We had an awesome PFLAG meeting this month. We had Two Women and a Poodle. They have been traveling the U.S. just sharing their lives with people. They have quite an interesting story to tell and are awesome speakers. One of our PFLAG members left her fundamentalist preacher husband to live her life authentically as the lesbian that she is. She wrote this after spending some time with Dotti & Roby aka: Two Women and a Poodle. I thought it might be inspiring to some of you. “What does that n*gr think she’s doing?” “Doesn’t that n*gr know her place?” Or maybe some were thinking; “I don’t want any part of this.” “I just want to get home. I’m tired.” “I like colored people, I may not agree with the laws, but I can’t afford to get involved with this.” What ever they were thinking, right or wrong, they were part of history the day they rode the bus with Rosa Parks. I hate to admit it, but I am pretty ignorant as to the details of that historic day. However, I do know that Rosa Parks was a courageous woman. She was tired of the injustice that was placed upon her, her family, her community. Today I had a moment of clarity. I was retelling a conversation that I had with my best friend, to my new friends Dotti Berry and Roby Sapp. AKA Two Women and a Poodle. My friend asked me why is it that GLBT’s seek out other GLBT’s. Why is it so important to us to associate with other GLBT’s? I told her that if she were that only straight person in town, she would want to find other people like her. I explained to her that if I were to find myself with a romantic interest, I would feel more comfortable to show affection with her in front of other GLBT’s, than in a group of heterosexuals. Not because I am embarrassed of whom I am. But that I wouldn’t want to make my hetero friends uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want to be “throwing my sexuality in their face.” I wouldn’t want to make them feel uncomfortable. In this moment of clarity I heard myself saying I am embarrassed of who I am. I heard myself saying my relationships aren’t as valuable as theirs. I heard myself saying, “You have every right to think what you will of GLBTs because I will not be authentic in front of you.” Rosa Parks was born black. She didn’t choose it. It would have been easier to be white. She was born a woman. She didn’t choose it. It would have been easier to be a man. She was born in a world full of prejudice, ignorance and hatred. She was born to change the world. I was born a lesbian. I didn’t choose it. It would be easier to be straight. I was born a woman. For this I am thankful, yet it is still easier to be male. I was born in a world full of prejudice, ignorance and hatred. I was born to change the world. It didn’t take courage for Rosa to be black and ride the bus. That was apparent to anyone that saw her. What was courageous was for her to remain seated when faced with injustice. It doesn’t take courage to be gay. I just am. What would be courageous would be for me to live completely authentic in the face of injustice. Did it matter that the people on the bus were upset or uncomfortable when faced with the morality of equality? It would have been a lot easier for a majority of the population if Rosa Parks would have just been good little black woman and given up her seat to a white man. Wrong is wrong. It is immoral to segregate a portion of society because of prejudice, ignorance and hatred. ALL men/women are created equal. Liberty and justice for ALL. ALL of my GLBT friends deserve the same protection as everyone else. It would be a lot easier for my children, my friends, my co-workers, and the people I sit next to at church and a majority of the population if I were to just be a good little lesbian. I can be gay, but keep it to myself. But I am ALL done being afraid. I am ALL done avoiding questions by not being authentic. I am ALL done not being me because it might make life uncomfortable for some people. Christ asked his disciples. “How will people hear if no one tells them?” Same is true today; how will people know that they have gay friends, co-workers and family members that they already love, unless we tell them? How will they know me if I don’t open up honest dialog with them? When I die, I don’t want people to say, “Well she lived a nice comfortable life.” I want people to say that I made a difference. I want to love openly. Live authentically. And slide into my grave proclaiming, “That was one hell of a ride!” In a Moment of Clarity, Tina Please check out www.standUPspeakOUT.com
