Sooo...things have been all kinds of quiet over here...I doubt anybody reads this at all...but whatever...Tons of hot shit and new content is coming...trust.
On another note, since the SCOTUS is set to rule on Marriage Equality tomorrow, I decided to resurrect a few articles I wrote as a semi-series in hopes of landing a writing gig for a local gay rag and decided that the political climate was current enough that this would seem timely (despite being written about 2 months prior) so if you're looking for wrestling and all things Drake...stick around. If you're looking for political discourse (that's not too lofty and heavy-handed) take a gander....
The Origin of Attitudes (Apologies to Darwin)'
I had great empathy for Obama when he came under fire for his then infamous quote about his "views on gay marriage are evolving" shortly before being "outed" by Uncle Joe and less than a year before the Democratic front-runner for the 2016 White House race, Hillary Clinton, made her own endorsement.
Experience, time, education, and chance all work together to both form and change a person's feelings/opinions on different issues, especially ones as politically volatile as gay rights/marriage equality. Obama said his decision was partly informed by discussions at the dinner table with the First Lady and their daughters' confusion over same-sex parents being treated differently than so-called "traditional" families.
We have witnessed the march towards full equality for LGBT persons grow in ridiculously great leaps and bounds during Obama's tenure. For example, in 2010 a poll showed support for marriage equality at a minority of 47% and then only three years later to an over ten-point increase to a 58% majority. We have seen an outpouring of support from outside our community in our political, personal, and organizational (NASCAR, Wal-Mart, NCAA) allies with the backlash ignited by the passing of numerous RFRAs (Religious Freedom Restoration Act) which are in various states of development all over the country (most famously, or rather infamously, in Indiana). The fact that the issue of marriage equality has recently gone before the Supreme Court also signals a huge shift in public opinion, that the time is now for it to become the law of the land.
The "evolving opinions" on equality also hit another milestone just this past week when Obama announced a call to end "reparative therapy" which is designed to change an LGBT person's sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Oregon is expected to follow suit and become the third state to ban the "treatment." As far back as 1997, the American Psychiatric Association (which had also, in 1973 and 2012, declassifed homosexuality, gender identity/dysphoria, respectively, as mental disorders) warned of the emotional and mental risks associated with the practice of said therapy. Until recently the practice had continued unabated with groups such as the (now-defunct) Exodus International and even the office of the husband of the once-presidential hopeful, Michele Bachmann.
Here is but a small snapshot of how our country has "evolved" on gay rights issues in recent years:
*2003: Supreme Court strike down anti-sodomy laws in Lawrence v Texas
*Starting in 2008: gay marriage bans state-by-state declared unconstitutional due to states' constitutions' Equal Protection Clauses as well as laws recognizing marriages performed out-of-state
*2009: Congress passes the Matthew Shepard Act which penalizes hate crimes that are motivated by a person's perceived sexuality or gender identity
*2011: The end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
*2013: SCOTUS Declares Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional, Obama instructs the Department of Justice to stop defending it in court
*2014: The Red Cross modifies the ban on gay blood donation from lifetime to one- year deferral.
*2014: Obama signs executive order adding "sexual identity and gender identity" to non-discrimination laws for federal employees
*2015: The Bruce Jenner interview ratings bonanza with almost 17 million people tuning in to watch him discuss his transition to positive reviews
*2015: The passage by the House and Senate of Florida of adoption reform which puts an end to the ban on adoption of children by gay couples. Gov. Scott has until June 30, 2015 to sign or veto the bill.
Public attitude towards LGBT issues and marriage equality has completely flip-flopped in such a short time and come what may with the decision handed down by the Supreme Court in June, we are not going anywhere. We and our allies grow stronger every day, each defeat only strengthens and emboldens us. Our time has come and the world, like Obama, has evolved with us.
