soapbox
Same-Sex Marriage: What We’re Really Fighting For
While last week was a monumental one for marriage equality and its supporters, it was also quite eventful for our little family. A quick recap:
I was coming off a “theater high,” having performed the weekend prior in Xanadu with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. However, re-entry into real life was rather bumpy. I hadn’t been around for JJ’s nightly routine in almost a week, and he acquired a few new tricks in my absence: finding new (and unending) reasons to get of bed, coloring on walls, and a higher register in his screaming voice chief among them.
Our family dog baby girl was recovering from her third surgery in as many months — and she’s still not out of the woods.
Papa and I had our first date night in months. It was about as romantic as you’d expect between toddler parents (i.e. sharing stresses, trying to stay awake, drinking). Yet the real high point was me kneeling over the toilet at 4am, and then either parked on top of it or in bed for the next three days.
It wasn’t all screaming and sickness. An interview we’d done with NPR (not about gay marriage, but remote controls) aired on Morning Edition. While they used very little of what we recorded, and apparently I wasn’t miked well enough so can only be heard muttering in the background, it was great to hear Papa and JJ get some airtime!
Add to all that, ongoing struggles with money, work, eating/exercise habits, potty training, pacifier addiction, too much TV, not enough family time… It’s not surprising the Supreme Court hearings about Proposition 8 and DOMA snuck up on me.
I’m sure I’d gotten a dozen emails from various organizations I follow, and had even seen some chatter about it online. But with everything going on in my life, I was in a bit of a bubble… and not the cool Glinda the Good Witch kind.
So I was genuinely shocked when I logged onto Facebook late Tuesday morning and saw a sea of red — dozens and dozens of friends had replaced their profile photos with equal signs to show their support of same-sex marriage.
I was also genuinely moved. I not only felt accepted, but advocated for. And I felt a sense of community I’d never experienced on Facebook before. And it wasn’t just my LGBT friends — but a number of my heterosexual friends. It was having so many of them mixed in that made it feel more real, like more of a change had taken place.
As the day progressed, the numbers of red avatars grew. People (yours truly included) started creating their own versions, which ranged from the politically clever to the absurdly silly. Several friends who’d made it to the rallies started posting photos of the crowds. Various news sites and blogs started uploading recordings from the hearings. And by the second day of hearings, there were already stories about the profile photo phenomenon happening on Facebook. All told, nearly 3 million people changed their profile pics to some variation of the red and pink equal sign.
I want to acknowledge all those straight friends in particular: I felt and appreciated the love. It didn’t just make me feel equal, it made me feel like I was being carried around on your shoulders at the end of Rudy.
Now before I get too sappy (too late?), I need to answer the question posed in the title.
What are we really fighting for?
While the show of virtual support was wonderful, and indicates in a small way how things have shifted, that’s not enough in itself. And the court battles are not just so we can get married. Gays have been creating their own weddings (commitment ceremonies, civil unions, beach parties) for decades. The same goes for building our own families, whether it’s through biology, adoption, surrogacy or circumstance. We’ve also learned ways to circumvent the walls blocking us from healthcare benefits, visitation rights, inheritance issues and parenting restrictions, so that we can protect these self-made families the best we can. We’re an industrious bunch.
But being a family is hard, regardless of who has what parts. And legal marriage makes all the stuff I’ve described — both the personal stories and the general issues — a little bit easier to manage. So to answer my question: We’re fighting for all of it. For marriage, for equality, for our families, for our lives.
Because when one week finds you dealing with food poisoning, dog surgeries, remote controls, temper tantrums and crayon graffiti, you’ll take all the legal/societal/spiritual/financial/emotional help you can get.
An abridged version of this article also appears on The Good Men Project.
Designer Daddy Goes to Annapolis
On a recent Thursday I saw a post on Facebook from fellow dad blogger Oren Miller, saying he would be meeting with the governor of Maryland, thus was soliciting questions from fellow Marylanders to take with him. He mentioned he was part of a group of parent bloggers the Governor’s office had invited for an informal Q&A regarding issues important to Maryland families. My immediate question – of course – was, “Do you have a gay parent blogger yet?” Oren, being the connected and generous fellow that he is, passed along my info which resulted in an official invite for the meeting…which was happening the very next day.
Giddy as all get-out, I quickly scrambled around, emailing, Facebooking and Tweeting (even LinkedIn-ing, I think) to get questions from friends and blog readers to take with me to Annapolis…so I wouldn’t look like a completely uninformed dolt. I ended up with a decent number, and narrowed it down to three priority questions to ask. I knew in a room full of bloggers my chances at getting a word in might be slim.
