our community shouldn’t be plagued by the misrepresentation of what each of us individually embody- rather, what we all stand for together as a whole. We are the brothers and sisters of the rainbow, united as one group, one family, one race with one common desire. Equality.
I want to end my piece with a couple of powerful quotes from a true trailblazer. He helped lead the way to our inclusion to this society and we should forever be greatful.
Harvey Milk once said,
It takes no compromise to give people their rights…it takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.”
I will close with this quote from Mr. Milk:
“I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you…And you…And you…Gotta give em hope.”
