My Life, My Partner…Her Health…

Apr 22nd, 2010 03:30 AM By Ann

I am gay, in my late 40’s, and in love with the most beautiful, generous, caring woman that I have ever met. We have been together for about 1 1/2 years now, and know (after both having a rough past with relationships) that we found each other for a reason.

I am fortunate to work for Philips which is a company that recognizes “same-sex partners” or “significant others.” My girlfriend suffers from a multitude of illnesses that keep her from working.

She had been accepted into the Olympic swim team when she was a passenger of an almost fatal car accident. This was just the beginning of an onslaught of surgeries and debilitating illnesses. Unfortunately, she also has inherited her mothers side of breast cancer.

We are currently waiting on results of the most recent mammogram. I know how fortunate I am to work for a corporation that does provide for “US”. This is an example of one large company accepting and caring, others need to follow their lead!!!

Gay Patients

Apr 12th, 2010 11:46 PM By Brittney

I am a nurse in an Intensive Care Unit and it hurts my heart when sometimes I have a patient who is gay and others around me are not accepting of this. Co-workers may snicker and say things like – “Oh, that’s his boyfriend?!” I live in a very progressive city, Austin, TX, and still the idea of a man sitting at the bedside of his dying lover is something to laugh about.

Open your eyes people…love is love.

Emergency Room Discrimination

Apr 04th, 2010 12:40 PM By Lucas

Imagine being afraid to go to the closest emergency room, because you KNOW that the staff will sneer at you, handle whatever your condition is with less than gentle hands – perhaps even delaying treatment due to you simply being YOU, snicker at you behind your back, even point and comment about the “she-he” in that exam room.

Imagine having severe chest pains, but due to fear of the behavior above, you don’t drive to the near emergency room that is only 3 minutes away, you don’t call an ambulance. Instead you drive over an hour away while having these chest pains, to get to a hospital that won’t treat you as a freak.

Imagine another night in time, having gotten a concussion from being assaulted, and when being checked in at a different ER than the two above, the registration clerk ignores your dizzy swaying, ignores your comments of being in pain, only to argue with you that your name isn’t right, that the person who’s social security number is the one you gave her isn’t you unless “you’re one of those freaks.” The arguing from this clerk continues for over ten minutes, until the triage nurse comes over and takes one look at you, then informs the clerk she was taking you with her to a room.

These events happened to me. I was terrified, and mistreated, because I am a transsexual male. That means that I was labelled female at birth, in my case, born with all female parts, but my heart and mind have always been male. I live full time as male and have for over three years.

I am also a gay man, and face the very real possibility that were my partner to have an accident/illness and be in critical condition, that I would not be allowed at his side. Doesn’t everyone deserve to be able to hold the hand of their beloved in those last moments of life?

Health care discrimination needs to end, not next year or in the next decade, but NOW.

I give a damn, do you?

People Are People

Apr 04th, 2010 12:24 PM By Melissa

I feel fortunate to have been brought up in a home where there was no “black and white” and no “gay and straight”…we were just people.

I have family members who are lesbian, friends who are gay, and students (I used to work at the local school) who felt comfortable coming to me to discuss their sexual identity issues above everyone else. I’m glad of that and so incredibly happy that I have these people in my life!

My family, friends, and yes, my former students, enrich my life and remind me every day that “people are people.” Now, I am a parent and my children are learning that there is no reason to shun someone for any reason. We’re not in control of the color of skin we’re born with, the sexuality we’re born with, or the color of the eyes we’re born with…we just are, and God doesn’t make mistakes…so no one is better than another.

People are people.

My Daughters

Mar 28th, 2010 10:11 AM By Nancy

I give a DAMN about equality… ONE of my daughters is gay…

I have raised three daughters. I’ve taught them the fundamentals of life and living in this world, then went beyond this to teach tolerance, equality, independence, faith, compassion and love.

What a joy to watch three beautiful young children grow into the adults they now are! What a joy to nurture each as individuals while treating them equally. What a joy to teach them to be anything they wanted to be. What a joy to watch them learn to love and develop healthy relationships. What a joy to witness them embracing each day.

Each day brings new discoveries for all three. Along the way, my youngest daughter discovered her sexuality as a lesbian. Within our family, this discovery was recognized and acknowledged. We did not judge, and our family still lives with the values of respect and equality that we’ve always lived by.

But for me, the need for social equality outside of our family became more important than ever! I was to send my youngest daughter into the world–and she would learn that the teachings and equality in our home would not necessarily follow her.

I have raised three daughters… and as individual as they are, now they are not treated equally.

TWO of my daughters can…

• Walk safely down any street holding hands with their significant others
• Practice careers without fear of discrimination
• Marry legally (if they choose) in a courtroom – OR – in a religious environment of their choosing
• Have an open relationship with a member of our armed forces
• Practice their religious upbringing openly–not questioning their faith because of a lack of tolerance
• Reap the benefits of “joint” tax returns, health insurance, marriage law…

The list goes on and on.

I hope that someday, this will change to: “All THREE of my daughters can…”