The next morning I sped through the nasty, wet traffic the nearly hour drive to Annapolis, eventually found parking, and trudged up the hill to the State House. Our meeting was in the Governor’s Reception Room — think the White House’s Roosevelt Room, only higher ceilings and more portraits of Maryland Governors. Our group consisted of 8 bloggers (5 moms, 3 dads), Governor O’Malley, and a few staffers.
The other guys in the group ribbed me for wearing a coat and tie and making them look bad. But in my research the night before, I’d been informed that O’Malley was not only the Governor of Maryland (home to the very recent Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens) but also a graduate of Gonzaga High School in DC. So my tie and my socks were purple (Designer Daddy’s got a rep to uphold) and I made sure to point that out when introducing myself to the Gov. I realized soon after though, that I was the only person NOT to specifically mention my child and how old he was. Smooth, huh?
The meeting was fairly informal, with Governor O’Malley talking a bit about the goals of the remainder of his term (which ends in 2014), using a projection of the office’s web site to illustrate certain points and show how citizens can keep track of the state’s goals and review progress in real time.
"Get a load of this guy in the purple tie."
Not surprisingly, the first blogger question was about education, as were many that followed. Education-related discussions included the quality of public schools vs. private; school meal programs and the overall issue of hunger; and the lack of mental health providers, among others. The issue of mental health inevitably led to the topic of gun control, at which point I was able to mention one of the questions on my list.
A store near our house sells toy trains and guns. It’s always seemed odd disturbing to me (and many others) to have a gun shop so near residential areas, within walking distance of several parks and schools. It was even broken into a few years ago — apparently the thieves weren’t into toy trains, as only guns were taken. I mentioned all this to the Governor in order to say, “I don’t know what the zoning laws are for gun shops, but it shouldn’t be on the way to walking my son to the park or preschool.”
My comment wasn’t addressed directly, but the topic of gun control was discussed in general. And in a follow up email we were invited to a rally in support of his Gun Violence Prevention Bill on March 1. Information on this bill and the rally are listed at the end of this post under Resources.
Somebody's not paying attention...
Our meeting was only an hour long, and by the time I’d gotten out one of my three points, we were already nearing the end. So at the close when the Governor asked if there were any further questions, I threw a Hail Mary to get in the comment I’d most wanted to:
“I just wanted to personally thank you. My partner and I moved to Maryland nine years ago, A) so we could afford to buy a house and because of the schools, and B) so we could adopt. I wanted to thank you for your support of the Same Sex Marriage Bill. It’s not a political issue for us; it’s our life, our family. We have a 3-year-old son, and I was excited the morning after the election to tell him that [his Daddy and Papa] were going to get married. He didn’t really understand what ‘ring bearer’ meant (laughter) — he thought it meant he was going to get to ring a bell. And I think since we already have rings, we’re just going to let him ring a big bell or something.” (More laughter)
(Pause) “So do you do weddings?” (More laughter)
Governor O’Malley’s reply, “I’ve never done a wedding. Technically I guess I’m allowed. I’ve never gone down that path, for fear that if I did one it would be impossible for me to justify saying no.” (Laughter)
He continued, “I think we found a broader way to communicate around that issue, by talking about the dignity of every child’s home. And I don’t think any of us agrees that’s it’s right or just that one child’s home would have lesser protections under the law than another child’s home depending on who their parents were.”
And with that, we wrapped things up, got a group photo in the Governor’s office, and said our final “thank yous” and goodbyes. As I was shaking O’Malley’s hand, I told him I’d mentioned to JJ the night before that I was going to meet the Governor, which didn’t register. I told him he was the President of Maryland, which seemed to impress him a bit. O’Malley got a chuckle out of that, then encouraged me to “Keep Kensington strong.” A very politician thing to say, but not a bad admonishment.
Gov. O'Malley with MD parent bloggers. I look like I just won a bodyguard reality show competition.
I realize this post isn’t very meaty with policy details. One thing I learned from this experience is that real politics — not the issues-driven sound bites that fuel most election year debates, but the statistics, dollars and logistics — boggles and numbs my mind. I have new appreciation for elected officials and those that work for and lobby them.
However, I did email all my questions to the Governor’s office. I’ll be sure and send answers to those that asked, as well as to anyone else who’d like to read them — just say so in the comments or a direct message. I’ve also included a Resources list below: links and documents provided by O’Malley’s office in reference to several of the topics we discussed in our meeting.
