Two elementary school kids have hung themselves due to anti-gay bullying

http://www.truthout.org/060309EDA


Along with the above article, I also watched Milk today.

Sometimes, it's hard to be reminded that you're different. It's not often I remember that although I've been very lucky, I could easily and probably will encounter the kind of hatred these individuals did.

My heart aches for those people I know who have struggled to come out, or to tell their families, or even their friends. It gets so easy for me or even others to simply say, "well just be honest about it! What's the big deal?" The big deal is those two young boys who killed themselves because of anti-gay bullying. The big deal is Harvey Milk being shot for being a gay man in public office.

Still, like Harvey Milk pointed out, the revolution is in the revealing of who we are and how many of us are in this world--the very world we have every right to be in.

And the revolution, even without him and other leaders in the gay movement, is still now. Everytime I come out to someone and they not only realize I am someone they know and interact with but that I am a likable, functional, regular human being... that's progress in small, but effective ways.

My heart breaks for these two boys, now past, and the families mourning them.

But we'll keep fighting; it's not about winning. It's about visibility and voice. As silly as it sounds, the old "we're here, we're queer, get used to it" is pretty on point.

We're here. I'm here. You're here. Here here!