Learning and Helping

Jan 03rd, 2011 06:35 PM By Jim

As one who is fast approaching my Senior Citizen status at the age of 66 yrs. I find myself, as a member of the Ethical Society of St Louis with the opportunity to provide assistance and guidance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people. I am an officiant of the organization and have been empowered to provide ceremonies of Commitment for Same Sex Couples since our state does not yet see the light. I can also perform marriages in States that do allow same sex marriages. I participated in the St Louis Love Bus trip to Iowa with about 30+ couples and was the officiating party for three of the couples. I am still learning a lot about LGBTQ and hope to be of service, and help others to understand and accept all people, regardless of orientation.

My Thoughts on this Matter

Jan 03rd, 2011 04:20 PM By Jeremy

I am single as of now… but I would like to be able to marry someone if I want and even if it is someone of the same sex. I was once very close to doing so a few years back and I would have done so… regardless of anyone’s take on same sex marriage.

I should and am entitled to the same rights as anyone else, and why should I be denied that just because of prejudice and discriminatory thoughts views or beliefs. We do just want to live and love and be happy like anyone else… LET US HAVE OUR RIGHTS AS WE SO RIGHTFULLY SHOULD HAVE AND DO DESERVE!!! ANYONE ELSE WOULD WANT THE SAME THING….

This is Who I Am

Dec 30th, 2010 01:44 AM By sarah

So okay, when I entered middle school I noticed that a lot of people were discriminating against gay people and I asked why. When they heard me ask that they started making fun of me calling me a fag. The sad thing was, they were right. I am gay, but I didn’t want to accept that fact. See I was raised to hate gay people, but as I grew up I realized who I really am. I let the hatred get to me and I started to hate myself.

After a while I started cutting because I was discriminated against. It is kind of tough having my parents be haters but it gets better after a few years. My real name is Sarah but my transgender name is Jeramy. I want people to call me Jeramy but then I would get picked on even more. I wish that gay people were aloud to get married because I’m in love with this girl. She is so amazing and beautiful!

Have Faith

Dec 30th, 2010 12:40 AM By kelsey

I’m not gay, lesbian, bi sexual , or trans-gender, but I respect the fact that others are. I know MANY of you get made fun of, get rude and unnecessary comments each day, and you wish that they would just let you be. Well, don’t let them bring you down! I know you guys definitely do no harm to the world, it’s those people who are against your gender who harm themselves by making it a big deal. Even if they don’t wanna pass a law in CA to legalize gay marriage, you shouldn’t lose that FAITH, because you can go and get married else where.

But I know you’d like for the world to be in peace about the situation, and with patients it will be. Some people just need to get their head out of the gutter. Being in love with who ever shouldn’t matter as long as the person is happy, I guess I learned that because my mom has a lot of gay friends, and they’re normal people like you & I, the only difference is that they like the same gender, and that’s perfectly okay. ALL you need to do is have FAITH. When you have faith you have EVERYTHING. Hold on tight, forget what people think because they’re always gonna talk. I’m here to help you guys out, and I promise I will do my best to end this hatred.

This is What I Am

Dec 30th, 2010 12:03 AM By Kitty

My name is Kitty, I’m bisexual – even though I hate giving it a label, but I guess that is what I am if we’re gonna “go there”, I genuinely believe people are just attracted to people and everything else follows that…

I do give a damn about gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual equality, and I believe we can never stop giving a damn.

I don’t really think gender should matter as much as it does to some people. I get there is the whole making children debate, but there are plenty of children for people to adopt or there is always other means of having a baby. I dislike people that say gay people can’t raise a child because it will screw the kid up. I would like to show them all of the straight families with screwed up kids.
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My Story is Too Long… but This is a Facebook Test

Dec 29th, 2010 11:22 PM By Amanda

I shared what I felt after watching this show called Bridezillas on my Facebook. I was scared to hit the share button because I’m not sure the people I love will accept my true feelings on being gay. My sexuality is always blown off because they just can’t believe I am gay. I’m not sure why. Is it the way I look? I don’t know, but I get the feeling they think I’m just confused… it’s a phase my mom would say. Sorry mom and dad. This is what I posted:

Okay Facebook friends… I know bout 80% of yall are straight and will not understand what I’m about to say. I’m sad friends… I’m watching the stupid Bridezilla show (which that’s my fault) and now I’m sad, because I’m not going to get married like all these chicks that don’t appreciate what a gift they have to be able to marry the person you love with all your heart in front of everyone you love. Or be able to have a baby… the thing that makes me sadder are most of the people that will read this won’t even accepting this. So I’m asking this from the people that I love and have grown with… please be grateful for what you can have in your life and accept everything else with love and understanding. Live your own life… yeah hint. Own life… don’t put what you think is right to stop my happiness or anyone else’s and put it down. Me being gay is not hurting anybody, I just want to be me and happy. Live my own life. Wish everyone well, pray, help who I can, and cry when I want a cry. Fullest…to the people who understand my sadness today… please stay strong. There is a lot of buzz about people like me killing themselves because they are not accepted. You are not alone in this battle just keep your head up… love. Cry. Accept. Laugh. Dance. Smile. Eat. Pray. Forgive. Love… just be you. Stay away from anyone who doesn’t accept that cause they are just not worth you giving up on your life. Love me.XoXo

So far I got one great response…but we will see.