While there’s still much to be done to improve education and decrease hunger and gun violence, I came away from this experience hopeful for my state and the country as a whole. I was proud to have been able to thank the highest person in power that helped bring about marriage equality, and thrilled to have this as part of our family’s story. I imagine this will be one of those tales my son will grow weary of hearing as he (and I) grows older. Designer Daddy Goes to Annapolis
“Ugh, Dad’s telling the Governor story again!”
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Resources:
State of Maryland 15 Strategic Goals: https://data.maryland.gov/goals
Legislative agenda this session: http://www.governor.maryland.gov/legislation2013.asp
FY2014 Budget (includes graphs showing education investments): http://www.governor.maryland.gov/BudgetFY2014.asp
Governor’s State of the State Address: http://www.governor.maryland.gov/stateofstate2013.asp
Gun Violence Prevention Bill Facts:
“We can reduce gun violence without infringing on law abiding gun owners’ rights” http://www.governor.maryland.gov/blog/?p=8133
Press release on bill: http://www.governor.maryland.gov/blog/?p=8020
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EXTREMELY SILLY EPILOGUE:
My original intent on bringing up the Same Sex Marriage Bill was not only to thank the Governor for his support of it, but also to ask if there was something that had personally inspired him to be such a strong proponent on such a divisive and provocative issue. I never got to ask, but in researching afterwards I came across his bio on Wikipedia, and I think I found my answer…
Governor O’Malley is apparently a HUGE “Will & Grace” fan.
(Although I’m not sure what he’s got against Karen…)
Boy Scouts Delays Discussion on Lifting Gay Ban
When I heard the Boy Scouts of America might lift its ban on gay and lesbian scouts and leaders, I was pleasantly surprised. I was hopeful. I even had a funny, positive spin to put on it. But once again (at least for the foreseeable future) the BSA has given LGBT Americans the salute they think we deserve:
What could a gay kid learn from the Boy Scouts anyway?
- How to pitch a tent. (snicker)
- How to camp. (snap)
- How to tie knots. Lots and lots of knots.
- How to build a fire.
- How to cook dinner, wrapped in tin foil, over said fire.
- S’mores, s’chmores. How to bend a coat hanger to hold your Pop-Tart and toast it over said fire.
- Dirty jokes. Lots and lots of dirty jokes.
- CPR (No Scout-on-Scout mouth-to-mouth — with CPR Annie just like everyone else)
- Camping out in Central Illinois in mid-January is ball-shrivelingly cold.
- Sharing a sleeping bag with your Dad – while lame in theory – is quite beneficial when camping out in Central Illinois in mid-January.
- How to use a compass.
- How to read a map.
- How to survive overnight in the woods. Hint: don’t lose your bug spray.
- How to shit in the woods. How to clean up.
- Swear words. Lots and lots of swear words.
- How to carve, paint and race a car made of pine.
- How to rock some green shorts and a kerchief.
- How to sew. Badges, not ball gowns. (But badges onto a sash)
- How to dig a post hole… and what a post hole is.
- How to survive (in silence) doing manual labor, on minimal food and water for 2 days.
- You can make your parents proud for something other than drawing and good grades.
- If you make them really proud and get inducted into the Order of the Arrow, they’ll buy you a silver arrowhead necklace inlaid with turquoise.
- That Scouts, much like band and ROTC, are toxic to popularity.
- That Life is pretty cool, but Eagle is way better.
- That I should have stuck with it.
Earlier this week it was reported that the Boy Scouts may overturn their ban on allowing openly gay and lesbian scouts and leaders. While much of the motivation may come from loss of funding and declining membership, it’s still a positive sign that an organization as old and entrenched as the BSA — who very recently voted to keep the ban — is headed in the right direction.
I loathed much of my time as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout — I would have much rather stayed inside to work on my Superhero Drawing and TV-Watching Merit Badges — but I genuinely value the ways it tested me and got me out of my shell, if not out of the closet. Religious arguments aside, (please God, just this once?) many may wonder why a gay kid would want to be a Scout anyway, what with all the hiking and bad food and troops of straight people. But the same arguments have been used about the military. And professional sports. And marriage (okay, not as much hiking there). But this gay learned a lot from his experience in the Scouts. And while it may not have been my canteen of pond water, I deserved to experience the mastery and the misery just like every other red-blooded American kid. And I’m more trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent because of it.
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Any other LGBT former (or current) Scouts out there? What was your experience like? Please leave a comment and get your Blog Commenting Badge!
