Word is Out

In about six weeks, I'm going to be giving a talk about the state of gay rights to the Sacramento County Bar Association's Labor and Employment section. I'm very much looking forward to it. I've been musing on how to approach the topic in a way that will provide some new information to attorneys who probably think they know the legal standards for protected classes.

Then it hit me; even younger gay attorneys are not likely to know much about the history of the gay rights movement. And in light of Justice Scalia's unrepentant desire to stamp out nearly 50 years of civil rights progress (he calls homosexuality an "invented minority"), the history of our movement should be

Antinonus. Image credit LGBT History Project.

taught in every school. So, the issue is: making sure people know why supporting gay rights is so important.

Last night I re-watched the documentary Word is Out. Its a montage of stories about gay and lesbian people who came out of the closet in the United States as early as the 1950s and as late as the recording of the movie in 1978. One of our good friends, Rob Epstein, worked on this film as his very first project. I definitely recommend getting a copy and watching it. Its a time-capsule about life in our recent past.

But the story also demonstrates that sexual orientation is innate. A quality of our lives which is as mutable as our skin color or parentage. Each person describes the challenges he or she faced on coming out: rejection by loved ones, self loathing, and medieval "treatments" applied without advice or consent.

With each generation of gay and lesbian persons with the bravery and fortitude to come out of the closet, each successive generation can help the world see us for what we are: normal people who happen to love persons of the same sex.

Some day, there may not need to be a gay rights movement. That day is far from the present day. Only if we step up will our march toward real equality be achieved. We should not mistake this for what it is: a war. We've won so many battles over the years and have so many heroes; it can be easy to grow complacent. Alfred Kinsey, Stonewall, Harvey Milk, Bowers v. Hardwick (upholding sodomy laws), Lawrence v. Texas (recognizing that sodomy laws are unconstitutional), DOMA and its repeal, and the rising tide of gay marriage.

The fight is far from over. We need all the allies we can get!

Your,
Bear