We Don’t Need a Wedding

Dec 29th, 2010 11:14 PM By Doug Phillips

In July of 2011 my lifemate and I will celebrate 36 years of our lives together. We have outlasted the marriages of longtime friends, associates and siblings.

My older brother, for example, is currently in his 4th marriage and yet, for him, there is no validity in the relationship I have with my partner.

Many who have known us for decades call us “The Grand Old Men”, a term of endearment which we are proud of. New acquaintances are completely surprised, sometimes shocked, to learn of our longevity. It’s hard to believe that two men have been and can be so devoted to each other for so long and be living together so “normally”. Like “real” people do.

My partner was married when I met him but had already separated from his wife and was living alone. He was divorced shortly afterward. His two daughters were young enough that they don’t remember a time before me and today they call me their “second dad”. The children of one of his daughters call us both “grandpa”.

We have registered and are recognized in our state as “Domestic Partners”. The framed document, signed by the secretary of state, hangs on our bedroom wall.
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All You Need Is Love

Dec 29th, 2010 11:06 PM By Kirstin

I know the title of this post is a totally cliche and over used song title, but it honestly describes my stance on equality. I’m a senior in high school and I am straight. I also completely support gay marriage and rights.

Two of my best friends are gay and bisexual, and both recently came out to me. This is probably the best thing to happen to our friendship because we are closer than ever. By coming out to me, they also fueled my desire to change the state of our society, in regard to how the majority views equality.

It isn’t fair that when I reach the point in my life where I’ve found the love of my life, that I’ll have the right to get married, yet when my gay friends reach that point, their rights won’t be recognized. When I was a sophomore, one of my teachers put it this way: She said that on the day she married her husband, she had a feeling of absolute love and completion that she had never felt before. She told me that she doesn’t think that anyone should be deprived of that feeling.

Some people talk about how gay marriage will destroy the sanctity of marriage, but isn’t it the messed up heterosexual marriages that lead to divorce that destroy the sanctity of marriage? If two guys get married (which I whole-heartedly believe is just as much of a marriage as a marriage between a man and a woman) how does that effect or diminish my own marriage?

Now I’m not in a rush to get married, because come on, I’m a senior in high school, but I AM in a rush to make a difference and change the world. Equality is where our future lies, so let’s figure out how to get there. My name is Kirstin and I hope that this helps someone who is feeling lost or alone. If that’s you, know that I give a damn about you.

18 Years and Counting

Dec 29th, 2010 10:46 PM By Brian

Just thought I’d let you know that my partner and I have been together now for 18 years. It has been really hard sometimes… jobs… people… interference… you name it.. we have seen it all. Let me tell you the tough stuff means nothing when your with the one you want!! Our home is nice, we look after each other, we laugh, we cry, we do it all.

You guys and girls who yearn for this, you can have it but it is not for free, you have to work at it and dig deep lots of times. But believe me it is worth it.

Lovingly yours,
Brian, David and Mocha too our 18 year old baby cat!!

With Liberty and Justice for ALL

Dec 29th, 2010 10:43 PM By Josh

Liberty: “the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views” ~The New Oxford American Dictionary

Justice: ”the quality of being fair and reasonable” ~The New Oxford American Dictionary

Everyday children in schools across the United States are ‘required’ to recite:

I Pledge of Allegiance, To the Flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation, under god, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for ALL.

For many the addition of “Under god,” added in 1954 is an issue, and refuse to say it; but that’s another issue for another time. For now I would like to focus on the last part, “With Liberty and Justice for all.”

I wonder if I were to do a poll for the general public of the United States, what percent of people would say that they think everyone has equal Liberties and Justices. Do you think everyone has the freedom to live his or her life equally to everyone else? Do you think Gay people not being able to be in the army to fight for their constitutional rights, the rights that kids across America are expected to pledge everyday, is fair? Do you think that a law saying that if someone is gay they can’t fight for freedom should be legal? I hate to say it, but I think there are some countries where people have more freedoms than we do here in the United States, where when a couple gets married they have more rights than when they are just ‘partners’. And many states have changed their constitutions to define ‘Marriage’ as being “between one man and one woman,” Is that fair that a Heterosexual couple, who could not truly be in-love can have legal rights that Homosexual couple, who could have been together for 10, 20, 50 years, couldn’t have.
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