The Injustice of Being Wonder Woman
Last year I reached my pinnacle of Fatherdom by forcing the hand (at least in my mind, anyway) of toy giant Fisher-Price into producing an Aquaman figure for their Imaginext line. But in my original suggestion posted on FP’s site, my request was for both Aquaman AND Wonder Woman. At that point, the only female character they featured was Catwoman (a villain) and I thought it a travesty DC Comics’ most powerful female — and arguably 2nd most powerful hero, period — wasn’t already included.
Fast-forward a few months and… Great Hera! The collection now features two new females: Harley Quinn (another villain) and my girl Wonder Woman! The photo on the Fisher-Price site (above) looked pretty nifty, sporting a healthy glow, super chunky bracelets and of course wielding her “Magic Wope!” So I snapped one up.
However, here’s what the actual toy looks like:
Pale skin; bubblegum pink lipstick; smooth, flat face; a blank stare… Yup, she’s a blow up doll.
Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit. But I’m not completely off base, am I?
Prior to this figure, I’d found a couple of iterations of the Amazon Princess that, while smaller than the Imaginext toys, were acceptable alternatives. JJ didn’t like playing with them, though — the legs didn’t bend, making it impossible for them to sit and frequently difficult to even stand. But compared to the new one, these feisty figures displayed more of the strength and confidence that Wonder Woman embodies — check out that “Don’t F with me, fellas!” expression or the fierce, full-body armor* and pokey sword!
Why is having a well-rounded Wonder Woman action figure so important to me? Aside from wanting my son to grow up appreciating, admiring and yes, even emulating smart, powerful women, Wonder Woman’s also the one superhero he’s actually met!
Contrary to appearances, Lynda Carter is not my child's biological mother.
Lynda Carter emceed the AIDS Walk in DC a couple of years ago, where we got to meet her briefly. This photo is proudly displayed in my office among my animation cells, prints and action figures. Having watched bits of the 70s TV show on YouTube, JJ sees this now and boasts, “That’s me and Wonder Woman!”
Am I being overly picky about a 3-inch toy? Sure. Will my son’s vacant-looking action figure influence his opinion of women as he matures? Probably not. Could Fisher-Price have taken a couple more passes at the design and given her a less pouty mouth, possibly made her a bit tougher-looking? Definitely. As the only female superhero my son plays with, Wonder Woman should hold her own — not only against Clayface, Dr. Doom and the other bad guys, but alongside Superman, Batman and Hulk as the powerhouse she is. Not the inflatable plaything this version resembles.
Elmo’s World Comes Crashing Down
The first posts about Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo, appeared on my Facebook feed late in the afternoon. Reading the articles was disheartening, depressing and downright sad. And each article (from mostly quasi-reputable sources) was capped by one inflammatory headline after another. It seemed they were all trying to cram as many damning words into a single line as possible: “Sex,” “Denies,” “Underage Boy,” “Pedophilia,” “Gay.”
So I went in search of a more respectable source, one that would stick to the facts. I came upon what I hoped would be such an article from ABCNews. No such luck. Here are a few of the questionable—and some completely irrelevant—phrases peppering the story:
Clash…began using a falsetto voice in 1984 to bring life to the furry red monster.
The accuser…is being represented by…the same high powered firm hired by a victim of Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted of child sex abuse.
Clash spoke to ABC News last year about his passion for puppets… “I have Peter Pan syndrome we call it,” Clash said.
After learning how to sew around age 9…
“‘You sleep with your puppets, you play with dolls,’ you know,” Clash said of being teased as a kid.
Let me state that I have never been that fond of Elmo. I grew up on Bert & Ernie, The Count and Cookie Monster. Elmo is a relative newcomer, and has always seemed way over-hyped and unendingly shrill.
But then last year I saw Kevin Clash on The Daily Show promoting Being Elmo, and was amazed at his energy, his spirit, and his undeniable talent. When I finally watched the documentary I was genuinely moved by this story of an odd, sensitive, creative (and extremely driven) boy that pursued his dream of being the next Jim Henson. Clash became hugely successful at not merely entertaining or educating, but spreading joy wherever he went.
A young Kevin Clash with his idol and mentor, the late Jim Henson
I sincerely hope the accusations are untrue. Yet if the level of hyperbolic coverage surrounding this continues, it kind of doesn’t matter. Kevin’s career as Elmo (and in children’s entertainment) is over, regardless of the outcome. I just can’t imagine the talking heads and paranoid corporate sponsors will allow the truth to win out.
