I'm Straight but I still care.

[Toolizm]

I'm a 21 year-old, married, male with 2 kids. I live in Overland Park, Kansas, where just recently a law was passed to ban gay marriage. I am proud to support gay marriage, but at the same time I'm lost. I wan't to help the gay community to achieve the equals rights they deserve but I don't know how. It's obvious that voting against the gay ban wasn't enough so what now. What can I do to help change things?

[wontonfoey]

There are a few things you can do. It depends on your level of comfort and commitment. You can check out the PFLAG Website. The more "straight" supporters our community has on record, the more likely our community will get our civil rights. You can refuse to take part in or listen to gay jokes or people condeming gay people, just as I assume you would refuse to listen to racial jokes...you can simply say, "I disagree" and walk on by. I think that if you take this on as a civil rights issue rather than a "moral" one, you have a better chance at reasoning with people. I honestly believe that Churches should have the right to discriminate against gay marriage...but I don't think that the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT should not bar people the choice of who gets to see them in the hospital, who gets to easily buy a house with them, who can get their Social Security. Everyone should be able to form that contract with another person...I think that the key word in marriage is "CONTRACT"...as in document. Most young, educated thinking people agree. Most young people need to most of all get out and tell their congresspeople that they are the people who will be VOTING and they plan to make them accountable for every bigoted decision that they make. At some point when the oppressed 10% and their supporters stand up and refuse to pay taxes, or start really economically boycotting companies that have bad track-records...the times will change. Until then...it will look alot like it did in the South in 1957-1963...u-g-l-y....see JUSTAGIRL in the Jesus thread for an example of that kind of pure fear and hatred. Why would a (woman?) come to a gay forum just to be a bitch? I digress....Thanks for your post, it was nice to read after my eyes were scared by that person. Bigots can't stop "us" from living together or spending tons of money on securing some of the rights that straight people have. They can only spread their filth and be used as pawns by the Republican Party to be duped into voting for four more years of WAR.

[zartsy]

Thanks for caring about gay marriage. As far as I'm concerned, government has as much business in unions as it has in circumcision, baptism and communion. Let the churches have "marriage," let the government go about the business of incorporating businesses and recognizing partnerships. If you really want to help people understand gay people, invite some to your next gathering. Invite gay couples who are engaged to marry (gay and lesbian couples ARE getting married every weekend, they just won't have legal rights afforded to any heterosexual crack whore who wants to marry a death row mass murderer). There are a lot of straight people (and closeted gay teens and adults) who believe they don't know any homosexuals. SURPRISE! They're all around. I remember sneaking around bathhouses in northern California when I was 17, only to run into one of my trysts at Sunday school -- he was a teacher and engaged to the preacher's daughter. I ran scared, because I'm a decent person and didn't want to risk "spilling the beans." Again, thanks for caring and thanks for being straight and married (someone has to have cute gay babies, and it ain't gonna be me).

[leecappella]

I'm a 21 year-old, married, male with 2 kids. I live in Overland Park, Kansas, where just recently a law was passed to ban gay marriage. I am proud to support gay marriage, but at the same time I'm lost. I wan't to help the gay community to achieve the equals rights they deserve but I don't know how. It's obvious that voting against the gay ban wasn't enough so what now. What can I do to help change things?

I would suggest that you figure out why you support gay marriage. Really analyze why your beliefs are what they are and then share your views with those opposed to gay marriage. You may cause them to think.