Am I Proud?

You know, in todays world everyone has a stance that they must take. It is not something that is normally a part of their day to day activities, but just something that they personally believe in. So I was going to the bathroom and I started to think......

I am a 30 year old homosexual male, living in Las Vegas, Nevada. I can say that I am gay, but proud brings me into a whole different aura of feelings. Am I proud of who I am? Absolutely. Am I proud of the community I am a part of? No.

On Facebook (where I am kind of a big deal), I received an invitation from the HRC (Human Rights Coalition) to come to a fundraiser for Gay Rights. As I was reading the invitation, I noticed that it was in a night club and that they were offering a shot and beer bust. It was at that very instant that I found myself ashamed.

As an American, I feel that I deserve the right to be seen and treated the same as every other American, but people are stubborn. That I can accept. People have a perception in their minds about what a homosexual is, how they live their life and why we shouldn't be allowed the same rights as heterosexuals. I do not feel that GLAAD,The HRC, or any other organization has taken steps to educate the rest of the country as to the broad spectrum of homosexual lifestyles.

I consider myself average. I have a boyfriend that I live with. Our life is "normal" looking from a heterosexual vantage point. We don't go clubbing, do drugs, dress up or anything that your "stereotypical" homosexual does other than fornicate. We want to get married, have children, buy a house and make a family. When the media portrays homosexuals during any political vote or hearing, they only show the most flamboyant, ridiculous and stereotypical people; much like any other community. If an African-American robbed a bank and caused a riot, they wouldn't show your typical family or person on TV, it would be the stereotype.

It is because of these events I feel that we have made such little progress. It is also my feeling that we are losing valuable time fighting for a word. While I believe we should all be treated equally and afforded the same civil liberties, thousands sit in a hospital waiting room because we are fighting for the word "Marriage". In my opinion, if the community was focused more on the rights than the word, we would be worlds ahead of where we are today. I have sat in a waiting room and told that I wasn't a family member before. I was told that if my partner died today that his family can take what they want no matter what legally binding contract was written. As you read this, someones partner is ill and alone. Someones last directive was not followed. Someone wished for that last chance to say goodbye.

I have received backlash from other homosexuals on my thoughts on this subject, and I welcome it. It is not until people start talking that we can accomplish our goals. The next time you hear someone call another person a faggot, if you are gay, check them on it. The next time you have the chance to tell someone who we really are, take advantage of it. If you are not gay, but have a family member or friend that is, we rely on you too to do the same as us.

I am not telling everyone to vote a certain way. I am asking you to look at yourself and say, how does allowing this group of people to do this effect me and my life? If I got married, would you still wake up next to your husband or wife in the morning? Would your kid still go to soccer practice? Would you still have a job? Your life goes on and you have the power to ensure that mine starts!

Again, I am a 30 year old homosexual and I am proud of who I am!