In my own sort of version of the speech given above, i thought I'd share with you my experience of how i feel about this and why it's wrong, but cannot be helped.
The gay community at the moment almost world over, in one way or another, is still fighting for equality and for many different reasons. In Uganda, the gays are fighting for the simple fact of, they want to live. In Russia, they have to avoid gangs who want them dead and are supported by anti-gay laws. In America, UK, Ireland, Europe... Marriage equality is being fought for.... and it's having an impact.
Now, regular readers of this blog will understand me when i say that the equality fight for the LGBT community has a large similarity to the fight of black people not even 40 years ago. They couldn't marry who they wanted, they were told day and night that the white mans god didn't want them, that they should be kept as slaves. The term 'nigger' used for nothing more than to describe people who were exactly the same as the rest of us, but seen as nothing more than a worthless slave.
Of course many films now document what happens next and the freedom that was gained and while yes, racism IS still a part of society today, it's a lot less than it once was. So let's look at the LGBT community for a moment here then.
We don't have the freedom to marry who we love, world over, at the moment. Laws prevent us from being able to give blood in the same way that our straight allies can. People get too used to using the word "faggot" to describe a gay person, forgetting that a faggot is actually an item of food.
So how does all this impact on me?
Well, as you heard in Panti's speech, turning on the TV to see your own future being spoken about is abit of a kick in the balls at times, because you do just want to be treated like everybody else. You try to speak up yourself about these issues and you're told by people around you that Gay's don't have it that bad these days, that it is a topic worthy of being spoken about by everyone.... and all this time, you're sat at home, wanting to be treated the same.
As Panti also spoke in her speech about that gay person, who is quite feminine, or, camp, as i call it, why should i feel ashamed to be around him? People will tell you of how people won't think twice about beating up a gay person, how we should hide our campness inside until we're alone. Was it possible for black people to hide the colour of their skin.... IS IT? Lets not beat around the bush here, people still want to harm others based on the colour of their skin... so should they hide their skin colour from the world?
No.
In life we are often told by people that there's dreams and then theres reality. But if you don't have a dream, you cannot have the reality you want.
As a gay person, i don't think a day goes by that someone in the world doesn't accuse me of having raped children, caused divorces between straight people, conspired as a part of a gay agenda or of course, worked in the education system to poison the minds of young children, in a bid to recruit them to being gay. I do find it offencive, these messages are not maybe seen as directed towards me, because it doesn't hold my name, but those who doubt who it is that these people want to talk down about, ask yourself this. When was the last time you saw someone say that straight people shouldn't be allowed to adopt? When did a religion close its doors to you because of something you cannot help, even if that religion teaches to love thy neighbour.
It doesn't happen does it?
Yet here we are, people try to tell me what it's like to be gay, and will openly join in with others saying about how i shouldn't be allowed to marry in a religious place, why not? You would be the one 40 years ago to say that you don't think people of different skin colours shouldn't be allowed to marry, would you dare to say something like that in public these days? No, you wouldn't. So why is it acceptable to say the same thing but about gay people?
Not many people know about my sexuality when they first meet me, and it's not something i hide, but it's not something i go shouting around to everybody. Not through shame, or fear, but a simple thing in the back of my mind which makes me think "it's 2014, i no longer have to come out of the closet anymore.". So of course i still get people talking to me about what they believe, and don't get me wrong, i will correct some people, but others, i find it more amusing to sit back and just listen to what they have to say, while thinking that one day, they will eat them words.
Like 2 weeks ago, i was talking to another DJ, who for about 15 minutes was explaining to me that the only reason that marriage equality was passed the in the UK was because Elton John and Graham Norton have money and paid the MP's to vote for equality. He told me of how TV is being overrun these days by the gays, that churches are for straight people only.... that gays shouldn't be allowed out to places where he is djing.
Now I'm not a vengeful man, I do believe in karma, but i think he will learn, more than be hurt by the gay community, and that's why I'm not going to name him, and haven't to anybody.
BUT, you change what he said there to straight people, or black people.... what is your reaction then, and why is it different to it being in its orig context of gay people?
There's times when i have to go out and just, escape the real world, because it isn't fair. Gay people are still, world over, treated as second class citizens. Now granted, many are too dumb to realise it, but those that do realise it and call for change are often told that society is right, nothing needs to change and how somethings shouldn't change.... that you will just have to live your life as a second class citizen.
At times, on my walks, i will think about just giving up and accepting that i can't get married where i want to. Just accept that my gay friend who wears make-up in order for him to be able to cover up what he feels are imperfections with his look, will always be the shame of me and that maybe i should talk to him and ask him to "calm it down" when he's around me.
Then i remember something.
Silence gains us nothing. We have gay pride around the world so as we can celebrate the things that make us different, so as we can shout at the top of our lungs that "this is who i am and if you don't like it, well, fuck you". We have gay people in many parts of the world that are beaten daily, to death in many cases, because they are who they are... and god damn it, why should that ever be acceptable?
So no, i won't be silent. I will use my voice to speak out for people who are over-powered by a society that knows no place for them. I will use my voice to shout, until the law makers can make me the same as everybody else, in every single sense. I will stand next to my make-up wearing friend and be the one to tell you where to shove your comments when you dare to criticise him for wearing make-up and daring to be a little bit different than you.
I will not lead my life under a label of "gay". I will lead my life being, me.
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