Re: Waiting for us to change

Hi Markie, may I add a few comments if I may?

"You first. I at least took the step of outing myself. Have you done that? Let me know when you have, and then I'll give more consideration to your advice."

For me, outing oneself isn't my first step or the first step to me.. if I were "out" then that opinion might be different. I agree coming out needs to be done, I'm just not ready yet. I've thought about outing myself via FB (Facebook) but am worried, to be 100% honest.. not from the law (my local LEA already knows about me), but of the few family members' families that we're still in contact with (my uncles' fam just got in the picture a yr ago ie. fam probs), I fear that if I outed myself and they found out that I problly won't see them again. My dads' side isn't also in the picture, but may call them sometime dunno..

I'm lucky that my mom hasn't disowned me.. was hard yrs in therapy, but I really think that my last MHP, who stayed with me for over two yrs really help my mom understand me better and also helped me as well in many ways.

Your right, we cannot really know what you have done for our cause, I have no doubt you've changed opinions within your circle. I've done small activism in my community by just dropping off a few pamphlets, flyers and cards here and there, well really only a few times but still did it. I dunno how much will came/ or will come from that but its done. I also try and make the world better for kids to live in, via donating (when I'm able to, to orgs that help kids in need etc) among other things.

I also agree with what you said about history, Stonewall and movements "Movements always start small and organically. History doesn't record all of the gays who outed themselves only to friends and family when they were extremely unpopular, but there can be no doubt that they collectively had an impact in changing the general mindset of the populace in small ways, which gradually built up to the point where the Stonewall riots could happen.

Furthermore, Stonewall was not organized; the riots were reactionary and they took place in a certain environment that was conducive to them. Generally speaking, the gays were far more socially acceptable at that point than we are now, whatever the laws were."

I can fully say that I agree with that.

Well, it's late.. I'll stop by tmrw (today)! Nighty-night..