The United States has seen a series of astonishing gay advances in the past three weeks.
When Connecticut state Rep. Beth Bye’s turn came to speak about the need for her legislature to approve gay marriage, she tearfully recalled her devout Catholic father’s loving participation in her civil union ceremony, then described the pain of being excluded from actual marriage.
The freshman lawmaker recounted filling out a health-care form: Her choices were “married,” “divorced,” “widowed,” “single” or “other.”
“Forgive me if I’m not patient,” Bye told Connecticut’s joint House-Senate Judiciary Committee. “I don’t want to be ‘other’ anymore. I want to be married.”
and
“We have seen in the last month at almost every major win, almost always there is an openly gay legislator behind that story,” says Denis Dison of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which helps elect openly gay or transgender officials, who now number 370.
and
If you ever wonder whether it’s important for gay people to risk being out at work, just review this wonderful list. Gay lawmakers, out at work, are rocketing our country forward.
Read Breakthrough Gay Advances in Past Three Weeks
by Deb Price, Creators Syndicate ~ Alternet ~ April 30, 2007