that everday LGBT Americans, their family members and friends, are
speaking up for equality more often and more vigorously before Prop
8 passed last year, but anecdotally it sure seems that way.
Prop 8 reminded us that even in “progressive” states like
California, an aggressive, well-funded few can scare the majority
of fair-minded people into stripping away people’s rights. Telling
our stories, being visibile and standing up for our beliefs is the
best antidote to fear-mongering and lies.
Which is why I was happy to see articles featuring LGBT parents in
Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa papers this morning. The following are
snippets and links to full articles. Enjoy!
“Being able to marry is about protecting
families,” commentary by Michael Keller
DesMoines Register (Iowa)
“This brings me to my central point. For most of us, family is
the most important thing in our lives. And it is what the gay
marriage debate boils down to for most gay and lesbian Iowans. We,
like most other Iowans, want to protect our families. That’s it. We
want to know we won’t be barred from a hospital room because we
aren’t family. We want to know we can financially provide for our
loved ones at death. Gay parents want to know they can fully
protect their children.”
“Accept it: Gays not going anywhere,” letter to
the editor by Carl Shepherd
Daily Herald (Illinois)
“Our hopes for our children are the same as yours. We hope they
grow up to get married and have their own kids. We also hope that
they will not become part of the very real statistic of the 50
percent divorce rate that ‘traditional’ marriage has suffered from
for many years. We not only teach them tolerance, but that a family
should stick together and stay strong, even when it seems that the
rest of the world is against them.”
“Gay marriage in Iowa is stirring Minnesota,”
article by Chao Xiong
Minneapolis Star-Tribune (Minnesota)
*We were happy to help put Chao in touch with LGBT parents in
Minnesota for this article.
“About 15 couples from Minneapolis’ All God’s Children Church
plan to head to Iowa together during the second week of May to
marry. But others are holding out, not wanting to marry unless
their union will be legally recognized by the state of Minnesota or
the federal government.”
“Withering Glance: Repro men,” humor column by
Rick Nelson and Claude Peck
Minneapolis Star-Tribune (Minnesota)
CP: The recent birth of a boy to a gay couple
we know has me thinking about the whole parenting thing. I hate to
say anything, Rick, but your bio clock is going ticktock.
RN: I really need to turn the volume down on
that thing. Wait a second. Last time I looked, yours had enough
cobwebs on it that I was thinking you were Big Edie from “Grey
Gardens.”