6.29.2009

Keep your coins, we want change.

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Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. In 1969 violent demonstrations took place in the Stonewall Inn, where gays and lesbians sat in a protest for equality. They are frequently know as the first occurance in American history where people in the homosexual community fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted sexual minorities, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

Walking in that rally made me realize how proud I am to be amongst so many other LGBTQA Americans. We all share the same passion for equal rights and no heat, no amount of sweat and certainly no amount of hate can stop us from fighting for what we believe to be right. Yesterday the temperature in North Texas ranked in to be 103 at its peak, also the time that we were marching. Lauren [ex-girl], Jennifer [sister], Tarryn [niece], Devona [family friend], and I all marched the .7 mile path laid out for our landmark rally. Mind you, we were in a very gayborhood and we got loads of supportive honks and wooping from the blocked traffic. People living in the surrounding apartments came out on there high rise balconies and started chanting with us, in every store window or door a rainbow or bi-pride flag could be found; like the video says, this is the best and the worst time for my generation and its gay people, because even as I felt such a strong sense of pride as I walked that almost-mile I also felt deeply saddened when I looked around and noticed that myself, Lauren, Tarryn and Devona were the only teenagers in the whole crowd...why arent more people our age feeling proud of themselves, to find comfort in the gay community or with oneself it is abundently necessary to interact.



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^Lauren, myself, and Tarryn.

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^Tarryn and Lauren chanting. the sign Tarryn is holding says, "With our love, we can change the world. If they only knew." -a classic lyric from a Beatles song.

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I learned from MGM this: whenever there is a massive gay gathering or event, there are bound to be just as many dogs as there are human beings.

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This sign was held by a straight couple who were holding hands. I thought it was an especially endearing visual as they both seemed to have come by themselves [with no gay counterparts] simply to protest an injustice. It made me really proud to know that there are people like that out there.

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^ Lauren and I walking through the blistering sun to register with the Stonewall Democrats, yes, I registered as a Democratic voter with my ex girlfriend. And we had a fucking blast...which comes as a shock to me because we fought for a whole year to get over one another [maybe I fought more than she did, however we have come this far and its looking pretty good to me]. We also went to target before the march and I helped her pick out sunglasses and she let me pick out gum [that we shared during the whole day]. It meant alot to me that she valued my opinion and considered my tastes for things. Also, sharing a whole pack of gum between ex-girlfriends? -->seems a bit touchy to me "P

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