In response to the story, Sesame Workshop is quoted as saying, “Elmo is bigger than any one person…” But if you watched Being Elmo (and you should), you know this isn’t true. Elmo existed for several years before Kevin Clash, but Kevin Clash brought Elmo to life, imbuing him with a toddler’s wonder and loving spirit. It would be a shame for such a lively life to be stifled by the flames of homophobia, fear and sensationalism.
Happy Birthday Son! Love, Your Soon-To-Be (Legally) Married Dads & the State of Maryland
Victory Speeches, Birthday Wishes & Wedding Bells
Exhausted from a very trying week and a half, I stayed up as late as I could to watch election (and Question 6) results last night. I gave up around 11 and trudged upstairs to get ready for bed — and when I came out of the bathroom, the election had been called for Obama. I went to sleep happy about that, but stressed knowing the votes for Question 6 were uncomfortably close.
I woke up around 1am to pee, checked Facebook and started tearing up reading all the posts about the victory for marriage equality in Maryland. And not just general “Woohoo!” posts, but status updates from several friends announcing their intentions to get married in 2013, as well as many, many posts, emails and messages to me personally congratulating our family.
After my 1am nature call/sigh of relief/internal jump for joy, I updated my Facebook status:
Woke up to pee and am now tearing up after checking Facebook and seeing that same-sex marriage will finally be legal in Maryland. Can’t wait to tell Jon in the morning (on his 3rd birthday) that Daddy and Papa are gonna get married!
But at 6:30am (after a very un-fitful night of non-sleep) I was awakened by JJ turning on our light and then loudly whining because Papa couldn’t play with him because Papa had to plunge the toilet and couldn’t find said plunger, so then I had to get up and help hunt for it, as well as appease the cranky (now) 3 year-old and change a very wet diaper. Needless to say, there were no birds chirping sweetly, flitting about and putting wedding garlands in my hair.
But as I was changing JJ’s diaper, I wished him Happy Birthday and told him I had a special birthday surprise for him: Daddy and Papa were going to get married! His reaction was to stare in mild confusion and disinterest. I reminded him he had been to Uncle Baby’s and Aunt Amy’s wedding (which he was too young to remember)… still no reaction. I told him, “You get to be the ring bearer!” <Blinks>
A few minutes later when Papa came downstairs, I asked JJ to tell Papa what I’d told him. I of course had to jog his memory about the whole marriage thing, but when I asked him to tell what he (JJ) was going to do at the wedding, he declared proudly, “I”m get to ring the bell!”
We already have rings, so we don’t technically need a ring bearer. And besides, the image of JJ running around ringing a big, loud bell after his Daddy and Papa say their legal “I Do’s” seems just about perfect.
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Here are a few of my favorite congratulatory messages:
Congrats to Marylanders! Brent & Nick, I am so there when (and if) you decide to get married. Whether it’s a big blow-out like last time or a quiet city hall affair, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Love you both!! And your little boo-boo too!
My old friend Brent is just one of many citizens of Maryland who can finally get married to the person he loves! Let go of prejudice! Gold bless America!
My [Facebook] feed is pretty good for now. A few people have been negative nancies, but not too bad. I have one friend in Maryland who made me teary this morning because he got up to pee in the middle of the night and saw that gay marriage is now legal in his state… he was so happy that he could tell his son today, on his 3rd birthday, that his dads are going to get married. That made me happy.
HUGS!!!! Yay to your family!!!
CONGRATULATIONS my friend!!! Happy happy joy joy!!
I just found out that my brother and his partner of 15 years are now allowed to get married and have a “legal” family with their son. I love and look up to them both so much. They set such a wonderful example and inspiration not as gays but as people who love and make it work every day. They’ve taught me so much over the years and guided me out of my naiveté, to prevent heartache and prolonged drama that plague so many in our community. They deserve the best life and happiness. When I grow up, I want to be just like them.
Vote, Baby, Vote!
It’s been a very busy — and milestoney — week and a half.
JJ went trick-or-treating for the first time…
…We hosted his 3rd birthday party for a dozen or so kids (I lost count after a while)…
…I performed “My 2 Daddies (Can Beat Up Your 1)”* at my chorus’ annual retreat… And won the Judges Award!
And tonight is the Presidential election. Hitting even closer to home (literally and figuratively) — a big decision regarding our family rests in the hands of our fellow Marylanders…
That’s a little photo I whipped up for my Facebook page, along with this message:
I realize the vast majority of my Facebook friends support same-sex marriage, but we ALL have family members, neighbors, co-workers, etc. that might not. So if you know someone in Maryland that might be on the fence, feel free to use our family as an example of ones that would benefit/suffer depending on how they vote.
