The Kids Are Alright

I dont think this is true any more: (4.00 / 3)

And on a different note: what courage these students have in talking so openly about these issues.  At my high school many moons ago that would have guaranteed trouble.

I graduated High School in '04.  When i came out in my junior year, i was the only openly gay student in a school of about 750.

I found that AFTER i came out, i faced almost no harassment about the issue, and indeed earned a certain degree of respect of my peers.  

Before i came out of the closet, the opposite was true.  They saw it as a sign of weakness and exploited it in all high school cruelty.

After i came out the conversation went like this:

"Your so gay, Nick."

"Yes, your right i am."

"Oh...  that's cool."

I'm not saying this is true for everyone, but that was my experience.

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by: Nicholas Gunn @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 00:13:33 AM CDT

As a 'millenial', (4.00 / 1)

I can say with confidence to the Maggie Gallaghers of the world, you lost this fight a long time ago.

New Hampshire's stimulus: a train to Boston.
Visit NHBTI.org to learn about the NH Capitol Corridor project.

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 00:48:54 AM CDT

So... (4.00 / 1)

To what extent is this caused and/or enabled by the Internet? The ability for small groups to easily form communities not limited in time or space seems to me a fundamental change. There are certainly potential bad effects: extremists can crowd out moderates; people can lose track of the real world. By the same token, however, there's now a gay community everywhere, not only in certain neighborhoods of certain cities. It's nigh impossible to ghettoize people on the web (in spite of the human tendency to form tribes just to be able to to throw people out).

Millenials have internalized the simultaneously close-knit and immensely diverse (and quickly growing in both respects!) world community. We're taking Think Global, Act Local to a whole new level...

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by: Mormo @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 01:26:43 AM CDT

Unfortunately, It Depends Where You Live (4.00 / 1)

...and during this entire process of the past two-plus years I've heard some of the most disgusting comments, and examples of where within our state people still don't "get it."  I've also heard some prejudice from some young people too, who project the prejudice they have grown up with.  I was amazed, though, that some older people really understand.  

One of my best moments was about two weeks ago, before final passage, a man who had to be in his 80s came up to me in a supermarket in Portsmouth, asked if I was me, and said he was "so happy gay marriage is happening here."  That's all he said, then he walked back to his wife in line, and she smiled too.  

The cause continues, and each and every day that people like in this Blogpost do speak up, minds are eventually changed.  I feel especially sad for our brothers and sistens in some other parts of the country.  I've had three E-Mails from gay guys who say they're planning a move to New England -- two coming to New Hampshire!  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 09:20:19 AM CDT

so true (0.00 / 0)

There's a generational gap, certainly, but there is also a large group of what you might call libertarian-moderates of all ages in NH. The young people protecting their prejudices will either change their views or (sadly) end up completely out of step with society. There were plenty of young privileged racists after Loving, but those views are now far, far out of the mainstream. We are winning hearts and minds, constantly, and we don't lose them. That's Progressive.

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by: Mormo @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 13:54:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

within the past month... (4.00 / 3)

I have spoken to three classrooms of High School students in a working class town in NH. The subject was about diversity, the panel included a gay student of the school, a gay man in his twentys and me. Not once did any of those students show one bit of uncomfortableness or silliness that would have happend just a few years ago.

Just days later while walking out of the State House I passed two women in their early sixties. "There goes that faggot," one said to the other.

I was so moved by the first, and laughed to myself regardng the second.

Doing my best to elect NH Democrats since 1968 and getting better at it every year!

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by: Ray Buckley @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 16:40:44 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Good Stories, Ray... (4.00 / 1)

Both are nice stories, Ray -- the first because it is so true and touching, the second because it is a bit tragic and sad.  It is because of you and so many others that those walls are being broken down.  

Every time there is a story about a Chair of a major political party who happens to be gay, or the Governor of a proud state willing to sign marriage equality, or a story about an openly gay School Board member or State Representative, or a mention about an openly lesbian actress, it makes it clear to the up and coming generation that it just doesn't matter -- so much any more.  

