Why blue-state queers need to be out to their red-state parents, a case study

[solarbird]

Why blue-state queers need to be out to their red-state parents, and why red-state queers need to be out where they are: damned fine example here.

Phelps showed up to protest this 16-year-old "doomed fag" in Oklahoma, and got this in return:

Inside the church, the congregation was standing and the six-piece guitar band was rocking. The Lord reigns ... Great is the Almighty. The music and energy built until Pastor Eubanks bounded onstage. "Welcome to the reign of life," he said. "Amen?" "Amen!" the crowd shouted, whistling and clapping. "There is darkness and there is light and we are in the middle of the light," Eubanks said, to more thunderous applause. "Say it: God loves us all. All of us!"

After the service, several people came up to hug Janice. One woman held her in an embrace that lasted two minutes, whispering to Janice the whole time. A burly man with a crew cut gave Michael a thumbs-up. "Man, you be who you are," Shannon Watie said, holding his Bible. "We got your back."

And that's what I was talking about.

(Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for the link.)

Comments

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

thanks, i needed that.

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Inspirational! :-)

[firni.livejournal.com]

Reading that story made me cry.

[shikyrie.livejournal.com]

wiping tears from my eyes... that was touching... though I live in a state where it's not that big an issue, I'm still afraid to come out as bi-sexual, for fear that I'd lose my job, (though the union steward is gay), and my cousin who is gay is equally tight-lipped because people found out at her last job and made her life hell til she quit... People like Phelps are the ones that will burn in hell- someone should tell them that hatred is also a "sin", but I suppose they don't think it applies to them...

[snowwolf75.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link to the story... it's very moving and even funny in places.

I don't have any family in a 'red' state, everyone's in Washington... and at least my immediate family knows I'm Bi, as well as some of the extended. Amoung those that know, only an aunt has spoken negatively to me about it, saying gay-ness is wrong and that she will "pray for me"... *rolls eyes* I suppose when my sister and brother-in-law find out, they might raise a small fuss, but there ain't a thing they can do about it.

Reflecting a bit, I'm not sure whether I'm officalially 'out' or not... but is there really a deliniating line? If people ask about my sexuality, I will answer truthfully. I don't wear gay-identifying symbols though.. I guess one could say I'm "hiding in plain sight". :}

[cow.livejournal.com]

> Phelps gestured toward the church marquee that scrolled the message I hate the sin but love the sinner -- God! "It's a play on words, the sin and the sinner," he said. "You can't separate the two. There are some people in this world who are made to be destroyed."

> Shirley Phelps Roper chimed in. "With the right hand they are saying that homosexuality is a sin and they will fix you," she said. "And with the left hand they say that God loves you. They don't own salvation. They don't have the prerogative to fix the heart of man."

Wow, I knew they weren't actually Christians; I just never thought they'd make it so easy for me to prove that.

Thanks for this. :)

[cow.livejournal.com]

And Shannon Watie is hope for the future, I daresay.

[honormac.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry I added before I asked... Can I ask now?

I read your economics essay on GinMar's journal, and thought "I should read more of her stuff". When I read the first few entries available on your page, the thought was re-confirmed quite strongly.

Not much of an introduction, I know... I hope you don't mind. I don't get much time to read my LJ "friends" (couldn't there be a better name for this? couldn't there be some more categories?) page, so... I like to do what I can to increase the average quality & intelligence of the entries there.

Thanks...

[solarbird]

You don't need to ask if you want to me me on your friends list; just if you want me to put you on mine, which I may and may not then do. So add away! ^_^