(PS: And in case you question my little “ad,” as exploiting my child for political purposes, it wasn’t US that wanted to put our equality to a vote…)
I had wanted to do a lot more — I even considered swiping a neighbor’s “Vote for 6″ sign, seeing as how we had so much going on these last couple of weeks and didn’t have time to pick up our own. But aside from making a contribution early on in the campaign, I think we’ve probably had the most impact by just being a family. Being out there in the community — hosting birthday parties, trick-or-treating, shopping for groceries, taking family walks through the neighborhood. Living our lives as if we ARE married, regardless of what others think or the law books say.
To be honest, my everyday life won’t change much if the law gets overturned. It would be great to have all the protections in place for us and JJ, but many of those we’ve already set in place on our own. What does bother me is if the law gets defeated (as it has once already, and has been in many, many states), is the feeling of being officially and legally rejected in my own state. The realization that when push came to shove and when forced to choose, my fellow Marylanders might decide, nope — you’re not worthy. You’re not good enough. Your son is not deserving of the same security as others.
But I’m hopeful. Americans ARE continuing to rise up and be good human beings. Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, DC and good old Iowa. I’m hopeful because I have to be — it’s part of my job as a Dad.
And oh yeah, JJ’s actual birthday is Nov. 7 — wouldn’t having a couple of married Dads be an awesome birthday present?!?! Fingers crossed, and please vote YES on Question 6!
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*Stay tuned… a recording is being made, and hope to share it with you all soon!
Feeling Cocky
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all who liked/shared/commented/tweeted/retweeted/posted/etc in support of my goofy collage, and ultimately in support of marriage equality in my wonderful state of Maryland.
After tallying up all your cluckety-clicks, it looks like I’ll be donating $179 to Marylanders for Marriage Equality! If you’ve got a minute and few bucks, would you consider making a donation yourself to help MD4ME push this through? Our governor has signed a bill approving same-sex marriage, but enough opposition signatures were gathered to get a referendum on the ballot in November. So the day before JJ’s third birthday, Marylanders will be voting on whether or not his dads can be legally married. We could really use your help. I can’t promise you a wedding invite, but I can promise you the reception won’t be serving chicken sandwiches.
Bet let’s move on from the chicken nonsense. If you’re anything like me, you’re tired of hearing about and/or participating in this debate, and have completely lost your appetite for poultry for the foreseeable future. So I defer to the sage of our times to deliver the epilogue…
As Jon Stewart so eloquently (and snarkily, natch) summed it up:
“For people who are gay or support gay marriage, I get how seeing thousands of people come out to make this statement is incredibly disheartening. But take solace in this: gay marriage is happening. Like many drive-thru window lanes, it ain’t going backwards. And your bonus is this — you get gay marriage. And all your political opponents are going to get is type 2 diabetes.”
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| The Daily Show with Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Fast Feud Nation – Chik-fil-A Appreciation Day | ||||
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Gays, Muppets, Chicken + Jesus
Click pic to view in all its full-sized, technicolor glory
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UPDATE 7/31
Well, I thought I was going to just post this photo and leave it at that… no such luck.
My inspiration for this collage was thinking about how ridiculous this all seems — chicken sandwiches vs. gay marriage vs. Muppets vs. Huckabee vs. the mayor of Boston, with some scouts thrown in for good measure. Yet regardless of the silliness of this cultural cockfight, same-sex marriage is obviously an important issue to me. And obviously to a lot of people, based on the amount of discussion it’s sparked in real life and on the Interwebs.
Full disclosure: I began frequenting Chick-Fil-A during my stint in Texas, then stopped going several years ago…but for gastronomical reasons more than any other. The company has every right to sponsor Christian organizations, close on Sundays, dress up cows in sandwich boards. But someone over there is going out of their way to make sure I’m not able to marry my partner of 15 years, preventing us and our son from having all the legal benefits — not to mention social acceptance — straight couples and their children are allowed. And that deserves a response.
MY RESPONSE:
Starting now and through midnight on August 1, for every comment I get on this post, plus every like / comment / forward on Facebook, reply / retweet / favorite on Twitter, and every like / comment on Instagram, I’ll donate a dollar to Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the organization working toward equal marriage in my home state. And while you’re at it, please consider making a donation yourself.
I don’t know if it’s what Jesus would do, but it sure beats fighting the crowds for a cheap chicken sandwich.
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