It's not so much about what we do passing bills and making laws, though that is vital.  It's what we do every day just being ourselves.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 18:01:48 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Support Outright groups (4.00 / 1)

While it's encouraging to hear the stories of the kids who are having good experiences in their high schools, this is definitely not a universal truth.

And let's especially not forget what the trans youth had to deal with this spring as the anti-discrimination bill went down, accompanied by some pretty disturbing stories in the news.

While the Marriage Equality bill wound it's way into law, the GLBT youth support group Seacoast Outright nearly had to close it's doors.  As one supporter wrote in a last ditch effort to rally support:

"It is time for the rest of us to step up and save something we are not yet ready as a community to live without.  One day I will be thrilled for [Outright] to go out of business, but as a parent of middle-schoolers, we just aren't there yet."

It looks like Seacoast Outright will continue, though as an all volunteer organization without a space to call it's own.  In addition to Seacoast Outright, there are also 100% volunteer run Outright groups in Concord and Manchester.  There may also be similar groups in other parts of the state that I am unaware of.  They all run on a shoestring.  Any support you could provide them would be deeply appreciated.

www.seacoastoutright.org/donate
www.nhftm.org/Xtras/ConcordOutrightWebpage.htm
www.freewebs.com/manchesteroutright

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by: Karen @ Sun Jun 14, 2009 at 05:42:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Could not agree more... (4.00 / 2)

Over the past decade or so NH lgbt activists and their allies have raised the victory flag and gone home exhausted.

This must not happen again.

We need to actively reach out and encourage new folks to be involved and support all the essential work of the NHFTM, PFLAG, Outright, all the AIDS programs and all the rest.

Doing my best to elect NH Democrats since 1968 and getting better at it every year!

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by: Ray Buckley @ Sun Jun 14, 2009 at 08:27:27 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

The Causes Continue... (0.00 / 0)

...it is so shortsighted to see so many AIDS programs, especially prevention projects, being cut throughout the country.  Too often budget decisions in times of financial difficulities are made without consideration to the long-term costs of cuts made today.  Let's hope all of our political leaders at all levels are careful of what cuts they make, and don't just consider sounding good for the next election.    

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Sun Jun 14, 2009 at 15:32:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

My favorite English teacher (4.00 / 1)

was gay and  out before it was fashionable. I had him in eighth grade. He drilled grammar into our heads. He used to walk around the classroom and would hit your desk with a ruler if he thought you weren't paying attention. We diagrammed sentences until we were blue in the face.

Everybody knew he had a husband and a beautiful house with a built-in pool. (The pool part was impressive). I'm grateful to him wherever he is. I rarely got less than an A on anything I wrote from then on, and I owe it all to him.

One of the things he used to say in an English teacher voice: "Puns are the lowest form of humor."

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by: Jennifer Daler @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 18:29:38 PM CDT

he was wrong (4.00 / 2)

about puns.  

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by: susanthe @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 20:48:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

in India... (0.00 / 0)

In India.... an especially wise person is called a "Pundit."  The word means... "one who utters puns."

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 at 22:44:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Shakespeare and Joyce (4.00 / 1)

Two of the greatest writers ever were inveterate lovers of puns.

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by: michael57 @ Sun Jun 14, 2009 at 11:08:53 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Sarcasm (0.00 / 0)

I was told sarcasm is the lowest form of humor. That is also incorrect.

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by: JimC @ Sun Jun 14, 2009 at 07:43:42 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Didn't JD Salinger (0.00 / 0)

say, "Sarcasm is the weapon of the weak" in Catcher in the Rye?

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by: Jennifer Daler @ Sun Jun 14, 2009 at 07:46:36 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Possibly (0.00 / 0)

But if so, I don't mind. The weak need weapons sometimes.

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by: JimC @ Sun Jun 14, 2009 at 08:10:54 AM CDT

[ Parent ]