Barbara Weicksel

I don’t want to rain on anyone’s LGBT Inaugural moment, however… Even though the President mentioned Stonewall along with Selma and Seneca Falls in the same sentence, he doesn’t really see gay marriage as a civil rights issue that needs to be helped along by the federal government. For the truth of the matter is, no matter what President Obama may say, and no matter where he is when he says it – he still believes that marriage equality belongs in the hands of the States.

I don’t understand this whole philosophy that exists by some in the gay community that doesn’t tolerate any sort of weakness when it comes to a gay celebrity. This whole thing that says if you’re gay, and you’re any sort of celebrity, or have any sort of power, it’s your responsibility to pave the way for every other gay person in the world. I don’t believe its Jodie Foster’s responsibility to make my life easier. I don’t believe it should be the job of any celebrity to make my life easier…

What is it about your spirituality, your religion, that you feel you have the absolute right to judge another human being? It certainly can’t be from the teachings of the Jesus I know who simply said: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

I see nothing there of judging or intolerance – only the commandment to love one another. Period.

Since the introduction of The Violence of Women Act in 1994, the bill has passed in a bipartisan manner – until now. Eric Cantor didn’t like it – so he killed the bill. He killed the bill because he and other House Republicans didn’t like the portions of the bill that had been expanded by the Senate to cover immigrants, members of the LGBT community, and the Native American community living within tribal jurisdiction.

So, let me see if I have this correct… if I use Equine Assisted Psychotherapy – which is sessions involving the stroking of horses – this will aid in the “curing” the “addiction” of my homosexuality. So says Raymond Bell, the Pastor of the Cowboy Church of Virginia. (I can’t make this up!)

Try and imagine how you would feel if you needed help and were turned away from a shelter simply because of who you are and who it is you fell in love with. Charity is defined as something given to a person in need, there’s nothing in the definition about exceptions for the LGBTQ Community. These exceptions belong entirely to The Salvation Army…

We did this. You and I and millions of other Americans – Gay, straight, religious, atheists, black, white, Latino, men, women; all of us together – we did this. We understood what was at stake, we went to the polls, and we made our stand for justice, equality and freedom for every American. I’m proud of every single one of us who simply refused to allow hatred, ignorance and discrimination to rule the day…

As gay Americans we need to remember those of our community who lived in times that were far beyond what I can imagine. These are the sweet brave souls who fought the fight and made it easier for us; and now it is now our responsibility to pay it forward – to make it easier for those generations of our LGBTQ family who will carry-on long after we’re gone. Remember this as you cast your vote on Tuesday…

If you vote Republican and we come in contact with one another – I’ll be asking you face to face why you believe I’m not equal to you, and why you believe I don’t have the same right to everything this life has to offer as you do. Don’t start by telling me your vote wasn’t anything personal against me – for it most certainly was – Start by telling me why your human dignity is more important than mine…

Life as a homosexual isn’t an easy life. From the time you know you’re gay until the moment you say out loud to the world around you: “I’m gay” could be 10 years, 15 years 30 years or in my case, 50 years. Some people never find the courage to say it out loud and live their lives hidden in shame and denial…