Politics

Last night my husband took me to a mixer for a local candidate for state rep.

My husband is a lot more political than I am. We share the same political views but I have just never been very active. I generally know the candidates and try to be informed but he is an encyclopedia of knowledge on politics from Nixon to now. I admire that but it is hard to catch up sometimes.

But last night I saw politics in a new light. We had been invited to attend this meeting by our neighbors. Straight neighbors. And while we were there we visited with several of our straight neighbors about the candidate and about our kids. It was all very "normal." We just happened to be the gay couple in the crowd.

Now I am 6'3" and my husband is 5'11" so we don't exactly disappear into the crowd. So when the candidate came around glad handing I think she pretty much had me/us figured out. When she asked what issues I had concerns about I asked what her position was on the defense of marriage act. Her response was enthusiastic and positive. She said she was Roman Catholic but that she felt it was a basic right for people to be able to marry whomever they wanted to marry.

Of course this particular candidate may or may not win this election. Besides that, if she won she wouldn't really be able to do much about DOMA as a state rep. That is not the point of my comments. The point is that one of the things that gays need to do is get directly involved in the political process. It will change things.

One of the things that made last night important is that this all took place in a very hetro suburb. It is my observation that LBGs (late breaking gays) are more likely to stay out in the suburbs than to move to the gay ghetto. Because of this the LBGs (late breaking gays) have a better chance of making a difference in the mind of their neighbors and politicians by their very presence and by their involvement. It is a better edge than the 20 somethings in the gay ghetto.

A lot of the LBGs (late breaking gays) are well educated and have been successful in their careers. Many of them are doctors and lawyers and entrepreneurs. To a politician they could be a powerful ally. I think the potential to change the way the world and politicians see gays may be greatly improved by the LBGs (late breaking gays). All we need to do is be unafraid in our communities and yes, even active in politics.

So last night we brought a sign home.

We put it on the corner of our corner lot.

Then we went in and had great "post political meeting sex."

I kind of like this political activist thing.