Out and Damn Proud

It truly is an amazing time to be alive and to be gay. I know there are a great deal of challenges yet to face for gay, lesbian, bi and transgender people and we have a long way to go before we truly have equality for all, but I can't deny that there are so many wonderful things happening right now too.

There are positive role models in sitcoms, on day time and night time talk shows, in the Top40 songs on the radio, artists, musicians, athletes, YouTube videos, political people and really all over the place.

Keri and I watched a documentary on HBO a couple weeks ago entitled, The Out List, which was a series of interviews with public figures that are gay, lesbian, bi or trans such as Neal Patrick Harris, Suze Orman, Ru Paul and Wanda Sikes. I love Wanda!!! She is hilarious!!!

The stories shared in this documentary were very compelling, funny and some quite emotional. I definitely recommend checking it out. I felt hopeful and grateful for all the progress we have made towards more acceptance. I liked their Facebook page too. The Out List, check it out.

Then also make sure you have heard the song Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. It's amazing to me that in my lifetime there would be such a change in awareness. I've mentioned in previous blogs that I had no idea what gay was and I was lost in a world of confusion with zero role models to identify with as a young person.

Now we have songs in the Top40 and sitcoms on prime time tv that are shedding positive light on the possibility of being GLBT. The more accepted we all feel the better chance we have of surviving. These positive messages and role models are saving and enriching the lives of GLBT people all over the world. It's amazing!!! I love it!!!

I mean who would have thought the very week my partner and I decide to make it official and plan a trip to the nearest state that has passed a law to make it legal for same sex couples to get married (Washington) that our very own home state of Oregon would begin recognizing all legal out of state marriages, including same sex marriages. That is pretty amazing to me! Oregon passing a same-sex marriage law is just around the corner and maybe someday all marriages will just be called marriages.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300"] Translation: Love Conquers Hate[/caption]

Chelsea Handler wore a shirt this week that read, "Love Conquers Hate" in Russian in support of GLBT awareness on her show Chelsea Lately. See? IT IS an amazing time,...

THANK YOU to all the amazingly brave people that make awareness their passion.